Hawaii, South Korea and Austria are among the destinations attracting fast-growing interest from Kensington’s luxury travellers in 2026, as demand moves towards cultural immersion and privately guided experiences.
The company’s latest booking analysis, published on 25 August, compared bookings from March through June 2026 with the same period in 2025. Hawaii recorded the largest disclosed increase at 196%, followed by Austria at 86% and Peru at 62%.
The figures represent Kensington’s own clients rather than the luxury travel market as a whole. They nevertheless offer a useful view of changing demand among travellers booking customised private journeys.
“At Kensington, we’re seeing demand rise in destinations that reflect how luxury travelers are evolving,” Kensington president Helen Giontsis said. “They want to understand and experience a destination through its people, food, history and traditions, while also enjoying having ‘insider’ access and seamless planning.”
1. Hawaii
Hawaii was Kensington’s fastest-growing destination, with bookings rising 196% year on year. Hawaii combines Hawaiian culture and outdoor adventure with wellness and world-class resorts, providing an accessible luxury escape without the journey required for many long-haul destinations.
Kensington’s Maui and Big Island family itinerary reflects the preference for active, privately arranged experiences. It combines resort time with catamaran snorkelling in Honolua Bay, helicopter flights over volcanic terrain and private zodiac excursions along the Kona Coast.
The increase follows earlier growth in domestic travel for the company. Kensington reported in its 2025 travel trends research that US bookings had risen by almost 60% year on year.
2. South Korea
South Korea is Kensington’s leading emerging destination in Asia. A separate company feature reported sales growth of almost 600% between March and June 2026, with that increase reflecting international interest in history, wellness, design and Korean cuisine.
Seoul offers contemporary culture alongside palaces and established food traditions, while Busan adds beaches and a strong coastal identity. Kensington is pairing the cities in a cherry-blossom itinerary and also offering a combined journey through Japan and South Korea.
Korean food, the arts and beauty rituals provide multiple entry points for travellers who want guided access rather than conventional sightseeing.
3. Japan
Japan remained one of Kensington’s strongest Asian destinations, with sales up 51%. Repeat visitors are moving beyond Tokyo and Kyoto towards regional ryokan stays, hot-spring resorts and Hokkaido’s celebrated food culture.
A favourable yen has also supported the country’s value within the premium market. Among the suggested experiences are privately held tea ceremonies and classes in sushi-making, while the company’s art-focused itinerary travels from Kyoto and Hiroshima to Naoshima.
Japan’s regional character makes it well suited to second or third trips, especially for travellers prepared to spend longer outside the principal cities.
4. China
China recorded renewed interest, although Kensington did not publish a growth percentage. Improved access for eligible travellers, including Canada’s new visa-waiver programme for qualifying stays, was one factor cited by the company.
Longer itineraries can connect imperial landmarks with more immersive regional travel. Kensington’s options include the Great Wall and the Three Gorges, while other suggested destinations include Guilin, Yunnan, Zhangjiajie and Chengdu.
5. Austria
Austria led Kensington’s European growth, with sales rising 86%. Vienna remains central to its appeal, but interest is expanding beyond the city’s famous concert halls and imperial architecture.
Travellers are seeking private encounters with Vienna’s living culture through its traditional coffeehouses, urban vineyards and Heuriger wine taverns. The city’s coffeehouse culture is recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
Kensington’s wider itinerary links Vienna with Salzburg, Munich and UNESCO-listed Hallstatt, balancing city stays with lakeside scenery and regional food culture.
6. Peru
Peru recorded 62% growth as travellers paired its archaeology with food, the natural world and living cultural traditions. Machu Picchu remains a defining experience, but Kensington said demand also extends to Lima’s restaurants, local communities, Lake Titicaca and the Amazon.
Its Peru in Style itinerary includes travel through the Andes aboard the Belmond Andean Explorer and a private tour of Machu Picchu. A food-led alternative visits Lima’s markets before a Pachamanca lunch in the Sacred Valley, where ingredients are traditionally cooked using heated stones underground.
7. Croatia
Croatia’s sales increased by 61%, supported by demand for Mediterranean travel outside the busiest summer weeks. The Dalmatian Islands are well suited to private yacht charters, allowing travellers to move between historic ports and quieter coves without relying on a fixed cruise schedule.
For a land-based alternative, Kensington’s Dubrovnik and Adriatic Escape links Dubrovnik’s Old Town with Montenegro’s Boka Bay. The combination offers preserved architecture and dramatic coastal scenery within one privately guided journey.
8. Poland
Poland emerged as another European growth destination, with sales up 46%. Warsaw and Kraków are drawing travellers through their architecture, culinary traditions and complex history.
Kensington offers a dedicated journey through Poland as well as an itinerary connecting Warsaw, Kraków, Wroclaw and Berlin. The latter follows major sites associated with 20th-century European history while leaving room for neighbourhood dining and locally guided walks.
9. Scotland
Scotland’s sales rose 36%, with private Highland estate days becoming a leading request. These experiences can involve falconry or deer stalking, while distillery visits may include whisky blending with a master blender in a private cask room.
Kensington’s broader routes connect Edinburgh with Aberdeen, Inverness and Glasgow. A specialist golf and whisky itinerary includes Royal Dornoch, Speyside distilleries, Culloden Moor and Glencoe Valley, giving established highlights a more private format.
10. Rwanda
Rwanda was identified as a breakout destination, although Kensington did not provide a percentage increase. Its appeal centres on conservation-led luxury, expert-guided wildlife encounters and access to national parks.
According to Kensington, each gorilla-trekking permit contributes directly to protecting habitat and supporting communities near the parks. Its Rwanda itinerary combines chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest with gorilla trekking in the Virunga Mountains, followed by a safari through Akagera National Park.
Kensington is expanding journeys across these destinations through its tours, cruises, villa, yacht and expedition businesses. The fastest-growing options share a practical feature: they combine high-end accommodation with access that would be difficult to arrange independently.
