01/22/2026
🔭 What do the wealthiest U.S. travelers want from you? Find out in our 2026 Future of Luxury Travel Report. Get it free here: https://resonanceco.com/reports/future-of-luxury-travel/
While recession warnings dominate headlines, a parallel economy is accelerating in the opposite direction.
The wealthiest 10% of American households now control more than half of all U.S. consumer spending. In travel alone, they'll deploy an estimated $544 billion in 2026, based on our latest research.
This isn't a temporary surge. Earnings calls from major hotel groups confirm it: luxury properties post rate growth while mid-scale and economy segments flatline. Premium cabins fill faster than economy. The bifurcation is real, structural, and reshaping where capital flows and which destinations will see meaningful growth in the years ahead.
For destination marketers, hospitality operators, and hotel developers, the implications are existential. Our latest research surveying 1,050 Top-10% households and 451 Top-1% households reveals not just growth in wealth, but fundamental shifts in how affluent Americans travel, what they prioritize, and which brands will capture their business over the next decade.
The findings challenge conventional wisdom at every turn.
⭐ Safety now outranks scenery as the top decision factor.
⭐ Canada has overtaken Mexico as the preferred international destination.
⭐ Affluent travelers are building portfolios of six or more intentional journeys annually.
⭐ Wellness has evolved from spa amenity to core infrastructure, with longevity science driving programming.
⭐ Spending on leisure travel has surged 55% since 2022, reaching $74,400 per year on average for Top-1% households.
⭐ Most critically, there's no such thing as a generic "luxury traveler."
Our psychographic segmentation identifies three dominant mindsets: Experience Enthusiasts, Cultural Explorers, and Comfort Seekers.
Each requires radically different positioning, messaging, and product design. Marketing to all of them the same way means connecting with none of them deeply.
Go deeper by downloading the free report. Link up top.
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