A travel industry expert has urged luxury agents to stop asking a common question during their first client meeting, arguing the query has the potential to completely derail a holiday.
Ash Bhardwaj, author of Why We Travel, says prioritising the destination is a rookie mistake – because it focuses too much on the “mechanisms” of the trip.
“You should never be asking a client: ‘Where do you want to go?’” he told TTG Luxury.
While seemingly harmless, Bhardwaj believes this question can lead to unintended consequences – especially when asked without context.
“If a client says they’d like to visit Paris, what does that actually mean?” he said. “Do they want to see the Eiffel Tower? Do they want to go and explore third-generation French-Algerian migrant culture in the 18th arrondissement and see its intersection with jazz? Or are they there to go and engage in civil unrest in order to create a state of anarchy and prevent the re-emergence of an overpowered executive? Because those are three different things they could do in Paris.”
Instead, Bhardwaj recommends agents skip the destination question altogether and ask clients what they need from their holiday.
“We should never assume all clients have the same motivations for travelling,” he said. “People need breaks for very different reasons.”
A simple way to identify motivation, according to Bhardwaj, is to ask the client how they spend their leisure time. This provides an idea of what activities make them happy – information that can then guide the agent towards the right destination.
Ash Bhardwaj believes luxury travel agents should focus on motivations rather than mechanisms when building itineraries
“For example, the client may watch football at Port Vale every weekend. From this, you could build a trip to Paris around all the different sports bars and football matches,” the BBC Morning Live contributor suggested.
Similarly, if a client reveals their favourite TV show is Sex and the City, the agent could design an itinerary inspired by the Paris locations Carrie Bradshaw visited in the 2004 series finale.
A client’s interests should also take preference over destination, says Bhardwaj. Whether it’s a penchant for Moorish architecture or Iggy Pop, these personal details can be instrumental in crafting a bespoke itinerary.
“You might meet a client who’s fascinated by World War II because their grandfather was involved in the conflict,” Bhardwaj said. “You can then construct the journey around this family history: visit the places their grandfather fought, and suggest going further afield. If he was in the airborne division, you might include a trip to Arnhem.”
The agent could also embellish this France trip by finding out the client’s favourite tipple; for example, cider drinkers may appreciate a trip to Normandy’s Domaine Dupont, while wine enthusiasts might enjoy a tour of Arpents du Soleil.
“Suddenly you're starting to help them develop a fulfilling, enjoyable experience rather than just you going to France and having a cookie-cutter experience,” Bhardwaj added.
These trips, once complete, can then be used as effective marketing tools.
“You’ve now turned the destination into a compelling story, rather than just a product. We see a hormonal response [endorphins, oxytocin and dopamine] when humans hear stories, similar to the response we have when we fall in love. Stories are so powerful – they make you pay attention.”
Bhardwaj strongly cautions, however, against fabricating stories to appeal to a client. “Don't add details that are easily falsifiable. If the hotel has five swimming pools in a place that has a water shortage, don’t claim it’s sustainable,” he said. “People's instinct is pretty good and they will check these things.”
Bhardwaj also believes that stories which place the client as the main character are essential to repeat business: “For agents, the thing that matters the most is retention, which means satisfaction in the traveller. This comes from sitting down with clients and crafting an extraordinary, individualised experience.”
Ash Bhardwaj is an award-winning journalist and author, who uses travel and expeditions to explore culture, conflict, and current affairs. He has reported from over 50 countries for outlets including the BBC, Telegraph, Times, and Sky. He is the resident travel expert on BBC Morning Live and Monocle Radio, and the author of Why We Travel (The Independent’s Travel Book of the Year).
