Luxury travel network Virtuoso has welcomed more than 4,700 travel professionals from 97 countries to its 36th annual Virtuoso Travel Week.
Virtuoso is hosting some of the biggest and best-known brands in luxury and experiential travel August 10-16 at Bellagio Resort & Casino, ARIA Resort & Casino, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and Vdara Hotel & Spa.
Representatives from nearly 2,000 companies are engaging in matched morning networking tracks and self-selected afternoon appointments – over 75,000 in total – designed to establish and strengthen relationships, increase knowledge and drive sales.
The weeklong program kicked off Saturday, August 10, with a full day of Globetrotting sessions, which continued into Sunday. More than 1,000 Virtuoso advisors were able to select Virtuoso Communities around key interests and participate in a series of fun and interactive presentations by Virtuoso partners
These sessions explored passion-point travel categories — cruise, adventure, family, culinary, wellness, ultra-luxe and sustainability — each designed to boost expertise and propel sales.
Virtuoso CEO Matthew Upchurch. (photo via Virtuoso Media)
The Opening Session saw Virtuoso Chairman and CEO Matthew D. Upchurch take the stage for a keynote presentation that discussed the benefits of AI “to automate the predictable,” while also praising travel advisors for the attributes they bring that AI cannot replicate.
“Advisors are the direct link between consumers and their experiences. Their intelligence, skill and powerful relationships have enabled them to thrive despite challenges,” said Upchurch.
“While some in the financial sector may view them as ‘intermediaries,’ advisors are essential to a successful direct-to-consumer sales strategy, especially as the luxury market grows and diversifies, along with the Virtuoso network.”
During the Opening Session, Virtuoso Executive Vice President David Kolner said year-to-date sales have surpassed those of 2023 for the same January-June timeframe by 14% and skyrocketed 211% over 2019, with future 2025-2026 sales already up 38% over last year.
The Virtuoso Pulse Survey reflects this positive outlook, revealing that 78% of Virtuoso agencies and 70% of preferred partners remain optimistic about their own businesses.
The Virtuoso network has expanded since its last gathering a year ago with 109 new partners—71 hotels, 26 tour and on-site partners, eight alliances and four cruise lines. On the member side, 18 new members have joined, expanding Virtuoso’s presence to 58 countries, four more than last year. Most notably, preferred partner revenue has grown by 15% year-over-year, even with just a 5% increase in new partners.
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