Australia is the dream of luxury tourism aficionados

Virtuoso, a highly exclusive network of luxury travel agents, has asked affluent travellers to name their dream destinations and trips: Australia, beach holidays and family stays appear to be top of the list.

The 2016 edition of the Virtuoso report puts Australia ahead of Italy, the Fiji islands, Greece and New Zealand among the jet set's favourite playgrounds.

Respondents indicated beach holidays, hardly a surprise, as the most coveted type of vacation. Behind them, adventure travel, culture/history tours, family trips and gastronomic tours.

As for experience type, multi-generational holidays, bringing together grand-parents, parents, adolescents and children are top of the 2016 ranking.

Behind them, tropical escapades by the Polynesian lagoons, living in over-water bungalows near barrier reefs. These are followed by the Amalfi coast, Greek islands and African photo-safaris, hunting for the 'big 5' (elephants, lions, buffaloes, leopards and rhinos).

The Virtuoso network comprises 390 agencies specialised in luxury tourism across 40 countries.

Below are some of the survey's results.

Destinations ranking:

1. Australia
2. Italy
3. Fiji
4. Greece
5. New Zealand
6. Maldives
7. Ireland
8. South Africa
9. French Polynesia
10. The Antarctic

Type of stay:

1. Seaside
2. Adventure
3. Culture/history tour
4. Family trip
5. Gastronomic tour
6. Sea cruise
7. Urban trip
8. Experience trip
9. River cruise
10. Romantic stay
11. Spa/relaxation
12. Week-end trip
13. Eco-tourism