Europe Leads Luxury Travel, But New Destinations Are Rising
While Europe captures 38% of the luxury travel market, travelers are increasingly drawn to places fostering a deep sense of purpose. Scandinavia and destinations in Asia and Africa are experiencing a sharp growth in interest.
Off-The-Beaten-Path Travel on the Rise This Summer
The busy summer travel season is fast approaching, and Zicasso travelers are either exploring Europe during the shoulder season, in May and the fall, or visiting lesser-known travel regions off the beaten path.
The "Joy of Missing Out" is transforming luxury travel as jetsetters abandon packed itineraries for immersive, single-destination experiences. Zicasso CEO Brian Tan explains how travelers are prioritizing quality over quantity.
Zicasso's White Lotus Tour Spotlighted by The Washington Post
The Washington Post highlights our luxury The White Lotus-inspired Thailand tour in their feature on set-jetting tourism. As fans flock to filming locations from the hit HBO show, our curated experience stands at the forefront of this travel trend.
Zicasso Announces White Lotus Season 3-Inspired Thailand Tour
Following the premiere of season 3 of The White Lotus, Zicasso announces a spiritual and wellness journey that blends luxury resort stays with tailored cultural experiences inspired by the hit show.
AFAR Features Zicasso's Mufasa-Inspired Family Safari
AFAR magazine spotlights Zicasso's Pride of Africa safari among the top family-friendly African adventures, featuring a 12-night journey through Tanzania and Kenya inspired by Disney's Mufasa: The Lion King.
New Zealand Remains a Top Zicasso Luxury Destination
While shifting slightly from its peak 2024 ranking in our Luxury Travel Report, New Zealand remains a sought-after destination for our travelers, with Air New Zealand's US connections and fares making 2025 an ideal time to visit.
Zicasso CEO Brian Tan shares insights on 2025 luxury travel trends, revealing travelers now average 13.5-day trips and increasingly prefer deep cultural immersion in single destinations over multi-country tours.
Zicasso leads the "set-jetting" trend with custom tours based on "Mufasa," "Moana 2," and "Gladiator II," while also crafting a Thai escape—complete with a stay at Koh Samui’s Four Seasons Resort—for fans of “The White Lotus”.
Wharton Magazine spotlights how Zicasso's founders, Yuchun Ku WG02 and her husband Brian Tan, transformed their passion for authentic travel experiences into an innovative luxury travel company – connecting discerning travelers with top destination experts who turn travel dreams into expertly curated trips.
Zicasso reports significant growth in offseason travel for 2024, with double-digit increases in spring bookings and similar expectations for fall, reflecting a broader trend of destinations embracing year-round tourism.
Luxury Travelers Rush to These Off-Peak Hotspots This Fall
Southern Europe is Zicasso’s premier fall destination, with the top five destinations – Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, and France – all in Southern Europe. Japan is also among the top fall destinations for luxury travelers, with Zicasso seeing a 28.4% increase in fall trips compared to last year.
This 10-Day ‘Rail Cruise’ Lets You Explore Japan on the Country’s Famous Bullet Trains
Zicasso celebrates 60 years of Japan's Shinkansen with an exclusive 10-day "rail cruise" blending modern technology with traditional culture, featuring visits to ancient shrines, bamboo forests, and even a ride on the Hello Kitty Shinkansen. This luxury journey showcases the iconic bullet train while exploring Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Kagoshima.
Zicasso 2024 Summer Travel Trends: The Luxury Travel Report
In the lead-up to the 2024 summer travel season, our extensive analysis of over 20,000 trip requests, verified traveler reviews, and a comprehensive survey of our global network of in-country specialists highlights a recent shift in luxury travel trends. Travelers are increasingly opting for shoulder season and off-peak journeys, driven by a desire to escape crowds, secure favorable prices, and immerse themselves in unique, personalized experiences that prioritize cultural authenticity over traditional peak-season attractions.
