Too many hours waiting for gelato in Capri

Affluent U.S. travelers may be sticking closer to home for their big trips this year, travel industry experts say

Blame it on the soaring cost of travel, unease about the war in the Middle East, or a desire to avoid the headache of sold-out hotels and crowds in popular tourist destinations, numerous signs indicate that more Americans with an eye toward luxury travel are opting for domestic vacations this year compared with last, when they ventured abroad in the wake of pent-up demand following the pandemic.

Key takeaways

• Preferred Travel Group, comprising more than 1,000 high-end hotels, says that while the group’s international business remains strong, domestic stays have grown so far in 2024, with bookings for the months ahead showing the same rise;
• Travel advisors also report a rise in bookings of domestic getaways, with prohibitive cost of top hotels abroad partially being a cause;
• The most significant evidence that affluent travelers have returned to domestic escapes comes from luxury properties themselves, many of which saw a wane or decline in business because their usual guests chose to go abroad as the world opened up from pandemic shutdowns.

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