The fee covers the work that happens before you book, and the expertise behind it: researching destinations and properties, negotiating with suppliers, and designing an itinerary built around how you actually like to travel. It also covers the non-commissionable pieces I handle well — train and ferry bookings, restaurant strategy, day-by-day logistics, packing and tipping guidance. Just as important, charging a fee means I work for you, not for the suppliers who pay the highest commission. I recommend what's right, even when it earns me nothing.

When a booking is straightforward — a single hotel or cruise — I usually don't charge either. But most of what I do is custom: multi-stop itineraries, private transfers, experiences chosen for one specific client. That work takes real time, and pricing it keeps my business focused on travelers who are serious about their trip. It also keeps my advice honest. I'd rather charge a fair fee and tell you the truth than work for free and steer you toward whatever pays me most.

Take the Warner Bros. Studio Tour outside London — the Harry Potter experience. Many agents book you onto a pricey coach tour because it's commissionable. I have a better, less expensive way to do it that earns me nothing. The planning fee is what lets me make that call in your favor instead of mine. That logic runs through everything I plan.