Shoulder season travel and shifting seasonal patterns
As shoulder season travel rises in popularity, Zicasso’s 2024 Luxury Travel Report notes high seasons are lasting longer, and over 40% of travelers are planning to visit destinations “with no distinct low season”.
Travel trends and obstacles as indicated by Zicasso's 2024 Luxury Travel Report
Even as global travel is booming, Zicasso's 2024 Luxury Travel Report notes geopolitical tension as one of the key barriers to booking travel. In these instances, Zicasso's CEO Brian Tan reports that "travelers will redirect to other international destinations.”
International travel expected to surpass pre-pandemic figures
Full planes, high demand, and a slight rise in prices.This is what forecasters predict for travel in 2024, according to CBS, which quoted Zicasso CEO Brian Tan as saying rising interest in low- or shoulder-season travel, as well as authentic and off-the-beaten-path experiences, are among expected trends this year.
18 of the best travel purses to take on your summer vacation, according to expert travelers
“This is the only travel purse that I have continued to use over and over again,” says Marci-Beth Maple, travel expert and Senior Marketing Manager at Zicasso. “From when I traveled with small children to now with my older teens, this foldable tote bag serves as the ideal travel purse.
This New 12-Day Euro Tour Is Based on Picasso's Early Life
If you've ever wanted to travel through Spain the way famed artist Pablo Picasso did, there's a chance to take that exact tour now. Zicasso, a luxury travel company, is offering a 12-day tour through Spain in honor of the 50th anniversary of the artist's death on April 8.
Go On, Take the Kids to Mykonos: Adult Resorts Open Up to Families
Grandparents are being included more often, too: Data from Zicasso, a luxury travel planner, reveals group bookings of six or more have grown by more than 50 percent since before the pandemic...
She loves Greece, her parents and coming back to Boston
"I ended up on the Zicasso website where you can send in brief information about what type of trip you would like to do and where, what activities you are interested in and what budget you have and you will be matched with two local travel agents who will offer you competing itineraries to send selection."
With the Euro and Dollar Near Parity, Europe Travel Gets a Little Cheaper
For American travelers abroad, a strong greenback can help with dining, souvenirs and other daily expenses. Last year, Zicasso’s Mr. Tan dined at a Michelin-rated restaurant in Croatia, and he has noticed that prices on the menu have gone up around 20% over the past year. During that year, however, the dollar gained about 18% against the kuna, Croatia’s currency. Consequently, the price of a meal was only slightly more expensive.
To jump-start your trip brainstorming, we picked seven cheaper alternatives to popular summer travel spots. Marci-Beth Maple, spokesperson for the travel company Zicasso, said travelers love Belize for its biodiversity, Mayan ruins and the world’s second-largest barrier reef. It’s also home to the Great Blue Hole, the largest underwater sinkhole on the planet.
The Euro Is at $1.05—the Lowest It’s Been in Years
Luxury travel consultancy Zicasso reported that compared to the first quarter of 2021, summer travel bookings for 2022 are currently up 500 percent, with Europe trips constituting 80 percent of those bookings.
After two years of pandemic isolation, multigenerational family travel is booming
"Due to the pandemic, many people may not have spent enough time with their families, especially when it comes to grandparents and their grandkids," said Brian Tan, founder and CEO of online travel referral platform Zicasso. "And so, we're seeing a significant increase in big, multigenerational family trips."
According to a trends report compiled by Zicasso, an online luxury-travel referral service headquartered in Mountain View, California, travelers are staying in one location longer, searching for more local experiences, and spending more money on vacations than they did pre-pandemic.
The most popular destinations for 2022 travel, according to experts
Brian Tan, the founder and chief executive of the travel planning company Zicasso, says the average price per trip has gone up 38 percent compared to pre-pandemic business. Customers are upgrading their experiences, lengthening their trips, picking luxury properties and taking private tours.
“While the Galapagos Islands has been a perennial draw with its unique wildlife and experiences like snorkeling with playful sea lions and walking with giant tortoises, Ecuador also has much to offer on the mainland,” says Brian Tan, CEO of Zicasso, a luxury travel company in Mountain View, Calif.
