First-Class Influencers

The human gatekeeper is back, baby.

Amidst “sponsored” reviews and A.I.-generated listicles, travel agents—rebranded as “advisers,” and with newfound social-media savvy—are having a comeback

By Sheila Yasmin Marikar

In the sun-splashed corners of the Internet, this is a familiar scenario: “My post about this tiny little cottage on the sea in Sifnos got, like, 700,000 likes, and so many inquiries about how to book it,” Alexandra Taylor, the founder of the boutique travel agency Where to Wander, says. “But it’s pretty baseline in terms of amenities.” In those cases, Taylor redirects clients elsewhere, “shifting them to other properties that I have relationships with,” and booking the trips through an affiliate portal that earns her a commission.

For years, the rise of Expedia and Airbnb convinced us the READ ON