Luxury Unlocked: Travel Advisors, Who Is Influencing Your Clients?

My 19-year-old nephew wants to go to Mongolia. Not someday — now. When I asked him how he came to this decision, he gave me a confident grin and explained that a pair of influencers he follows on TikTok just returned from the destination, and their posts made it look like a place he would really enjoy.

The account, @claireandpeter, belongs to a couple traveling the world. Their videos are concise and certainly exhilarating, but I found myself drawn to the more personal content on their page. They post about their engagement, they poke fun at their own relationship … they even shared a time that Peter had diarrhea for days on a tour bus.

This all might seem slightly off topic from luxury travel, but in fact, it’s right on the nose. Travel influencers are discovering experiential opportunities that we may not know even exist. Their ability to insert their most vulnerable selves into the mix garners them more followers. It’s real, and it’s what modern globetrotters crave. In fact, the recent Luxury Trendcast from Capital One Travel found that 87% of luxury travelers value authentic and exclusive cultural experiences, and 93% of premium spenders are interested in nontraditional stays for unique, immersive and local experiences.

Now, you may be asking: How does this apply to my role as a luxury travel advisor? Well, many of these accounts have followers who could turn into your potential clients. Those of you who tune into what’s being broadcast on social media get to glimpse a view of travel that your clients think is really cool. In turn, you get the chance to source suppliers who can make these experiences happen. That’s a win for you on every level.

Do you have a questionnaire that your clients complete before your consultations? Why not include questions about social media accounts they follow for inspiration — what exactly are they envisioning for themselves when they mention visiting Mongolia, or spending New Year’s Eve in Thailand?

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for new travel accounts to follow in the new year, here are three others I’m following in 2026.

@nicolemsunderland posts short takes on subjects like “Best Places to Visit in February” and “Destinations with the Bluest Water.” Simple stuff, but consumers love lists.

@drewbinsky can be super critical of the places he’s in, and even gets called out for that occasionally. The responses to his posts are conversations your clients may find engaging.

@alexojeda is a 30-something living a technicolor life that’s accentuated with a lot of exclamation points. He’s just back from Royal Caribbean’s new private destination in the Bahamas, where he recommends booking the family cabana, which has its own slide and hot tub. His enthusiasm will likely win over even the most cynical and sophisticated traveler.

So, here’s to understanding your clients even better and to anticipating even more of what they want in 2026. Now that’s luxury.