If aliens were to arrive today to study why earthlings travel, they might conclude that our primary goal is to get envy-inducing content for social media. Now, I love making people envious as much as the next guy (not for nothing am I editor-in-chief of a luxury travel publication). But what I really want are memorable experiences that I can tell compelling stories about, and I want to reminisce with the people who accompany me. Most often, I like to remember something unexpected, or a truly exclusive or insider activity. But with more people globe-trotting than ever before, finding the exclusive and the insider has become increasingly difficult.

I find I rely more and more on local partners introduced to me by advisors at our Travel Office. They have the contacts and the top guides who know how to make extraordinary things happen. Just as important, they work with my travel advisor to make my longer itineraries seamless and stress-free. I used to turn to hotel concierges for help, but too often, “concierges” are just front desk clerks with OpenTable accounts. Seeing a Clefs d’Or pin has become all too rare. For trips in which I want easy planning and top guides, I put my trust in the local experts the Travel Office trusts.