Kensington Tours says a continuing surge in luxury travel has translated into record-breaking results for the first two months of the year.

The company that specializes in custom-tailored private tours says results for January 2023 were 50% higher than January 2020 and double those of January 2019. February sales were double those in February 2020 and 85% higher than in February 2019.

“It is truly gratifying to see that our commitment to providing travellers with tailor-made, personalized trips to destinations around the world is unmatched in the luxury travel space,” said Kensington Tours president Helen Giontsis.

“It is also a testament to our product team and Destination Experts who have worked so hard to ensure that we have the best partners and suppliers in the luxury travel space with the best private guides, top luxury hotels, private villas, and unique experiences with exclusive insider access. We are also grateful to our partners in the travel advisor community who entrust us to provide memorable, customize trips for their clients.”

Kensington says the destinations leading this growth include Europe, where Italy, France, Greece, Spain,England, Scotland and Ireland were in greatest demand. Since the ban on international arrivals was lifted in October 2022, Japan has seen significant demand, as have other destinations that were among the last to ease travel requirements and re-open to international visitors, including Australia and New Zealand.

Egypt, which was one of Kensington Tours’ picks for hot destinations in 2023, is among the destinations contributing to the strong sales performance, as well as other parts of the Middle East and Africa – namely Israel and South Africa.

Kensington says it is responding to higher demand by launching several new products, including:

Beyond Villas by Kensington Tours, a private villa portfolio geared towards travellers who seek the ultimate privacy of a luxury villa paired with tailor-made itineraries. The portfolio features unique in-destination experiences ranging from immersive private-guided tours to luxurious yacht charters.

Voyages by Kensington Tours expands the company’s cruise offering with more than 15 cruise partners across Expedition, River and Ocean journeys. pairs the client’s cruise of choice with privately guided, fully customized pre- and post-cruise experiences in destinations such as Alaska, Antarctica, Asia, Galapagos, Egypt and the Arctic.

Personal Heritage Journeys, in partnership with Ancestry.com, creates personalized private tours that provide families an opportunity to explore their roots while enjoying immersive cultural experiences.