More consumers are booking cruise and stay holidays as demand for “richer, more comprehensive” experiences continues to rise, according to a new report from Audley Travel

It comes after the agency partnered with travel trend forecasting firm Globetrender for its inaugural Luxury Tailormade Travel Trends 2026 report.

The research found a 36 per cent increase in the number of travellers requesting a trip with “two clear parts” – a cruise itinerary and a hotel stay, for example – which represented a five per cent increase on the previous year.

The report also noted an increasing proportion of travellers that are see “true luxury travel” as having access to something others haven’t experienced and an opportunity to do “what was once perceived impossible”.

These consumers are looking for access to private land, off-the-map locations and to be the first aboard new vessels. “They don’t just want rarity, but expertly wrangled itineraries that push at the limits of what is viable,” Audley Travel said.

“This wish for experiences that are on the edge of what is possible isn’t limited to in-destination activities but instead is a fully immersive experience that genuinely surprises visitors with something new or different.”

The company has also seen an increase in demand for warmer-weather expeditions in destinations such as Indonesia, the Pacific, the Amazon and Africa.

“These soft expeditioning destinations also deliver in the addressing the challenge of time scarcity. Our country specialists report a rise in enquiries from Millennials who are seeking shorter durations to deliver maximum adventure at the same time as satisfying their curiosity about a destination,” the company said.

Audley’s clients are increasingly asking for “encounters that stretch their thinking”, whether that’s with conservationists in Baja or community leaders in the Pacific, for example.