Traveling beyond the algorithm

Perhaps you caught this piece in the New York Times today?

They’re Rich, They Travel and They Love to Complain

A Birkin bag overnighted to Capri. A pink Brabus sports car for a Gen Z birthday party. Olivia Ferney, a travel agent to the ultrawealthy, has heard it all.

Scrolling through Olivia Ferney’s TikTok—yes, TikTok, the platform where your attention span goes to die—one thing becomes clear: luxury travel is officially in the influencer industrial complex. Ferney curates ultra-exclusive trips for clients with money to burn and no shame in broadcasting it. And honestly? It’s… hilarious. But also a little sad. Let me explain.

Travel is supposed to be messy. Unpredictable. Full of gut-sinking, hair-blowing-in-your-face moments that make you feel alive. Ferney’s trips—gilded, Instagram-ready experiences—are the opposite. It’s travel for people who want to experience a place without actually experiencing it. The city, the culture, the weird little bar where the bartender gives life advice…