Rich tourists spend millions of dollars on adventure travel

Rather than share space with hundreds of people on a cruise to Antarctica, wealthy guests are willing to pay millions of dollars for more privacy.

Taking rare tours to harsh, rarely visited places is a passion of many wealthy travelers around the world. The price for a 9-day trip to Antarctica is about 5,700 USD per person. However, guests still have to share a room with two other people.

The common areas of passenger ships also have to share public space with thousands of other strangers. This makes many high-income customers unhappy. From there, they look for tour companies that can bring them experiences that are adventurous, safe, luxurious but also comfortable.

Rich tourists spend millions of dollars on adventure travel — **A yacht chartered by a wealthy client to explore Antarctica.** Photo: Handout

Rather than sleeping together or sharing a boat with hundreds of strangers, they decided to travel in small groups of 12 to 22 people and charter an entire yacht. The cost of a seven-room luxury yacht for 12 guests is $2.2 million for a week. Less expensive tours cost closer to $100,000 for a weeklong trip or $15,000 to $60,000 per person. Tour prices vary depending on the type of boat, the number of people, the itinerary, the destinations, and the activities guests want to experience.

In addition to Antarctica, they also travel to less visited places such as Vanuatu, small islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. To be able to afford these trips, customers must be high-income earners.

Eyos Expedition, a US-based travel company that specializes in “selling dream vacations and once-in-a-lifetime experiences,” is one such company that offers private yacht charters. Eyos Expedition CEO Ben Lyons describes the experience as more immersive and allows passengers to connect more closely with each other on the trip. Itineraries are also tailored to the guests’ interests, rather than following a set itinerary.

Luxury and safety are the two factors that they put first when joining these special tours. Eyos Expedition said that guests will stay on a full-service yacht with perks such as helicopter transfers and experienced, professional guides. Ben Lyons, who has captained the Queen Mary 2 and several Arctic expedition ships, said it is important for travelers to understand whether the company they are booking with and their approach to adventure tours is responsible.

The rise of these luxury adventure cruises has been a boon for companies like Eyos, which has seen double the number of bookings from the previous year. “We’re seeing a huge growth in expedition cruises,” says Ben Lyons.

According to vnexpress.net

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