Travel Designers and Tailor-Made Tourism: Why the Future of Italian Incoming Travel is Personalized.

More Demanding Travelers, More Authentic Experiences

A new type of traveler is redefining the rules of international tourism. They're not satisfied with simply visiting a place—they want to experience it deeply, personally, and authentically. They seek tailor-made experiences built around their interests, values, and desires. And guiding them on this journey is an increasingly central figure: the travel designer, the "journey tailor" who crafts unique itineraries thanks to in-depth local knowledge. 

Travel designers are not traditional travel agents. They are experiential consultants, true local insiders who know how to turn a destination’s unique features into tangible emotions. They curate every detail: from overnight stays in historical residences off the beaten path, to one-on-one time with local artisans, to wine tastings in hidden cellars—creating a customized narrative where the traveler is the undisputed protagonist. 

This approach has a direct impact on the B2B side as well. International tour operators, foreign travel agencies, and digital platforms are increasingly seeking local experts who can design tailor-made experiences that highlight a destination's authentic character. Personalization is no longer a niche—it's a requirement.

United States: The Homeland of the Tailor-Made Travel Consultant

To understand where the Italian market could be heading, it's worth looking at those who got there first. In the United States, the role of the travel advisor—an expert consultant focused on personalized experiences—has been well established for years. In the luxury segment especially, over 80% of affluent travelers consider the support of a travel advisor essential for organizing a custom vacation. 

After the pandemic, this trend gained even more momentum. More than 75% of American travel agents reported an increase in clients compared to pre-Covid levels, and many new travelers turned to a consultant for the first time. Why? Safety, efficiency, time-saving, and access to exclusive experiences. In short, human expertise and relationships have become central again. 

International networks like Virtuoso or global platforms like Evaneos prove that personalized consulting can scale through digital models too—connecting travelers with local travel designers in more than 160 destinations. The message is clear: local expertise is a valuable and monetizable asset, and the travel designer is the key to unlocking it.

Italy: A Market with Untapped Potential 

Italy has always been one of the world’s most sought-after destinations. In 2024, it already surpassed pre-pandemic levels, recording 134 million international arrivals and €48.8 billion in foreign tourist spending. But the most compelling insight lies in how the international traveler has changed: today they are more informed, more focused on quality, and more eager for authentic experiences, often far from mass tourism routes. 

This creates fertile ground for the rise of Italian travel designers—professionals capable of building unique, tailor-made experiences that enhance the identity of local territories. And the signs are already visible: 

• A growing number of incoming agencies specialize in tailor-made travel; 

• B2B partnerships with foreign operators looking for local experts are multiplying; 

• New academies and training programs are emerging to shape future professional travel designers; 

• The Italian tailor-made travel market is already valued at €5.75 billion, with ample room for growth. 

The next challenge is structuring the offering and adopting agile, intelligent tools to build complex itineraries quickly, effectively, and in an integrated way. The era of manual operations is over. It’s time for digital platforms that combine human creativity with operational power. 

Want to Design Tailor-Made Trips in Just a Few Clicks? 

If you're creating personalized travel experiences and need a tool to simplify the building of multi-day itineraries—combining accommodations, experiences, and add-on services—discover TripBuilder, the Hubcore module built for those who craft unique trips every day. 

🎯 TripBuilder is your travel architect: fast design, product management for catalog and custom services, advanced visual proposals, and centralized communication with both suppliers and clients. 

👉 Want to know more? Contact us here to request a demo and discover how Hubcore.ai can support your role in the tailor-made tourism revolution.