Hello WorldVia Travel Network Family,
Anyone who’s been in the travel business for any length of time is certainly used to friends asking for advice. In the past month, I received calls from two such friends. Both are successful, both love to travel, and both asked me for trip advice. By the way, my initial response when this happens is always the same, “You don’t want to talk to me… you want to talk to a travel advisor!”
Neither one let me off the hook; they wanted some help.
The first friend was interested in a Mediterranean cruise for his anniversary. Price was barely mentioned. He wanted the right ship, the right itinerary, and someone to handle the details so he could focus on surprising his wife.
The second friend wanted to take his family to the beach this summer but opened with, “What’s the most I can get for around four thousand dollars?”
Two friends. Two completely different conversations. And that is a snapshot of the travel market right now.
The Split Is Real
Earlier this year I predicted that 2026 would be a tale of two travelers, and the data is confirming it. On one side, some clients continue to spend on premium experiences, longer itineraries, and white-glove service. On the other side, other travelers are pulling back: cutting trip frequency, shortening stays, downgrading accommodations, and scrutinizing every line item. Deloitte’s latest travel outlook calls this shift a “conservative posture,” and it’s showing up in real booking behavior, not just surveys.
The interesting part is that these two groups are not separating along the traditional affluency line, where wealthier people are continuing to spend and less wealthy are shifting down. People are crossing the affluency line. Some wealthy people are down shifting. Some less wealthy are still spending (sometimes seemingly beyond their means). Why?
I believe it has less to do with their bank account and more to do with their outlook on the present and future. Those that are concerned, even pessimistic, (about war, economy, AI, politics, and so on) are down shifting, no matter their wealth position. Those that are less concerned, even optimistic, about these same macro drivers are continuing to spend, even accelerating.
So, the days of simply lumping a client into “rich,” “middle class,” and “poor” buckets are gone. As travel professionals, we need to be more discerning. We need to look past a client’s bank account to determine if they are a premium client or value client today. It may be a different answer than what it was a year ago.
A client may be pessimistic or optimistic about the current landscape, and neither group is wrong. But if, as an advisor, you’re using the same pitch, the same proposal format, and the same follow-up cadence for both, you’re playing two sports at once and losing at both.
Your Clients Are About to Pay More for Air
Here’s the accelerant. The widening conflict in the Middle East has forced massive route cancellations and driven fuel surcharges higher. Tens of thousands of flights were cancelled in just the first two weeks of March, erasing roughly ten percent of global airline capacity. The result: economy fares on many key routes are spiking, and peak-season pricing is trending significantly higher than last year.
This doesn’t affect all routes equally, but clients will still feel it, and how each traveler type reacts to that news is very different. A premium client shrugs and asks to lock in fares. A value client freezes and starts Googling alternatives. Both need an advisor, but they need different versions.
The Two Playbooks
Here’s a simple way to think about segmenting your approach in this instance. You need two playbooks.
Playbook A: The Premium Client
Today, this is less about having the budget than it is about being willing to spend the budget. Premium clients lack time, patience, and tolerance for friction. They want an advisor who can curate, protect, and deliver.
Playbook B: The Value Client
This client wants to travel but is watching every dollar. They’re not cheap, but they are cautious, and they need you to make the math feel safe.
The Mistake to Avoid
The biggest trap right now is treating the value client like a lesser version of the premium client. They’re not. They’re a different client with different fears, different decision triggers, and different definitions of a win. Sending a premium-style proposal to a value client doesn’t leave them inspired. They feel overwhelmed and priced out. Sending a budget-first pitch to a premium client makes them feel less relieved and more like you don’t understand them.
Segment your list. Tag your clients. Adjust your language. It doesn’t take twice the work, but it does take a moment of intention before you hit send.
The market isn’t shrinking. It’s splitting. The advisors who thrive in a two-traveler economy are the ones who stop trying to be one thing to everyone and start being exactly the right thing to each client.
Best Success,
Jason
P.S. – Have you noticed the split in your own book of business? I’d love to hear how you’re adjusting. Drop me a note at jblock@worldvia.com. I read every message.