When Integrity Costs You a Client and a Sundae Becomes Therapy
Every now and then, a project reminds me why integrity and boundaries matter so much in bespoke travel design.
Recently, I worked on a last-minute request for a group heading into the mountains to visit an aboriginal village. They were departing in a week, during a peak weekend when most decent accommodations were already full. We agreed on a package price of $x with a 20–30% flexibility buffer, and before I began, I made it clear that we do not provide breakdowns and that the quotation would be all-inclusive. They understood and proceeded, and a proposal fee was collected before any work began. Thank God for that — at least I did not work for free.
The Work People Don’t See
The amount of effort that goes into a travel proposal is something most people never realise. It is the part of the job that happens quietly behind the scenes, the long calls, negotiations, and rearrangements that transform a vague brief into an immersive travel experience filled with meaning and flow.
The entire proposal was completed within a day. Numerous calls were made to secure accommodation and confirm the availability of an English-speaking driver-guide, which was extremely difficult given the tight timeline and location. I contacted at least four or five trusted partners in the mountain region, but every one of them was full. Finally, thanks to a long-standing partnership, one of them agreed to reshuffle their internal room allocations so my clients could be accommodated. Through that relationship, I managed to secure a well-rated bed and breakfast when almost everything else was gone.
The room configuration itself was another challenge — four rooms for six travellers, with two twin shares and two singles — all confirmed in a day, less than a week before travel.
And as if that was not enough, there were special dietary requirements as the group needed halal meals. Finding halal options deep in the mountains required additional coordination, more calls, and even more creative problem-solving.
When Idealism Meets Reality
During the design phase, the clients had strong ideas about what they wanted, some simply unrealistic. They wanted the driver to make four-hour climbs up narrow, winding mountain roads every day, with little rest or regard for safety or logistics. It took considerable persuasion to convince them otherwise.
Still, I pressed on, determined to make it work. The proposal was completed within a day, balancing their wishlist with on-ground realities.
Then came the message: a request to break down the price and demand a 20% reduction, citing an internal budget error.
Integrity Is Non-Negotiable
That was when I drew the line. Integrity, once broken, cannot be patched over.
If a client agrees to a price and later moves the goalpost after the proposal is done, it is not a budget issue. It is an integrity issue. And I cannot, and will not, work with people who lack it. You can never have a good deal with dishonest people. The cost is always higher than whatever money you think you saved, because it costs time, energy, trust, and peace.
I declined politely but firmly and immediately felt the exhaustion set in. The kind of fatigue that comes not from work itself, but from witnessing a breach of trust.
That night, I did something I had not done in five years: I enjoyed a full tub of sundae. It was not about sugar. It was about flushing the frustration out of my system, a small, sweet act of self-care to reclaim peace after a draining day.
Why Integrity Still Matters
Bespoke travel design is built on trust. Clients come to me because they want precision, creativity, and accountability. Those values can only exist when both sides operate with honesty.
Integrity means keeping to one’s word even when it is inconvenient. It means respecting the time and effort behind every proposal, especially when someone has gone above and beyond to deliver within impossible timelines.
This experience reminded me once again why we charge a proposal fee. It protects the work, thought, and logistics that go unseen, the very foundation that allows every journey to be seamless.
I do not see walking away as a loss. It is a gain for my peace, my sanity, and the standards I choose to uphold.
Final Thoughts
Integrity is not a marketing word; it is the invisible foundation behind every truly seamless journey. It is what allows a travel designer to stay proud of their work and sleep soundly after a tough day.
And if once in a while it costs me a client and earns me a sundae, so be it. I can live with that, happily and with a clear conscience.