A solo adventure to the Galapagos, a cycling expedition across an icy lake, or simply an ultra-luxe fly-and-flop holiday to the Côte d’Azur – all of this (and more) is possible with the assistance of one of the best travel companies.
These industry-leaders pride themselves on thinking about everything so that clients can focus on relaxing, adventuring, exploring and discovering.
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Forget crowded tourist spots, airport queues and ‘been there, done that’ sightseeing – these experts specialise in delivering extraordinary, highly personal experiences for clients who want something exceptional.
These are achieved through exclusive partnerships with the world’s leading hotel chains, access to rare and difficult to access places, and insider knowledge of the next biggest trends and destinations in travel.
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‘If you are looking to plan a dream holiday, these companies go the extra mile when creating globe-trotting excursions and exotic getaways for UHNWs. Whether you’re looking to plan an expedition in the Arctic circle or to trace the movements of Kenyan tigers on a safari Jeep, these firms help their clients to create lasting memories and embark on the trip of a lifetime.’
Ian Douglas, Spear’s head of research
Best travel companies: names to know
Spear’s welcomes a number of new additions to the index this year, Minerva Private Travel and Sienna Charles, founded by Top Recommended travel advisers Amanda Teale and Jaclyn Sienna India. There are also a number of names returning to Top Recommended, including Cookson Adventures and The Luminaire.
Scott Dunn Private – Top Recommended
Headed by travel expert Jules Maury, invitation-only Scott Dunn Private offers globe-hopping UHNWs first-class travel experiences with extraordinary itineraries curated by the firm’s 24-7 advisory service.
Scott Dunn Private’s ‘little black book’ of fine wine specialists, nature experts and cultural aficionados around the world enable the firm to truly tailor a travel experience at the highest possible level.
Read Scott Dunn Private’s full profile at Spears500.com
Noteworthy – New addition
Specialising in travel experiences across the UK, Ireland and France, Noteworthy has one fundamental mission: ‘to deliver memorable experiences that can rarely be found on the internet or in the pages of a guidebook.’
Read Noteworthy’s full profile at Spears500.com
Berkeley Travel – Top Recommended
Founded by Simon Binke and Andrew Bezhenar, Berkeley Travel is the world-leading connoisseur of luxury travel and bespoke holidays built on a mission to deliver an unrivalled level of service to a discerning clientele.
Berkeley Travel works with private aviation companies to make transfers seamless, while its sister company, Berkeley Lifestyle, is a full-service concierge that can assist with everything from art dealing to real estate to delivering a ‘faultless service’.
Read Berkeley Travel’s full profile at Spears500.com
Virgin Limited Edition – New addition
When it comes to luxury, few people would understand the concept better than a billionaire. So who better than a billionaire to offer luxury retreats? Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition (VLE) offers eight retreats across the world: Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco, Mahali Mzuri in Kenya, Mont Rochelle and Ulusaba in South Africa, Son Bunyola in Mallorca, The Lodge in Switzerland and The Branson Beach Estate in the BVI.
Read Virgin Limited Edition’s full profile on Spears500.com
Methodology
In selecting and ranking the best travel companies, the Spear’s Research Unit conducts extensive research of the market, including interviews with well-informed observers, industry insiders and of course the advisers themselves. These take place both face-to-face, and on video and telephone calls. Candidates for inclusion are asked to fill in a form to provide data and a description of their work and client base. In finalising its selections and rankings, the Spear’s Research Unit employs a proprietary methodology that includes a weighted scoring system. This takes into account factors including an adviser’s standing, reputation, client base, recommendations and testimonials, the firm they represent, their level of engagement with the process and certain industry-specific criteria.
Best travel companies: the complete list
Click on the individual names to be directed to more detailed profiles of each adviser on The Spear’s 500 website. The table is ordered by ranking and then alphabetically by surname.
Find out more
To explore all the Spear’s indices, and to use our find-an-adviser tool to identify the private client adviser who is right for your specific requirements, go to the Spear’s 500 website.
To receive relevant research updates from Spear’s – and thereby give you and your firm the best chance of being included in future Spear’s indices – please register here. If you are an adviser featured in an index and would like to update your profile or provide additional information, please email research@spearswms.com. If you are not featured but would like to be, please fill out our form.
