New report confirms Asia Pacific’s luxury travellers are prioritising slow, meaningful travel

Marriott’s Luxury Group’s latest report illustrates the extent to which high-net-worth travellers across Asia Pacific are prioritising depth over decadence, with wellness, emotional connection and nature-led itineraries gaining momentum

Luxury travel has a new face, and it’s full of stories, rooted in nature and rich in meaningful connections. New research by Marriott’s Luxury Group sheds new light on the immersive luxury travel movement, with the numbers clearly showing a shift away from excess and toward experiences that are personal, purposeful and deeply connected to wellbeing and place.

“The opportunity [for Marriott] is not just to offer luxury, but to meet travellers at a deeper level of intention and resonance,” said Oriol Montal, Regional Vice President, Luxury, Asia Pacific excluding China at Marriott International.

According to The Intentional Traveler report, travellers in Asia Pacific in the top wealth brackets are booking fewer trips, but spending more on each journey. Wellness, emotional resonance and nature-led escapes are key decision drivers, with 90 per cent of respondents listing wellness as a top booking priority and 92 per cent valuing proximity to nature when choosing a destination.

Bigger budgets

The survey of 1,750 high-net-worth travellers across Australia, Singapore, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan and Thailand found that 72 per cent plan to increase their luxury travel spending in the year ahead. Those in Australia (85 per cent), Indonesia (81 per cent) and Singapore (80 per cent) are leading this growth.

The power of the familiar

Surprisingly, the report revealed that rather than chasing novelty, 93 per cent of travellers prefer to return to destinations they already love to experience deeper immersion. That said, new regional destinations are also gaining ground, with Bangladesh, New Zealand and Cambodia joining Australia, Japan and China in the top 10 most planned destinations for 2025.

Wellness and nature 

Nature-based travel is becoming more popular, with 28 per cent planning countryside escapes (up from 19 per cent last year) and 30 per cent booking safaris. Culinary travel remains a key motivator, but active outdoor experiences and immersion in natural landscapes are rising quickly.

Planning ahead, personalising everything

Booking windows are also expanding, with travellers planning longer and more personalised stays. Customisation is now a baseline expectation, with 93 per cent of travellers wanting personalised experiences, and 62 per cent pre-planning nearly every detail.

New travel dynamics

The report also highlights changing group dynamics. Solo parents travelling with children – labelled “Guardian Trailsetters” – are on the rise, leaning into educational, cultural and wildlife-rich trips. Gen Z travellers, who the report has dubbed “Impact Explorers”, are showing a strong preference for nature, active holidays and solo discovery, especially in destinations like Sri Lanka, Thailand and Australia. Meanwhile, the “Venture Travelist” cohort – those combining travel with business or investment exploration – has grown sharply, now representing 86 per cent of respondents.

View the whole report.