In Focus: The rising demand for concierge services - and the agents going the extra mile 

Beyond the expected

Membership-based concierge agency Quintessentially Travel, which specialises in ultra-high-net-worth bookings, has handled its fair share of unusual requests. Alongside arranging a private lake and mountainside hot tub proposal, the team has facilitated a wellness retreat for a client travelling with their support cat – complete with a separate room and round-the-clock care for the pampered feline.

They’re also in the midst of orchestrating a 40th birthday gift from husband to wife that involves visiting one country per year in alphabetical order (they’re currently up to the letter M).

“Demands are rising. Everyone has the world in their pockets on their phones, and if they can see it, and have the money to make it happen,then why can’t they have it?” says managing director Samantha Mullen.

Travel Counsellors’ Nicky Mellusco, who used to work for Kirker Holidays, has also fielded some particularly precise demands throughout her career. One involved liaising with a hotel to remove or cover every mirror in a suite, as well as planning mirror-free routes around the property, for a client with a phobia. Another saw Mellusco tracking down a reputable hairdresser in Florence at short notice for a client determined to return home with an authentic Italian bob.

Like many luxury advisors, Mellusco says her business grows “almost exclusively” through word of-mouth referrals, and instances such as this truly make agents stand out. “You’re marketing yourself as someone’s personal assistant in their back pocket: someone who is constantly available and can arrange anything, rather than if the client were to book with an online travel agent or directly,” she says. 

Built on trust

Never A Wasted Journey’s Salmon – who can be credited with arranging the aforementioned special Irn Bru delivery – says he’s seen a growing appetite among high-net-worth travellers for experiences that are “unique, personal and haven’t been done before”. Often, clients don’t have a clear brief, he says, instead challenging him to think creatively and push beyond the expected.

Examples have included arranging a proposal in the Maldives, featuring a seven-course dinner at Niyama Private Island Maldives’ underwater restaurant Subsix, with a personalised menu centred around the fiancée’s favourite dishes and two scuba divers swimming past with a sign to pop the question. On another occasion, Salmon organised a private samurai sword lesson in Japan with the lead choreographer from the Kill Bill movies.

“Every time you’ve delivered an experience that goes above and beyond, clients ask: ‘What’s next?’,” says Salmon.

It’s for requests like this that trusted supplier relationships matter most, Salmon adds. “I want to offer inspirational trips that are outside the box, so I match with suppliers and tour operators that offer the same experience,” he says.

Elegant Resorts’ managing director Gordon McCreadie says such unique demands are “a core part of the value proposition” in luxury travel, and agents are increasingly approaching the operator with “more complex and creative requests”.

Carrier’s concierge manager Lorraine Norcross agrees, noting a shift towards “deeply personal” experiences.

Catering towards a cash-rich and timepoor clientele also means many requests arrive with little notice and even less margin for error. Plans change, flights are delayed, yet client expectations are unwavering.

This is something that Mary Steadman, co-founder of agency Lura Lifestyle Management, knows all too well. She recalls a client who had booked a trip to Belgium for a festival and, just 48 hours before departure, decided he wanted a bespoke piece of jewellery crafted for his partner, a champagne breakfast and a happy birthday shoutout from a DJ at the event. Thanks to the agency’s far-reaching contacts, the team delivered on all three.

“Clients keep coming back because they trust in what you do for them, and it’s the relationships with other providers that help us make things happen,” says Steadman.

Rising expectations

Indeed, what once may have been considered exceptional is fast becoming the baseline. “Luxury travellers are more experienced and more demanding than ever. They’re no longer impressed by access alone; they expect personalisation, creativity and absolute seamlessness as standard,” says Elegant Resorts’ McCreadie.

This is especially the case for bigger bookings, according to Carrier. “Traditional concierge requests remain a constant, but we’re really seeing growth at the higher end.

For holidays of £40,000 and above, clients increasingly want bespoke experiences that feel thoughtfully curated,” says Norcross.

For bookings of this value, Carrier facilitates a Beyond the Booking call involving both agent and client, designed to uncover preferences and opportunities to elevate the trip beyond the itinerary.

For agents, rising expectations may bring added pressure, but they also create opportunities to deepen client relationships, increase booking values and build reputations that drive repeat business and referrals. Concierge services are not just an added extra, but a long-term investment.