The indulgent explorer: What drives premium travel decisions

Phocuswright research defines 'indulgent explorers' as a high-value traveler segment that over-indexes on longer trips, higher in-destination spend, and premium components. Nearly three-quarters take multiple qualifying trips per year. Notably, 30% have household income under $100k and 26% have net worth under $100k, suggesting indulgence often reflects prioritization. They value safety, food quality, and privacy, with service being the top factor making a trip 'worth it.'