Travelers face more uncertainty in 2022. Here’s how to make plans.
Brian Tan, chief executive and co-founder of luxury travel company Zicasso, says people are already spending more on their 2022 trips, particularly when they go abroad. The average international trip cost for next year has increased to $5,800 per person — up 38 percent from 2019, according to Zicasso’s internal booking numbers. Travelers also expect more, because it may be their first international trip in several years.
In the age of a global health crisis, folks who have not worked with travel advisors before are turning to the pros for trip planning and custom itineraries. According to Tan, Zicasso has seen an increased demand in the wake of Covid for travel experts and the services they provide.
Should you cancel your summer vacation? Crowds, high prices and variants have some travelers reconsidering.
Mike Gnitecki had an ambitious trip to Italy planned for this summer — a two-week tour of Rome, Milan and Florence. But halfway through booking his first getaway in more than a year, he decided to cancel it.
Europe travel is complicated. Take these 7 tips from travelers who just went.
As Europe continues reopening its borders to Americans, travelers are jumping at the opportunity to return to the continent. Entry requirements are different depending on the country you’re visiting, but one thing remains the same: It’s complicated to go to Europe right now.
Greece Has Reopened to Travelers—Here’s Everything You Need to Know
On April 19, the Greek government announced that a phased reopening had begun, marking the first time international travelers could visit since the borders closed in March 2020. There’s been a rush of interest in trips to Greece since, according to AFAR’s trusted travel advisors, but a question lingers: Should you go now?
Blockbuster films, books, and TV drive a surge of "set-jetting"
Popular entertainment is driving theme-based travel more now than ever and Zicasso is a leader in this "set-jetting" trend. Zicasso's Game of Thrones and Downton Abbey itineraries demonstrate how fully immersive custom tours can be designed through the perspective of widely popular TV dramas.
Take a “Frozen”-Inspired Family Tour of Norway This Winter
Luxury travel specialist Zicasso is paying tribute to the country’s mystical fjords, charming villages and enchanting, snowy hills with a new Frozen-inspired Winter Family Tour of Norway—which means all the young Elsas and Annas can live out their fairytale dreams in the very places that inspired Arendelle.
"Downton" ended four years ago on the small screen, but its charm has never really gone away and with the cinematic release, luxury travel company Zicasso has created an itinerary to fill in all the details of just how a "Downton"-era character would have spent their day.
Any noodle fan in Japan should make a visit to Kitakata, which has the most ramen spots per capita of any city in the world. Explore Kitakata with a ramen tour designed by the travel company Zicasso.
Ahead Of The Movie Experience Downton Abbey In Real Life
If the cinematic debut of Downton Abbey has you psyched, you'll love these curated travel experiences that bring its story to life. With the fanfare surrounding the drama, we are sure many viewers will be inspired to take a trip to England and see the grandeur of the Downton Abbey estate for themselves with a unique Downton experience.
Zicasso Travel Agents Offer Custom Vacations for Adventurous Travelers
Zicasso is a company that has taken a unique approach to offering online travel booking. The site matches travelers who want custom vacations with travel agents who are specialists in the specific countries and types of activities that the client is looking for.
There’s Now a Luxury ‘Downton Abbey’ Movie Tour So You Can Vacation Like the British Aristocracy
Perfectly timed with the Downton Abbey movie premiere on September 20, Zicasso's 10-day private movie tour takes guests into the world of the Edwardian-era aristocracy.
Foster a Love of Wildlife With These Family-Friendly Safaris
Luxury travel agency Zicasso has created a Lion King–inspired 11-day family safari called Pride of Africa. The itinerary brings travelers through Tanzania and Kenya in search of lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and Cape buffalo. But it also offers some less typical experiences, including cycling and walking safaris in Hells Gate National Park in Kenya.
Go Beyond the Wall with These Epic 'Game of Thrones' Travel Destinations
The epic series Game of Thrones may be coming to an end, but the travel possibilities are just beginning. See why this Game of Thrones itinerary is making big waves in lieu of the series finale premiere.
