Hospitality Awards 2026 | 27 Luxury travel has changed tremendously. Once defined by tangible things—the five-star hotel, the suite, the private car, the best table at the restaurant—today’s travelers are looking for something more personal. They want access, authenticity, flexibility and experiences that feel like they were created specifically for them. And, perhaps most importantly, they value their time enormously. Baylee Shapiro tells us more in the wake of the agency receiving recognition in the Hospitality Awards 2026. Best PurposeDriven Luxury Travel Agency 2026 - Southwest USA and firsthand experience. Collaboration is a major part of the agency’s culture, with advisors sharing feedback and discussing the small details that would never make it onto a hotel website. “Our clients benefit from the collective experience of the agency, not simply the knowledge of the individual advisor,” continues Baylee. “A photograph can tell you that a hotel is beautiful. Being there tells you which room has the better view, whether the location is convenient, and what breakfast is like on a busy morning.” Of course, exceptional service isn't just about what happens when everything goes according to plan. Cancelled flights, unpredictable weather, illness or an experience that falls short of expectations can all become part of travel, and the team takes its responsibility to clients during those moments seriously. “Our clients aren't hiring us because we can promise nothing will ever go wrong; they're hiring us because they want someone in their corner when it does,” Baylee states. “What people remember is how you made them feel, particularly in the moments when they needed you most.” That same sense of responsibility extends beyond BTA’s clients. Purpose and philanthropy are woven into the agency’s culture, from supporting organizations such as Make-A-Wish and causes within the communities BTA calls home, to thinking intentionally about the impact travel can have on the places and people that make these experiences possible. “We believe travel should be a force for good,” Baylee explains. “When a destination welcomes us, shares its culture with us and gives us experiences that can genuinely change the way we see the world, we have an opportunity to give something back. I think about it almost like being welcomed into someone’s home—you wouldn’t arrive emptyhanded. We want to encourage our travelers to approach the world with that same spirit of gratitude and generosity.” It is this combination of exceptional service, meaningful connection and a commitment to using travel as a force for good that recently earned Boutique Travel Advisors recognition at the Hospitality Awards 2026, where it was named Best Purpose-Driven Luxury Travel Agency 2026 – Southwest USA. Looking ahead, the firm’s ambitions extend beyond simply growing the business. The focus is on improving the experience for its clients, advisors, partners and the communities it serves while protecting the qualities that have defined the agency. One of the most exciting next chapters is the BTA Training Academy, created to develop exceptional travel advisors through a combination of education, mentorship, real-world experience and continuous learning. “Our measure of success isn't simply how large Boutique Travel Advisors becomes,” finalises Baylee. “It's whether we can grow while preserving the heart of what made the company special in the first place. “If we can serve more travelers extraordinarily well, develop the next generation of exceptional luxury travel advisors, build stronger partnerships throughout the world and use that growth to generate more good along the way, that's the future we're working toward.” Contact: Baylee Shapiro Company: Boutique Travel Advisors Web Address: www.travelbta.com ravelers today have already seen hotels on Instagram, watched videos of destinations, read reviews and researched dozens of options before they even consider booking their trip. This is where Boutique Travel Advisors excels: having first-hand knowledge of the travel industry, while understanding that great travel is about creating something personal. As a Forbes Travel Guide-endorsed, Virtuoso-affiliated luxury travel agency, Boutique Travel Advisors designs everything from safaris and complex multi-country journeys to luxury cruises and expeditions, villas, honeymoons, milestone celebrations and multigenerational trips. “At the heart of what we do is something pretty simple: we get to know people, and then we help them experience the world in a way that feels deeply personal to them,” explains Baylee Shapiro, Director of Advisory Services at Boutique Travel Advisors and a luxury travel advisor herself. “Ultimately, we're not in the business of simply booking beautiful hotels. We're in the business of knowing people well enough to create experiences they'll carry with them long after they come home.” For Baylee and the team at Boutique Travel Advisors, hospitality starts long before a client hops onto a plane. It begins with listening, and the advisor’s role is to take what they know about a traveler and use that knowledge to design an experience that feels completely their own. With firsthand experience across more than 36 countries, Baylee brings an informed perspective to every destination she curates. Beyond the advisor/client relationship, strong connections with hoteliers, destination partners, guides, cruise lines and other hospitality professionals are essential. The team invests significant time traveling, inspecting properties, experiencing destinations and developing relationships around the world. Behind every BTA advisor is also a larger team and global network, bringing together different areas of expertise, destination knowledge T
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