Uniworld Managing Director UK and Ireland Chris Townson said the ultra-luxury travel market is booming as wealthy clients seem intent on spending their savings before they’re taxed by the Government.
Alluding to the recently announced move to apply inheritance tax to pensions from 2027, Chris said: “People think they will spend it before [the Prime Minister] Keir Starmer taxes it. They want to spend money to travel in style.”
Giving an example of how willing clients are to spend, Chris said one customer splashed out £40,000 on a Uniworld Amazon cruise on the spot at a recent partner event. Also, the first booking taken by Uniworld sister brand Luxury Gold for its new Cruise and Tour programme was a £10,000-a-head trip to Italy.
Overall, the company has seen a 65% year-on-year increase in long-haul and bucket-list bookings. It said clients are looking for ‘longer, more immersive journeys that include showstoppers such as the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu or Rio de Janeiro’ as well as the more peaceful, rural and nature-based experiences along rivers such as the Amazon and the Ganges.
When the boutique river cruise line launched its bucket-list Spectacular Journeys of the World Collection three years ago, around 20% of those booking an Amazon cruise opted for an extension to Machu Picchu, but Chris said now 100% book the extension.
Uniworld will launch its newest ship, Emilie, on 21 March this year.