Where to meet sriracha chili sauce makers in Thailand
Explore the origins of sriracha, which began as homemade chili sauce in the seaport town of Si Racha, Thailand, on a custom tour organized by Zicasso. Travelers can go from Bangkok to Chiang Mai to Ho Chi Minh City, discovering along the way other Thai and Vietnamese culinary specialties.
A Culinary Journey Through Southeast Asia That Pretty Much Revolves Around Sriracha
It’s a somewhat customizable, if fastidiously detailed, 15-day culinary journey through Thailand and Vietnam, and it’s more or less focused on the region’s most famous condiment-related export. You can book it now, from the luxury travel connoisseurs at Zicasso. The adventure will take you to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Saigon and other smaller cities and towns, where you’ll stay in five-star hotels and hit all the classic stuff.
If you’re a foodie, car fanatic or music lover, get acquainted with Emilia Romagna, a region known for its medieval cities, rich gastronomy, beautiful Ferraris and seaside resorts. This nine-day cultural and culinary tour includes a meal at the Michelin three-star Osteria Francescana restaurant, the dairy farms of Parma and the artisan studios of Cremona, where travelers will sample iconic foods in cities of origin and participate in the production processes.
Travelers will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on activities and behind-the scenes visits on a 9-day Switzerland and Germany itinerary that includes: workshops, watchmaking schools, boutiques and museums, where they can learn about the styles and techniques of Switzerland’s well-known luxury watchmakers and the history of hand-crafted, world-famous cuckoo clocks in Germany’s Black Forest.
Silver-Screen Travel Inspiration for Oscars Season
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” was nominated for four Academy Awards. Though the film was also shot on location in Bolivia and Croatia, the production expanded to feature more of Ireland. The tour company Zicasso guides guests to many of them in a new eight-day Ireland itinerary called “Ireland and the Last Jedi Encounter.”
An eight-day tour through Ireland, during which you’ll stay in the secret hotel the cast and crew stayed in during their time filming in Donegal, check out the secluded island of Skellig Michael, and swing by Malin Head.
9 Destinations Where You Can Escape Winter's Worst
Zicasso has created a week-long tour of Croatia centered around the two fantasy series of Star Wars and Game of Thrones, where visitors get to sample the local wines and delicacies, all while touring filming locations for the famous series. It makes you feel transported to a place far, far, away.
5 Unforgettable Adventures You Must Experience in Iceland
Beware the White Walkers in comfort and style with luxury travel company Zicasso, which offers a customizable Game of Thrones Season Seven Iceland tour.
‘Game of Thrones’ World Tour: A Guide to Seven Kingdoms Filming Locations
Zicasso just announced new GoT-specific 7-day Iceland tour and 12-day Spain tour packages, which can be further customized depending on the client’s personal interests.
Epic Vacations to Take With Your Dad: Ten Days in Italy's "Motor Valley"
This luxury trip allows Dad the chance to sample the best that the country has to offer: tour the countryside in a brand new Maserati, tear up the track in a Ferrari 458, sample fine Italian wines, and stay in luxurious hotels. Best of all, the trip offers backstage access to the factories that create these works of art.
Italy’s northern Emilia-Romagna region stands out as a gourmand’s bastion. But this birthplace of Enzo Ferrari a scenic 2-hour drive from Milan, is also hailed as Motor Valley.
Zicasso’s Game of Thrones: A Unique Tour of Croatia explores the many breathtaking scenes of Croatia’s coastline depicted in the series. Not only do you get to visit actual filming locations, but the trip also includes activities like a tasting tour in the town of Ston that includes some of the most coveted oysters in the world.
This year marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. To commemorate the occasion, Zicasso is introducing a custom tour that follows in the footsteps of Martin Luther, a German scholar who sparked the Reformation.
This Tour Is the Closest You’ll Get to Being a Real Hobbit
To commemorate the 15th anniversary of the release of The Fellowship of the Ring, Zicasso has created a 15-day itinerary that takes fans behind the scenes and to filming locations, including a visit to the local silversmith shop, responsible for crafting the ring that ruled them all.
