Goldman Travel Group Joint Managing Director and Karryon Luxury Travel Advisory Board member Anthony Goldman says it’s times like now, with global disruption, that luxury travel advisors need to focus on plans over panic.
With ongoing major travel disruptions into and out of key Gulf hubs in the Middle East following the US and Israel launching military strikes on Iran on 28th February 2026, which saw Iran retaliate with drone attacks, Goldman says it’s more evident than ever how important advisors are.
“This is the time for travel advisors to shine, as we have with other events we have faced that caused major interruptions.
“The best advice is to ignore the mainstream media and what they have to say about flights, capacity, cancellations, etc. They all want to chase the headline. We need to stay the course. Talk to clients and assure them not to cancel plans for the European summer.”
“The best thing we can do now is give clients backup and security, and that’s your value, that’s why they use an advisor.”
He says advisors should remind themselves that people are happy to travel and are “not impacted by politics around the world”.
“We don’t see much hesitation; any US decline was driven by the value of the dollar, but New York is still hot, and people always want to go to big cities.”
Specialisation key to future success
Goldman says for those who want to make their mark in this industry long-term, specialisation is where they need to be.
“Specialisation is a way advisors can ensure they’re offering magical moments. It’s about using connections to give clients something they wouldn’t normally get.
“An advisor needs to be an expert; there’s too much information out there, and by the time clients search for instance for a safari in Africa, they are overwhelmed and have no idea what they are looking for, and that drives them to an advisor.”
He says specialisation is an area Goldman will be focusing on going forward because that’s when “magic can be made”.
“Our biggest focus is around relationships, and that’s what makes a difference in luxury travel, it’s around those connections with partners and how we can then elevate the experience and give clients something they wouldn’t normally get.”
The importance of pay-to-play
Goldman says advisors need to reassess remuneration from clients.
“We charge ticketing fees and planning fees and have to be remunerated. Clients need to pay for knowledge.”
He says this is particularly relevant when advisors are working around the clock.
“Success is about relationships, so the challenge is that advisors work in multiple time zones, so when you’re dealing with a DMC (destination management company) in Europe, you get responses late, sometimes 11pm, and that’s a killer, but there’s no such thing as turning off for a lot of advisors and they need to be compensated for that.”
Travel trends
The post-pandemic “big-ticket” trips are still in demand, says Goldman.
“We’re still seeing the aftermath of the psyche of the pandemic, where people want those big trips, whether it’s Africa or multi-gen trips to northern Europe and cruises.
“A lot of this is driven by the Boomer generation who are happy to spend and don’t necessarily need to leave money for their kids. They’ll spend the inheritance with back-to-back trips and up to three trips a year, and the pandemic accelerated that.”
He says hotel brands launching luxury yachts is one to watch.
“This is an interesting movement and a new category in the cruise space, and definitely one for advisors to watch to attract new people into cruise.”
He says AI is an area where advisors need to look at how they can enhance the planning process.
“We’re still in the infancy here, but it’s about efficiency. Going forward, we’ll see AI used more in the booking process and that overlay of how AI can help plan trips.”
Goldman says while now’s a time for sensibility and thoughtful planning, advisors shouldn’t forget the reason they do this job.
“Sometimes we get stressed and forget we’re planning people’s holidays, and it should be joyous.
“Our speciality is the curation of special moments, so always look at how you can refine your delivery to add the magic. That’s why we’re in the job.”
For more information, visit Goldman Group.
