Across the globe, destinations are wrestling with overtourism, and the response from the wealthiest travellers isn’t subtle. It’s turning away from crowds, and toward something much more controlled—access, not just sightseeing.
According to the World Luxury Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Travel Trends Report, for high-net-worth individuals the new currency of luxury isn’t about ownership (presumably of a yacht, or a multi-million-euro holiday home) – it’s about access. Instead of the same itineraries everyone posts about, they’re looking for hyper-personalised, authentic experiences that aren’t open to the general public.
One popular route is basically doing the trip for you: private jet journeys packaged like a moving hotel. Four Seasons, for instance, offers fully-curated around-the-world trips by private jet. Lasting between 20 and 24 days, travellers can choose among “New World Icons”, “Ancient Explorer” and “International Intrigue” itineraries—names that sound a bit like storybooks, but the schedule is the point. These journeys can take guests to Bora Bora, the Galapagos Islands, Petra, Kyoto, Easter Island, the Maldives, Serengeti and Iceland, among others, with private guided tours, unique workshops and expert-led cultural experiences such as samurai sword fighting in Tokyo.
The aircraft is a custom-made Airbus A321neo-LR, fitted with only between 48 and 52 seats. Passengers sink into customised Italian leather flatbed seats, order plates from bespoke menus curated by the onboard executive chef, and lean on a dedicated concierge team. There’s even a lounge area for socialising and ample personal space built into the cabin—“hotel in the sky” is how it’s described. Trips also include all ground transportation, excursions, meals and accommodation, which is usually in Four Seasons hotels. Costs start at around $219,000 (€187,000), which is… a lot, even by luxury standards.
Then there are the options that don’t even pretend to mix with other people. Renting an entire private island outright—whether for a milestone event, birthday, wedding or celebration—has become its own kind of flex. These islands usually accept small groups and have very few spaced out villas, for maximum seclusion and privacy. Reportedly available rentals include Banwa Private Island in the Philippines, Calivigny Island in Grenada, and Laucala Island in Fiji.
Some guests go for the picture-perfect stays: overwater villas, five-star thatched roof cottages, or beachfront villas with private infinity pools. Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands can be rented out completely, with wildlife and water sports. Others include Musha Cay in the Bahamas—a 700-acre chain owned by American illusionist David Copperfield—where visitors can dine on two-mile sandbars, join interactive treasure hunts, watch films outdoors, and get wellness treatments, water sports and excursions.
Facilities on private islands typically include butler service, gourmet or customised dining, private airstrips and dedicated staff. And the price gap is wide: Voavah Private Island in the Maldives can cost around $46,000 (€39,000) per night, while Banwa Private Island can go for as much as $100,000 (€85,000) a night. One can almost smell the salt from that kind of seclusion—if you’ve ever stood on a deck at dusk—except here, you’re paying for it, not
just enjoying it.
For travellers who’ve exhausted ski breaks and beach escapes, the “edge of space” is now part of the conversation. Blue Origin offers 10-11 minute suborbital flights, with about three-to-four minutes of weightlessness after crossing the 100km Kármán line, then a float back to Earth. Virgin Atlantic has a 90-minute suborbital “thrill ride”, with a view from space and a few minutes of weightlessness before returning. And if that still doesn’t scratch the itch, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon takes travellers into full Earth orbit for multi-day stays. Crew Dragon flights cost $55 million (€46.9 million) per passenger, and the spacecraft seats up to seven guests with four windows and a private bathroom, plus spacious white interiors, Alcantara-upholstered seats, and streamlined touchscreen technology.
Polar travel is also getting an upgrade—from cruise-style tourism into something more tightly controlled. Arctic and Antarctic travel has exploded as travellers want outdoor nature rather than just a coastline. White Desert, for example, offers super-exclusive, private tours to the Antarctic interior, flying guests via private jet from Cape Town straight to luxury camps. Echo, Wolf’s Fang or Whichaway camp is described as bespoke and high-tech, with heated sleeping pods, a library set on rare exposed rock and gourmet dining, plus access to the Geographic South Pole and the Atka Bay Emperor penguin colony with around 28,000 penguins. Trips run seven-to-eight days on the Early Emperors tour starting at around $70,000 (€60,000) per person, with shorter day trips such as The Greatest Day or Antarctica in a Day starting at $16,000 (€13,600) per person.
And if the goal is the opposite of “more planning,” months-long cruises are back in style, especially ultra-luxury, all-suite formats. Multi-month, around-the-world cruises have drawn more interest because they wrap multiple destinations into one booking. Regent’s Seven Seas cruises offer ultra-luxury, all-suite, all-balcony and all-inclusive experiences in a country-club style, with trips lasting more than 140 days and visiting dozens of destinations on either the Seven Seas Splendour or Seven Seas Voyager. Facilities include gourmet
dining and fine wine across speciality restaurants like Pacific Rim and Prime 7 steakhouse, unlimited curated shore excursions, premium beverages, unlimited Wi-Fi and valet laundry. Guests stay in suites with private balconies and amenities such as marble bathrooms, spacious living areas and walk-in closets; itineraries include roundtrip airfares, all gourmet meals and drinks, entertainment and excursions—though how often anyone really chooses to “only pack once” after the luxury shopping begins, well, that part isn’t covered.
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