Essaouira, Morocco: A Paradise for Active Travelers
Essaouira, branded as a paradise for surfers and adrenaline seekers, was transformed into the port town of Astapor, where Daenerys Targaryen acquired her army of "unsullied" in HBO's "Game of Thrones." The crew shot scenes in the fortified Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an easily accessible part of Zicasso's tailored 10-day Game of Thrones tour of Spain and Morocco.
If you want to catch Pokemon and see the sights Down Under, bespoke tour operator Zicasso has created a family vacation for you. Parents and kids can play the popular mobile app game Pokemon Go while sightseeing with a private tour guide.
Terrain goes from glacial to whitewater to forests on Zicasso's Trails of Patagonia Tour. The luxury tour operator gives travelers adventure without the logistical struggle.
Have Three Weeks for a Vacation? There Are Trips for You
On Zicasso's private three-week Adventure and Romance Tour of Italy and Greece, travelers take a moonlit gondola ride in Venice, explore the seaside terraced villages of Cinque Terre and relax on the beaches in Santorini.
Zicasso now sells a bespoke Pokémon-inspired family tour to Australia and New Zealand, designed with families in mind. A private guide (who is also a Pokémon expert) will show travelers around Sydney Harbour and Milford Sound, while giving tips on hunting down Pokémon, including Australasia’s resident Kangaskhan.
The Pokémon Go Craze Has Struck the Travel Industry
This trip to Australia and New Zealand is led by a private tour guide who provides educational context regarding the significance of the landmarks included on the itinerary, while also imparting tips on where to catch particular types of Pokémon.
Tour explores 'Game of Thrones' filming sites in Spain
If you love HBO's epic medieval drama "Game of Thrones," you might be a candidate for Zicasso's “Season 6 Tour of Spain.” It’s a 12-day private tour that blends several story lines with displays of Spanish culture and heritage.
Relive 'Don Quixote' With a Trip Through Cervantes’ Spain
To commemorate Miguel de Cervantes' 400-year anniversary of his death and to celebrate the 401-year anniversary of the completion of his most famous work, Don Quixote, Zicasso has specially handcrafted a tribute tour that blurs the line between poetry and fantasy in modern day Spain.
‘Game of Thrones’ Locations You Can Visit in Real Life
Another Zicasso tour, the Game of Thrones: A Unique Tour of Croatia, leads fans through various Game of Thrones filming locations in Croatia, with a day and a half devoted to the ancient city of Dubrovnik, the primary site of King’s Landing exterior shots for seasons two through five.
The Miguel de Cervantes 400-Year Tribute Tour is a spellbinding trip that lets you experience Spain’s Golden Age like the writer himself did. Over the course of eight days, you’ll visit the most important places in Cervantes’s life.
This year marks the 400th anniversary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes, the renowned Spanish writer and author of the enduringly popular “Don Quixote. On this Spain tour, a Cervantes expert provides background on the author and his works and takes travelers to the convent where he is buried.
Zicasso offers an immersive Game of Thrones tour of Spain and a unique 7-day Game of Thrones trip through Croatia, providing an in-depth experience to the best filming locations. The tour also includes falconry lessons.
'Game of Thrones' Superfans Can Now Take a Luxury Tour of Show Locations in Spain
As Game of Thrones returns to HBO for its sixth season on April 24, luxury travel service Zicasso has put together an epic 12-day Game of Thrones Season 6 Spain Tour of the hit show's gorgeous locations in Spain, which serves as the real-life setting for the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. Thrones fanatics will likely go nuts for the way it "seamlessly blends several of the ongoing storylines with thrilling displays of Spanish culture and heritage," Zicasso promises.
"Downton Abbey is coming to a close this Sunday, but fans have the chance to relive the show with the new Tribute to Downton Abbey Tour, a 9-day private trip through England and Scotland showcasing some of the most recognizable filming locations of the series."
