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The question luxury travel agents ‘should never’ ask clients – and what to say instead

Agents
Emma Dooney
25 March 2026

Agents are derailing their bookings by focusing too much on one specific area, says travel expert Ash Bhardwaj 

Man smiling in tartan shirt with mountain background

Ash Bhardwaj, award-winning travel journalist and author, has urged luxury agents to stop focusing on destination

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.