Olivia Ferney, a 25-year-old Canadian luxury travel specialist, charges $100,000 annually for planning travel for billionaires, finding them easier to work with than millionaires, according to fortune.com. Ferney, named one of TIME’s top digital influencers, shares insights from her experience arranging trips for ultrarich clients, highlighting differences in spending attitudes between millionaires and billionaires.
Ferney explained to Fortune Daily’s Ellie Austin that millionaires often want to spend lavishly like billionaires but lack the financial cushion, leading to buyer’s remorse and attempts to get refunds on expensive purchases such as $300,000 to $400,000 yachts. She described client attitudes on a wealth bell curve, with the bottom 30% to 40% being very difficult, the middle easier, and the top tier—billionaires—being the most pleasant to work with due to less friction over spending decisions.
Her company, Top Tier Travel, initially operated like a conventional travel agency earning 8% to 12% commissions on trips. However, Ferney’s growing social media presence, with over 2 million combined TikTok and Instagram followers, influenced how the business selects clients, focusing on the ultrarich who present fewer challenges and more straightforward expectations. This shift reflects broader trends in luxury service sectors where client wealth impacts service dynamics.
Ferney’s insights come as her social media videos continue to attract attention, shaping perceptions of ultrarich lifestyles and luxury travel. Her company’s approach and pricing model underscore the distinct market segments within high-net-worth travel, with billionaires representing a more stable and less contentious client base, according to fortune.com.