"The Zicasso travel agency offers a lavish, 10-day Game of Thrones Tour of Spain and Morocco, with the Spanish portion taking up the first half of the trip. It goes through Seville and Osuna, where the tropical fictional kingdom of Dorne and the slavers’ city of Meereen are filmed, respectively, and also journeys through Spain’s oldest city, Càdiz."
This “Tribute to 'Downton Abbey'" Tour Keeps the Crawley Spirit Alive
Downton Abbey—the record-breaking Masterpiece series-turned-pop culture phenomenon—will bid a final (and undoubtedly very proper) farewell on PBS. As viewers prepare for life without the Crawley clan and their lovable staff of servants, online luxury travel company Zicasso is keeping the Grantham spirit alive with a “Tribute to Downton Abbey Tour."
Spend Your Bonus on Experiences, Not Things, This Year
You've tasted a few great Japanese whiskies by now, and you understand the fuss. But to really deepen your knowledge, go and experience the terroir for yourself. On a 12-day tour of Japan's top sake makers, distillers, brewers, learn how a new generation of distillers has managed to rise to the top of the international game.
With the new “Spirits of Japan Tour," travelers get a firsthand look at some of the country’s top [spirit] producers. The 12-day itinerary includes tours of sake breweries that date as far back as the 1600s; visits to two of Osaka’s leading beer breweries, a visit to Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, home of the #1 single malt whiskey in the world, dinner at the three-Michelin-star Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo, and much more.
Fans Obsessed With 'Game Of Thrones' Seek Parallels In Spanish Politics
It's the height of summer, but "winter is coming" to Spain. Fans are flocking to Game of Thrones-themed tours of Spain, and they're also looking for plot parallels in real-life Spanish politics.
'Game of Thrones' Season 5: New Luxury Tour of Spain
Zicasso introduces a new luxury tour inspired by HBO's epic hit series 'Game of Thrones,' taking travelers on an immersive 8-day journey through filming locations of Season 5, including three registered UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
How to Take the Ultimate ‘Game of Thrones’ Vacation
"Game of Thrones fans can travel just like their favorite characters from the show...and have fun doing it. Fans have begun taking pilgrimages to international locations where the show is shot. And where the Game of Thrones cast and crew spent last year filming Season 5..."
"With most of the upcoming series shot in southern Spain, which stands in for the world of Dorne on the imaginary continent of Westeros, travel referral service Zicasso is looking to attract all die-hard fans with a luxury tour of some of the country's most historical, and most beautiful, cities."
Travelers can explore Croatian filming locations on their own, or partner with numerous tourism organizations, which have recently begun offering "Game of Thrones"-themed tours. Consider Zicasso's "Game of Thrones: A Unique Tour of Croatia," a 7-day tour of Croatia.
“We think there’s a wonderful trend of fans of TV shows and series … to really immerse themselves in the history and culture of their favorite shows, ” said Brian Tan, founder and CEO of Zicasso Travel, a luxury travel company that recently launched a weeklong guided tour of the show’s key filming locations in Croatia.
Tourism Brings Fantasy World of 'Game of Thrones' to Life
Zicasso's tour includes a stop at Krka National Park, with its spectacular waterfalls, and concludes in the walled city of Dubrovnik on the Adriatic Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the current setting of King’s Landing.
Celebrate the Life and Legacy of Nelson Mandela with Zicasso's 8-Day South Africa Tribute Tour
Inspired by the life and legacy of one of the world’s most inspirational leaders, luxury travel service Zicasso is offering a 5-star journey through South Africa that follows in the footsteps of the late, iconic Nelson Mandela.
To celebrate their fifth anniversary and redesigned website, the travel specialists at Zicasso have created five trips of a lifetime, each with five experiences to showcase the best that unique luxury travel can offer in Europe, Africa, South America, Australia, and Asia...
What better place to find love than in the mesmerising landscapes of Patagonia? Take The End of The World Train in Tierra del Fuego National Park and cruise among icebergs at the Upsala Glacier with Zicasso.
