Wish You Were Here

When it comes to travel for 2018, cold is hot. According to data compiled by travel network Virtuoso in its annual Luxe Report, affluent travellers looking for adventure are packing their bags for Iceland (27 per cent), Antarctica (23 per cent) and Alaska (15 per cent), especially now that luxury outfitters have made these journeys more comfortable. “The desire to explore undiscovered, untouched and even untamed territory is driving visitors to destinations previously thought to appeal to the more intrepid traveller,” says Misty Ewing Belles, managing director for global public relations at Virtuoso.

Italy remains a favourite for families, honeymooners and globetrotters and is second only to Thailand for millennials. Iceland, which wasn’t even on the radar in 2015 for top international destinations, is just behind Italy in popularity this year, while France and England have dropped a few places. For the US, New York City and Maui crown the list, but Miami has risen to No. 3. Perhaps the exploding culinary scene (food and wine travel has jumped to No. 4 in the trend category) is responsible for Los Angeles’s place in the top 10. LA is the third California location on the list for US excursions, along with Napa Valley and Sonoma (No. 5) and the San Francisco Bay Area (No. 6). It seems California is maintaining its sheen as the Golden State.