Luxury Travel Around the Globe Can Be Affordable

Want to see the world’s best high-end culture, food, history and people – and do it reasonably priced?

The most frequent question is, “How can it be affordable?”

Answer: Travel in a small group. Don’t dismiss it. There’s real power in numbers. A 5K/week villa in Tuscany becomes as reasonable as an Airbnb if you have five couples, right? Oh, you think you don’t know like-minded travelers? Sure you do. The moment that luxe travel to Europe costs the same as a week in Avalon, the grandeur of friend and family trips blossoms like a flower.

The second most frequent question is, “How would I find the best dining and experiences in a place I know nothing about, and have it all flow magically?”

Answer: Engage a host. A “hosted tour” ensures every event, check-in, luxury ride and authentic meal is orchestrated. Your group of ten makes having a host possible.

*Small groups, what? Forbes notes they’re the fastest growing luxe-travel segment in the US: 4-6 couples (singles too) of like-minded people who’ve earned the right to enjoy high-end, bespoke experiences for 8-12 days and are smart enough to form groups that carve up high-cost adventures into manageable bites per couple. So, be the ambassador that puts together a group of friends and family, and then travel anywhere you want to go.

Five Downright Dirty Tricks of Travel Experts

1. Travel in the “Shoulder Season” – Ten other months besides July and August. Europe is spectacular in Nov and December. Africa and Asia sparkle in the dead of winter. Airfare and lodging are half the price.

2. Double your trip and easily add a second country — pair the hub with a spoke. Why? The hub has cheap direct flights. Add Tunisia to France, Malta to Italy and Morocco to Spain. 

3. Like a tasty recipe, you should blend half famously-touristy (expensive) stops with half less-traveled (cost-effective) gems, like London with Cornwall, Brussels with Ghent and Oslo with Bergen.

4. Go international – 100%. Don’t fret over language. Yes, learn a few foreign words, but English is the global language of travel. Fun fact, 80% of global guides give their tours in English.

5. Tour guides – are they really worth it? You bet they are – a storytelling expert is worth a million. Plus, there’s a free walking tour in every city.

Remember, you don’t have to figure out all of this yourself. Once you form a group as the Ambassador, just ask a travel expert!