Agents must keep up to date with global affairs as luxury travellers’ concerns for security rise, an industry leader has urged. 

Security and safety are now leading reasons for using a travel advisor, with 62% of respondents to Virtuoso’s insights report for 2026 ranking the issue as “highly important”. 

The document also revealed a year-on-year growth in appreciation for an advisor’s understanding of the safety of a region, as well as their knowledge of the legal requirements for visiting a destination. Nearly a third of respondents said that the “extra layer of protection” that comes with booking through an advisor was a top benefit of using their service. 

This exclusive data, shared last month at the 37th annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, reflects a clear shift in high-net-worth clients’ expectations of luxury travel advisors. 

Security and safety was ranked as more important than many of the most coveted perks offered by advisors, including access to special experiences and VIP accommodations. 

“Quite honestly, I was almost a little surprised to see how high it [security and safety] rates in terms of travel advisor usage, more so than perks and the additional benefits that travel advisors are able to offer,” Misty Belles, vice president of global public relations at Virtuoso Travel, told TTG Luxury. 

Travel advisors are part of the apparatus of security, with high-net-worth clients expecting them to be well informed on a destination's risk factors from the moment they begin the booking process. 

Belles acknowledges that while safety has always been a concern for high-net-worth travellers, it has become increasingly important in the digital era. 

The vast amount of information online, which is constantly changing and sometimes inaccurate, can make it extremely difficult to judge the safety of a particular destination. The growing popularity of AI [artificial intelligence] in travel planning has added another layer of confusion, with tools like ChatGPT often overlooking key factors that may impact the security of a trip. 

“In this 24/7 news cycle, you're being inundated with the news constantly – so the advisor must be the voice of knowledge in terms of what's really to be expected within a destination,” Belles said. 

“Advisors don’t just need to know airline routes and hotel ratings; they also need to be abreast of what the potential geopolitical situation is.” 

From terrorist violence to civil unrest, agents must be aware of all the factors that could jeopardise their client’s safety when travelling. Other risks to consider include environmental threats, such as natural disasters and extreme weather, and economic issues like energy shortages. 

Rather than create extra stress for advisors, Belles believes that this prioritisation of security is an opportunity for them to showcase their skillset. 

“People want to continue to travel, but they also want to travel as informed as possible, so they are looking to an advisor who has the right connections.” 

Belles emphasised the value of being part of a global network like Virtuoso, which connects advisors across more than 50 countries, in establishing these contacts. 

“Our advisors are incredibly fortunate to have eyes and ears to the ground in every nook and cranny of the world,” she said. “They have peers, preferred partners and DMCs in over 100 countries.”

A luxury advisor’s security credentials are also essential when working with female travellers, who now account for 68% of Virtuoso’s solo bookings. 

“It's baby boomer women who are really leading the charge, and I love that," Belles said. “Women, I think, are realising they can go out and travel on their own and they can do so in a sort of controlled environment. There's a safety and security to that.” 

High-net-worth women aged between 61 and 79 were also found to be the most concerned by overtourism, which again, makes them more likely to seek out a travel advisor for destination knowledge. 

Belles implores agents to pay careful attention to this demographic, whom often have more leisure time and the freedom to travel outside of the school calendar. She added that they are also likely to be adventurous in their enquiries, having already seen many of the most popular tourist sites. 

“If they're well travelled, they've been to the greatest hits. Now they're looking to explore on a deeper level.”