10
Loading video...
By Laura Blair
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
The travel industry is confronting a credibility problem, and the word 'luxury' is concealing just how precarious it has become.
Almost every resort, private villas, and islands can now be presented as an extraordinary experience. Beautiful photography and carefully constructed websites have made selling the idea of luxury remarkably easy.
Delivering it is an entirely different matter.
Read More on Leadership Insights
Having spent almost three decades working with ultra-high-net-worth travelers, I have learned that the greatest risk in luxury travel is believing that an impressive presentation guarantees an exceptional experience.
But luxury means very little when nobody can guarantee the quality of what is being sold.
Growing Credibility Problem in Luxury Travel
The problem has become more pronounced as technology reshapes how people discover and purchase travel. Artificial intelligence can generate convincing property imagery, reproduce sophisticated marketing material, and make almost any destination appear irresistible.
If travelers cannot establish whether what they see is even an accurate representation of what they are buying, what exactly are they paying for?
...
An October 2026 investigation by InvestigateTV found examples of AI-generated travel videos promoting properties with imagery that did not match the actual accommodation being advertised. The consequences for consumer confidence are considerable.
For families investing hundreds of thousands of pounds in a private villa for a special occasion, this uncertainty carries an actual cost. A property may have extraordinary architecture and every imaginable amenity, yet the staff may lack the experience to deliver the service expected at that price.
I have personally withdrawn stunning properties from our portfolio because the people responsible for looking after guests simply did not meet our standards. At that level, the quality of the staff determines the quality of the entire experience.
This is even more important in the privately owned property market. A villa affiliated with a known five-star luxury resort carries an established hospitality brand and the operational standards associated with it. An independently owned residence has no equivalent guarantee. Its photographs cannot establish the veracity of its facilities nor the competence of its staff or its ability to accommodate a family’s individual requirements.
I believe the difference between luxury and genuine luxury is found in the details most guests should never have to think about.
Personal Service Still Matters
For the clients I work with, trust encompasses personal security, discretion, privacy, reliable and excellent staffing, and an extraordinary degree of preparation. Consider the practicalities of a family arriving at a private residence. Have dietary requirements and allergies been communicated correctly? Are children safe around the property? Have transfers, security arrangements, and household staff been properly coordinated?
Every detail requires consideration, because a single oversight can compromise an otherwise exceptional holiday.
Our team has more than 20 years of experience, and that accumulated knowledge is fundamental to how we operate. Preparing a stay in Punta Mita, Mexico, requires an understanding of the destination, its people, and the experiences available there. Whereas the Amalfi Coast in Italy presents an entirely different set of considerations. Knowing the property and the staff, and understanding the individual traveling, allows us to anticipate needs for seamless travel.
The wider travel industry is also approaching an important crossroads. Automation has made booking, administration, and communication considerably more convenient. I understand its value.
However, convenience should never come at the expense of accountability. A traveler who is passed between separate departments for accommodation, transfers, security, and guest services can quickly discover that nobody has responsibility for the complete experience.
A 2026 Capital One Travel study of 3,100 luxury travelers found that 79 percent looked to curated recommendations from professional sources, including travel advisors and concierge services, when planning trips. AI-powered planning also featured prominently, with 65 percent identifying it as a resource.
Technology evidently has a place in modern travel, but professional judgment has to remain a valuable part of the decision-making process. I have always believed in keeping our service personal. The people clients initially speak with remain involved throughout their journey.
A client should step off an aircraft, arrive at their destination, and begin enjoying their holiday. Everything should already have been considered and arranged. They should never have to chase a transfer, explain an allergy for the third time, or discover that an important arrangement has been overlooked.
This matters to far more than ultra-high-net-worth travelers. Whether a family is saving for its first international holiday or organizing a long-awaited reunion, people are investing their money, limited free time, and relationships in experiences they may never have the opportunity to repeat. Everyone deserves to know that the promises made at the point of purchase will be honored.
Luxury Must Mean Accountability
This industry faces a clear choice. In one future, smart tools back seasoned experts, reliable operators earn lasting trust, and travelers book without second-guessing. In the other, polished digital pitches disguise erratic service, splintered accountability, and rising anxiety. The standards we uphold today will decide which version becomes reality.
I also believe access to genuinely knowledgeable specialists will shape the next generation of luxury travel. Travelers may want a private villa one year, an African safari the next, or an expedition through Bhutan followed by an exceptional cruise.
They need people who understand these experiences and can connect them with the right experts. A trusted network of specialists, supported by strong personal relationships and referrals, will most likely become valuable in a market crowded with automated recommendations.
We need to stop treating luxury as a marketing category and start treating it as a standard of accountability. Travel companies must be prepared to demonstrate their expertise, establish transparent service standards, and take responsibility for every part of the experience they sell. Scaling a business means very little if the quality of its service cannot keep pace.
Travelers, ask questions. Refuse to wire a single dollar until a human being has answered your questions out loud. I often find that one phone call answers questions that dozens of emails cannot. If you cannot establish confidence in the person to whom you are entrusting your money, your family, and your holiday, you should reconsider the booking.
The most important luxury you can purchase is the confidence that someone has thought of everything. And the industry must earn that confidence.
Laura Blair is the founder and director of In Villas Veritas, a premier luxury villa rental agency she established in 1997. The views expressed in this article are the author's own.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines