Speaking at the third annual Carrier Retreat – which was this year held at Daios Cove in Crete – a clear message emerged among agents and Carrier’s team: while business models may be evolving, the fundamentals of trust, expertise and partnership remain unchanged.

Carrier’s head of trade partnerships Lee Marshall pointed to the rapid growth of the IC model as one of the most significant modern shifts in the luxury landscape, forcing both agents and tour operators to reassess how they work.

Yet despite the appeal of going it alone for some and working outside of a tour operator partnership, many agents remain firmly committed to the traditional model.

Carrier’s sales and commercial director Rick Milne reinforced the scale of support operators provide behind the scenes, from administration and financial protection to operational delivery, allowing agents to focus on what they do best.

“It’s about freeing agents up to look after their clients and sell holidays,” he said.

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That sentiment was echoed by Different Planet Travel founder Clare Levy, who has worked with Carrier for more than two decades and sees “no reason” to change course.

“I’m a salesperson and I know my strengths – and my strengths are not attention to detail in bookings, dealing with schedule changes, or the financial and legal responsibilities,” she said. “I don’t want any of that. I just want to sell holidays and that’s what makes me happy.

“Knowing that Carrier takes on everything else – literally everything else – why would I do it differently? I see it as an integral part of the way I work.”

Levy also challenged the perception that independent models are inherently more profitable.

“Yes, it may sometimes seem like you can earn more by doing it on your own,” she said. “But when you really think about the investment, the risk, and the potential for costly mistakes, is that actually the case?”

Reinventing the model

For some agents, making some changes to how they run their business has proved transformative.

Nici Davies, director of London-based Travelwise, said her agency’s decision to leave the high street in 2021 allowed the business to “reinvent” itself and operate more efficiently.

“We realised we had enough ultra-high-net-worth clients within our networks to keep us very busy, and other things were becoming a distraction,” she said.

Moving away from a physical retail space has not weakened team cohesion, she added, with regular in-person meet-ups supplemented by constant communication via Teams and WhatsApp.

“We’re actually more productive when we’re not sat in a shop together,” she said.

The shift has also enabled the agency to become more selective about the business it takes on – a recurring theme throughout the gathering.

“Everybody has customers that are not right for them,” Davies said. “You have to be brave enough to say, ‘thank you so much for thinking of us, but on this occasion we’re not the right agency for you’.”

The importance of client fit – and the confidence to walk away from the wrong ones – was also a central takeaway.

Levy shared her own experience of ending a difficult client relationship after repeated price negotiations and cancellations began to impact both her stress levels and supplier relationships.

“It was just embarrassing,” she said. “I had to say, ‘this isn’t how I like to work’. I felt quite relieved afterwards. You have to know your worth.”

Marshall agreed, noting that many agents struggle with this but ultimately benefit from making tough decisions. “You have to decide how you’re spending your time and expertise,” he said. “Some clients can stop you doing what you love.”

Winning high-value business

For agents targeting the top end of the market, personalisation and relationship-building are critical, particularly in a world of AI.

Carrier’s luxury travel and private clients supervisor Clare Ashton shared how a referral from a former colleague led to a lucrative new high-profile client who now books through their personal assistant (PA).

“The initial phone call was about listening and understanding their needs, and putting aside who they were,” she said. “People are people at the end of the day.”

Building trust with the PA proved key, eventually leading to a face-to-face meeting and a growing relationship.

Ashton said adding thoughtful, personalised touches – from airport meet-and-greet services to sourcing clients’ favourite drinks – had helped differentiate the service.

“They’d never had that level of attention to detail before,” she said. “You start to build trust, and then that leads to more bookings.”

The results have been significant, with multiple six-figure bookings generated within a year and further referrals following.

“It shows the value of investing in the right relationships,” she added.

Trust as the cornerstone

Trust emerged as the defining factor in building successful luxury travel relationships – and ultimately businesses.

Davies said it underpins every client interaction, regardless of booking value. “Whether you’re ultra-wealthy or booking a family holiday, it’s a huge part of someone’s annual spend,” she said. “We feel a massive responsibility.

“If someone is placing their trust in you, you have to earn it. You have to listen and make sure you’re recommending the right thing – and sometimes that means not selling something.”

Levy agreed, adding that guiding clients towards the right decision is a key part of the agent’s role.

“I’ll often say, ‘there’s a reason I don’t want to focus on this option – can you look at this instead?’,” she said. “That shows you’ve considered their time and what’s right for them.”

She added that she signs off emails by thanking clients “for trusting me with your time” – a reflection of the responsibility agents carry.

“This could be the only time they get to spend with their family or to truly switch off,” she said.