spaThere is a new definition of luxury, says Matthew Upchurch, chairman and CEO of Virtuoso. At a press conference held yesterday, August 13 in Las Vegas as part of Virtuoso Travel Week, Upchurch told members of the media that he defines luxury as "actually having somebody listen to what I want and delivering on that." Luxury, he says, is now personalized travel and catering to the individual traveler.

In that vein, Virtuoso was able to determine the top six travel trends in luxury travel today. No longer is it enough to travel to the latest, off-the-beaten path destinations. Experiences have to go deeper and appeal to personal interests. Here are the top six travel trends as found by Virtuoso research:

1. Special Interest Travel
Travel is deeply personal. Travelers more than ever can connect to a given destination by exploring their passions and interests.

2. Health and Wellness Travel

Interest in improving health and remaining physically active while on vacation has only continued to increase.

3. "Culture Comes to Life" Experiences

Art, television, music and books have influenced travel for years, but never before like this. Travelers can now experience the place or time of their favorite artists or characters through exclusive access to unforgettable events.

4. Living Like a Local...Only Better
No one knows how to navigated the places of the world better than a local. City hotels are catering to guests' adventurous sides and providing them with authentic and localized experiences.

5. Private Residences
In the spirit of living like a local, private residences and villas continue to increase in popularity, with top travel companies enhancing the design, amenities and services of these offerings.

6. Destinations Making News...and Why the Time to Go is NOW

Destinations, like Brazil, for example, are starting to show why it is imperative to visit now. Brazil is the home of the 2014 World Cup and is on everyone's mind. Not only was Rio de Janeiro voted number six in the "Cities That Excite" list from Virtuoso's "2013 Travel Dreams Survey," but LATAM Airlines Group is announcing new routes to JFK and Miami by November. We also learned that the country is in the process of eliminating the requirement for US citizens to obtain a visa.