What: Luxury travel is taking off again, but patterns have changed.

Why it is important:  Certainties from the past are not valid anymore for brands, but this applies also to department stores.

In 2022, American tourists largely drove the growth of luxury brands in Europe due to relaxed travel restrictions and a strong dollar, but in 2023, Chinese consumers are expected to be the key drivers.

Despite capacity limitations, the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute forecasts 110 million outbound trips from mainland China this year. As pandemic restrictions ease, luxury travel is on the rise and the merging of business and leisure travel ("bleisure") is becoming more prominent.

Luxury brands are leveraging this trend, offering unique, non-traditional experiences. As part of this shift, hotels are incorporating retail experiences into their services. For example, the Ritz-Carlton in Montreal partnered with Christian Louboutin to launch an exclusive pop-up boutique.

Tina Edmundson, Marriott International’s president of luxury, reports that the company's room bookings are 11% higher in March 2023 versus 2019, indicating a swift recovery in the luxury travel segment.

How global luxury travel trends will impact fashion