Travel Associates is reporting an increase in clients’ average spending, with some outlaying six-figure-sums on dream holidays.

For August, average spending is up 47% year on year, with bookings made up of a combination of flights, tours and cruises.

High-net-worth travellers from New Zealand and Australia are booking international hotels and resorts further ahead than before, according to figures from Virtuoso.

This year’s bookings are averaging 11 months in advance – up 25% from nine months in 2022. The desire to book in advance is driven by increasing rates, the scarcity of inventory and the ongoing demand for travel to make up for lost trips and experiences.

Walk into Luxury has launched a range of New Zealand journeys and a new signature walk based out of Blanket Bay Lodge.

Walk into Luxury's four-day Blanket Bay Walk includes heli-hiking experiences at Mount Earnslaw Glacier and Milford Sound, a Dart River scenic jet boat cruise into Mt Aspiring National Park, and day hikes on the Milford and Routeburn Tracks. Guests return each day to Blanket Bay Lodge where they spend three nights.