The Luxury Group by Marriott International’s latest research into luxury travel motivations, titled The Intentional Traveler, will influence the company’s decisions on staff training, the curation of guest experiences, and strategic decisions on property development.
The Intentional Traveler details how high-net-worth (HNW) travellers in Asia-Pacific are recalibrating how, where, and why they travel – prioritising well-being, immersive experiences, emotional value, and intentional design over volume and extravagance.
Discussing the findings with TTG Asia, Oriol Montal, regional vice president, luxury, Asia Pacific excluding China, Marriott International, said: “Our report helps us understand these behavioural changes, allowing us to then make the shifts that are necessary to better anticipate guest needs.”
Montal acknowledges that responding to these trends can result in both immediate outcomes and a harvest that requires time to show.
He said Marriott International has been able to respond quickly to the invaluable wellness tourism trend. It will launch in September a wellness series that will be led by wellness practitioners, allowing guests to enjoy a wellness retreat for a number of days.
“We are responding with efforts to introduce holistic wellness at our JW Marriott hotels. The JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo, for example, is exploring a Mindful Room concept designed to nourish the mind, body, and spirit through calming design, wellness rituals, and sensory experiences,” he revealed.
JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo, opening this October, will be the first JW Marriott property to offer this concept.
Quick action has also been possible with F&B trends. Having earlier observed the influential power of dining experiences in travel, the Luxury Group by Marriott International launched the Luxury Dining Series last year. It is a regional culinary programme held across six destinations.
The Luxury Dining Series returns this year with seven destinations – the new addition being South Korea, where the event will be held at JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa. The full series will run from July to September 2025.
Marriott International’s greater investments in F&B offerings are also in response to report findings that travellers are balancing high energy days with slow and relaxing nights.
The number of travellers who pack their days with activities has surged from 48 per cent to 61 per cent year-on-year. When evening arrives, more travellers now prefer to spend their time in their hotels – up from 19 per cent last year to 28 per cent in 2025.
“This encourages us to invest even more on F&B, particularly in creating phenomenal experiences with local chefs for our guests who are resting in our facilities,” he explained.
“Some decisions, however, can take years to materialise. One good example is the trend in multi-generational travel, which we saw years ago and reacted by planning new hotels with three- to five-bedroom options. That has allowed us to welcome multi-generational groups today,” he said.
Similar long-term development outcomes will be seen in the company’s move into the space of luxury lodges and camps – a reaction to the growing love for nature and wildlife among affluent travellers.
The report noted that luxury travellers in 2025 are increasingly prioritising meaningful connection to the outdoors. From vineyard retreats to remote safaris, nature-driven travel is evolving from a niche interest into a core pillar of the luxury experience. Twenty-eight per cent of respondents are planning such trips this year, up from just 19 per cent in 2024.
The appetite for natural beauty extends to safari travel, with 30 per cent of respondents planning a wildlife-focused adventure.
Montal said: “We extended our portfolio into tented camps and lodges, starting with JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge in Africa, a couple of years ago. This was followed by the signings of The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp and JW Marriott Mount Kenya Rhino Reserve Safari Camp earlier this year. We are super excited about getting the first tented camps in The Ritz-Carlton portfolio as well as developing great hotels in the middle of beautiful nature.”
He added that Asia-Pacific’s outdoor-loving travellers need not travel far to enjoy nature in luxury – the new Ta’aktana, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Labuan Bajo in Indonesia offers guests a chance to experience the traditions and culture of Flores island. Labuan Bajo is also a gateway to Komodo National Park.
