Climate-conscious under-60s are driving luxury travel across China and India, while traditional western destinations start to lose appeal.
The face of luxury travel is changing dramatically — and it’s getting notably younger. As climate-conscious millennials and Gen-X travellers flex their financial muscle, destinations across Asia and Africa are experiencing unprecedented growth in high-end tourism.
A recent report from The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) paints a compelling picture: India’s luxury travel sector has soared by an impressive 120% in 2024, while China is riding a wave of 60% year-over-year growth in both domestic and international luxury bookings. Meanwhile, Southeast Asian hotspots like Indonesia and Thailand are capitalising on this surge, with luxury accommodation rates climbing by 20%.
“Despite ongoing economic and geopolitical headwinds, our intrepid luxury travellers continue to seek new destinations,” said Shannon Knapp, President and CEO of The Leading Hotels of the World.
Perhaps most intriguingly, these new-age luxury travellers are proving more thoughtful about when and where they travel, with climate concerns and overtourism reshaping patterns. Shoulder seasons have seen a 13% uptick in bookings as travellers actively avoid peak crowds and extreme weather. Morocco exemplifies this shift, recording a remarkable 55% year-over-year increase in luxury bookings.
The trend extends across the Asia-Pacific region, with Japan’s international bookings now dominating its luxury market, accounting for over 90% of LHW revenue. This eastward shift in luxury travel suggests a fundamental transformation in how and where the world’s affluent choose to explore.
