A Shift in Consciousness Among Luxury Travellers
The new luxury is awareness. It’s less about thread counts and more about cultural intelligence. For the ultra-high-net-worth traveller, there is now prestige not just in access but in understanding—the ability to move through the world without dominating it.
Many of the destinations most popular among luxury travellers have histories entwined with colonialism. From tea estates in Sri Lanka to the safari lodges of East Africa, the design and delivery of these experiences have historically catered to a Western gaze. In response, a growing cohort of globally aware travellers is rethinking how they engage with the world—and demanding better from their travel providers.
Learning from Bhutan’s Controlled Tourism Model
Bhutan’s approach to tourism remains one of the most effective models globally. By charging a Sustainable Development Fee of USD 200 per day for international visitors, the country ensures that tourism remains low-impact and high-value. This strategy protects cultural integrity while providing economic support to local communities. It’s not a deterrent; it’s a declaration of values.
Jet travellers are uniquely placed to appreciate and support such models. With the ability to land where others can’t, there’s an accompanying responsibility: to tread lightly, invest locally, and listen more than we speak.
How to Travel Without Being a Colonial Tourist: A New Code of Conduct for Conscious Jetsetters
Travel, at its best, is a tool for transformation. For those who charter private jets, cross time zones regularly, and experience the world at its most curated, the question of how we travel is beginning to matter as much as where we go. In 2025, discerning travellers are reflecting on the long shadow cast by colonial tourism. The industry is evolving—and expectations are too.
Decolonising Luxury Travel: What It Looks Like in Practice
- Engage with Indigenous and Local Ownership
Instead of staying in global chain resorts that export profits, seek out boutique hotels, homestays, and experiences owned by local entrepreneurs. In Australia, Aboriginal-led tours are reframing the Outback experience. In New Zealand, Māori-run ventures are reconnecting visitors with the land through whakapapa (genealogy) and narrative.
- Understand Before You Arrive
Cultural missteps are avoidable. Learning key gestures, greetings, or attire norms is not just respectful—it’s essential. A short briefing from your L”Voyage concierge can go a long way in ensuring you don’t unintentionally offend.
- Support Economies Through Currency, Not Charity
Pay the price. Don’t barter aggressively in markets where the extra few dollars make a meaningful difference to a family’s livelihood. Purchase art directly from artists, eat at local restaurants, and work with operators that keep wealth within the community.
- Be Mindful of Language and Imagery
Avoid romanticising poverty or posting “gritty” photos that centre you in someone else’s hardship. Reconsider hashtags that strip context from culture. Luxury today should never come at the expense of another’s dignity.
- Value Experiences that Prioritise Depth Over Display
The rise of ‘slow travel’—immersive, often unplugged journeys—shows that travellers increasingly seek genuine connection over performative highlights. Private aviation can enable access to remote locations, but how we engage when we arrive is what truly matters.
The Ethical Edge of Modern Travel
Travel providers, too, are adapting. At L’Voyage, upon request, we can integrate cultural briefings into pre-flight materials, offering curated experiences with the communities you’re visiting, and advising clients on how to be responsible guests, not passive observers.
In this redefined landscape, prestige lies not in how far or how often we travel, but how consciously we do so. Travel, as Mark Twain famously wrote, “is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” But only if we allow it to be.
L’Voyage specialises in journeys that go beyond luxury and lean into meaning. Our concierge team works with trusted partners across Asia and beyond to ensure every detail of your itinerary is thoughtful, respectful, and aligned with local communities.
Explore with purpose. Travel with humility.
Contact L’Voyage today to curate your next meaningful journey.