Luxury travel agents from Protravel International share their insights on luxury journeys that go beyond amenities and sightseeing

New York, NY (July 25, 2018) — Luxury is no longer defined by monetary value. Affluent travelers today want to immerse themselves in unique cultural experiences that lead to self-discovery and improvement.

“Our luxury travel advisors have seen a distinctive shift among their luxury clientele no longer seeking traditional luxury vacations,” said Protravel International President Becky Powell. “The ‘New Luxury’ is really about finding some kind of emotional fulfilment through personalized, authentic experiences that widen their perspective of today’s world.”

“It’s a tall order to expect travel to be transformative each time, but it can certainly be a conduit for self-discovery or enhanced wellbeing,” said Powell. “Whether that means reaching a goal such as hiking to a glacial lake in Iceland, or experiencing a new culture, or gaining a greater sense of self through travel, our Protravel agents excel at custom-tailoring those experiences.”

Increasingly, Protravel agents are planning trips around five emerging trends in luxury travel — disconnecting, bonding, achieving, discovering and healing. Below, top luxury agents from Protravel share their insights on some of the destinations and activities that tie into those themes.

Disconnecting

“I’m seeing more and more clients looking to travel to disconnect from technology and the news cycle. Recently, I sent four women to the little-known and incredibly tranquil Holbox Island, Mexico. They wanted to get off the grid and connect with nature. Holbox is a remote barrier island two hours northwest of Cancun with limited WiFi, sun, sand and breathtaking nature. Since it’s separated from the mainland coast of Mexico by a shallow lagoon, thousands of flamingos, pelicans and other exotic birds and creatures take sanctuary there. My clients stayed at a boutique hotel without televisions, went bird-watching, fishing, swimming with whale sharks, ate great seafood and came back rejuvenated.”

– Marvelys Capote, Protravel International New York

Bonding

“Recently I sent a multi-generational group of 20 family members to a villa in Tuscany. They dubbed themselves the Tuscany Travelers and enjoyed exploring cities and towns, biking, and cooking. The children played in the pool and visited the nearby gelato shop, while the adults enjoyed cocktail hour on the terrace overlooking the surrounding rolling hills. The key to successful multi-generational trips is planning some activities geared to each age group and including others the group can enjoy together.”

– Loretta Carson, Protravel International New York

Achieving

“Often our clients want to learn to scuba dive to check that off their bucket list. We’ve arranged for families with members from 10 years old to grandparents to try an introductory dive at the Great Barrier Reef. The chance to dive among the incredible biodiversity of the sea is a reliably mind-blowing experience, and we often find clients propelled to become formally certified after the trip.”

– Roseann Iovine, Protravel International San Diego

Discovering

“New Zealand is one of my absolute favorite family destinations and perfect for any age. An experience of a lifetime for families is a stay on a working farm where you learn to milk and feed cattle, herd sheep and farm your own food. Then a move to a luxury lodge to fish, white water raft, explore geothermal sites, hike volcanoes and helicopter over some of the most impressive glaciers and lush landscape. All while golfing the best courses and drinking some of the best wines of the world. Top it off with a group bungee with the Kiwis and you have the most memorable holiday imaginable.”

– Michelle Rosen, Protravel International Encino

Healing

“Healing vacations can be very important to a traveler who has been ill, experienced a loss, or is going into a new phase in life such as being empty nesters or a recent divorce. Three resorts that stand out for their healing experiences are Miraval in Arizona, which offers mindfulness and appointments with spiritual healers; Golden Door in California, which is very deluxe and nourishing to the soul; and Ananda in the Himalayas, which offers a life-changing, spiritual experience, in part, because of its location in Northern India near the epicenter of where yoga began. Ananda provides different programs based on your needs, such as healing, rejuvenation, detox, all using Ayurvedic principles. My clients have come back refreshed and renewed from these trips of self-reflection.”

– Stephanie Durst, Protravel International Long Island

For more information on Protravel International, and ideas for luxury trips recommended by our agents, visit the Protravel Blog.

About Protravel International, LLC:

Protravel International, LLC is a Travel Leaders Group company. Founded in 1984, Protravel International, LLC is a full-service, dynamic travel company with an award-winning reputation. Protravel is headquartered in New York City and supports 20 locations throughout the United States and the United Kingdom, plus a network of hosted agents in all corners of the U.S. Today, approximately 1,000 people make up the Protravel organization. Our expertise in destination, international faring and competitive products – coupled with our superior network of contacts in the airline, hotel, cruise and hospitality industry – makes Protravel one of the most powerful selling forces in the travel industry.

2018: Year of the Travel Agent

Travel Leaders Group has named 2018 Year of the Travel Agent. Over the last decade, the travel agency industry has flourished through technology, the growth of travel options and personalized service. Travel Leaders Group represents approximately 52,000 travel agents with unmatched expertise in 135,000 destinations and 53,000 areas of interest. Travelers and suppliers have rediscovered the value a professional travel advisor delivers to the travel experience. Travel agents help to move people around the world, and keep our economy growing.