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Winter issue of TTG Luxury, out now
CHANGING FACE OF ASIA. A region brimming with fascinating culture, incredible cuisine and a raft of new luxury accommodation is also the go-to destination for some of the sector’s best-value holidays.
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Almost two decades ago, I wandered into “TTG Towers” – as we used to call the old office overlooking the Thames – for a very short stint (two shifts) on the news desk. Maybe I wasn’t so good at being a journalist as I thought. But then another opportunity came up – a role that would change my life for ever: the launch editor of TTG Luxury, a new supplement aimed at an increasing number of specialist travel designers against a backdrop of a growing number of luxury-focused travel suppliers.
It was 2008… What timing, as not long afterwards, the global economic crisis shook the world off its axis. The chaos unleashed by Lehman Brothers’ demise led to a huge overhaul in the finance world to try to offset such future shockwaves – and in luxury travel, the crisis sparked the creation of a completely new way of looking at the world. When faced with such doom, people thought about what was really important to them. They wanted to see the world in new and more innovative ways. They sought philanthropic ways of experiencing their holiday, and “multi-gen travel” took off. A more fun and exploratory form of travel was born. And for all this, they needed a travel designer by their side.
Like my job, that of a luxury travel advisor may look glam from the outside, but under the surface it’s go, go, go in the pursuit of excellence, but probably just being happy not to fail most of the time.
The pandemic transformed the world and our industry again, in new and shocking ways. Disaster proved to be the impetus for many of those trends to catch fire again though, as people got back on planes and explored the world with new vigour. And of course, Covid’s effect on the travel industry led to a spurt of go-it-alone travel advisors who – either by design or disaster – now found themselves running their own businesses.
Travel is not something people give up easily, especially in the luxury space. The value of global luxury travel was estimated at around $2.3 trillion in 2024, according to Credence Research, with annual growth of 3.6% expected in the next few years. With such high figures, it’s also no wonder more advisors are choosing to focus on this lucrative market – but you have to do it the right way, and proudly.
We’ve heard so often how travel advisors need to assert their professionalism more astutely, encouraging a belief that having a great luxury travel advisor in your contacts book should be as important as your lawyer, doctor, estate agent or financial advisor. As Priscilla Alexander, ProTravel’s boss at the time and one of the world’s “super agents”, said to me back in 2013: “I have to tell you, my agents are bold, they are available 24/7 and they take an active role in their clients’ lives.” Fast forward to 2025, and in this issue of the magazine, Alex Gavalda, commercial director at Travel Counsellors, takes that notion forward, calling agents curators, connectors and storytellers “with unrivalled insider knowledge”.
I am sad to say, though, that you are holding issue 67 of TTG Luxury, our last ever edition. Print – as beautiful as it is – no longer serves the same purpose as when we launched this magazine. But I am tremendously proud of what we created, and I’m also proud of our laser focus on elevating the stature of travel agents and how we pedestal you as “travel designers”.
Over the years, we have also launched Luxpo; the annual TTG Luxury Travel Summit; a weekly luxury newsletter; and have created the TTG Luxury Travel Awards, the shortlist for which we are delighted to reveal in this issue (see page 10). It’s very much business as usual for these kinds of activities, and we’re also very proud to have held the first of a totally new agent-only initiative, Top 20 Luxury Travel Agencies (p26).
I’m also incredibly excited to segue from this last-ever issue of TTG Luxury to something totally new… Black Book, Where Luxury Travel Meets (see p20, and blackbookluxurytravel.com). Using knowledge built over two decades, we are creating the UK’s first-ever luxury travel trade show: taking place 21-22 October 2026 at the Business Design Centre in London, Black Book will be a unique place for the finest luxury travel advisors and travel brands to meet at scale. Think hand-made appointment books over two days, private meeting booths, exciting chances to network and conference content designed with advisors firmly in mind.
I am excited to embrace this next phase, one focused on events that connect people, and on digital storytelling that can reach far more agents in a quicker, more relevant way than ever before. I want to thank everyone who has ever read the magazine, columnists and writers who have contributed to its pages, and our many advertisers. And I couldn’t have done this without the support of the whole TTG Media team across the years, but I want to give a heartfelt thanks in particular to Jas Hartill, our creative director, who has been on this crazy journey with me from day one, on every single issue.
Other than the moments of reflection here, though, we’ve chosen to look forward in this last issue – in particular, do check out Rob Gill’s features on the future of agents (p36) and what to book next year (p68), and dig into five trends that will mushroom (p104) thanks to our long-time trend collaborator, Jenny Southan, founder of Globetrender. While we may no longer be with you in print, this is a reminder that we will always have your back.
April Hutchinson
Head of Luxury
@aprilhutchinson
