Luxury in Fiji at Vomo Island.
Video / Stephanie Holmes
Flight Centre has revealed the most expensive cruise and hotel bookings of 2022 in a recent report on travel trends this year.
When it comes to holiday accommodation, we Kiwis don’t need much. A simple bach or humble campsite will do the trick, whether we’re spending summer at the beach or trekking along a Great Walk.
However, not all Kiwis have such moderate tastes.
A report by Flight centre has disclosed the company’s most expensive cruise booking, domestic hotel booking and international hotel booking.
Hotel bookings indicate Kiwis’ desire for five-star luxury
According to the report, the most expensive domestic hotel booking clocked in at a cool $20,248.
While not all bookings were this expensive, Flight Centre said the traveller wasn’t alone in wanting a bit of luxury; 23 per cent of all hotel bookings in 2023 were for five-star hotels.
The record for the most expensive booking overall, however, was $45,049.
As for where people wanted to stay, booking data revealed an insatiable hunger for sun, surf and sand. Of the 10 most popular hotels booked through Flight Centre, eight were in Fiji and the remaining two were in Rarotonga.
Cruise holidays have resurfaced on itineraries everywhere, especially for travellers in their 60s, the report claims.
The average age of a traveller booking a cruise was 62, and while the most popular cabin types were balcony (36 per cent), Kiwis booked suites and penthouses at a higher rate (11 per cent) than Australian cruisers (just 9 per cent).
Cruise ships proved popular with older travellers. Photo / Uniworld
We imagine the record-holder for the most expensive single cruise booking was probably in a penthouse, as it was an impressive $88,595.
Where were the ships heading to? According to the report, the top destinations were Sydney, Brisbane and Amsterdam.
The insanely expensive bookings were one sign the travel industry is recovering, according to Flight Centre New Zealand’s General Manager of Leisure Heidi Walker.
“This year has been the comeback for international travel for New Zealand,” said Walker, who said demand had swiftly returned as restrictions dropped.
“We started 2022 still in the clutches of overseas travel restrictions and a very different business. It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come, with the pent-up demand from kiwis far exceeding our expectations.”
