On Location: Record growth & the “Swift lift” – the latest in luxury travel shines at Virtuoso Travel Week in Vegas

This story was updated on Monday, August 12 at 4:32 p.m. EST

From secluded lodges to exclusive wine tastings to penthouse suites to wellness retreats.

The finer things in travel are on parade in Las Vegas this week as the who’s who of luxury travel converge at Virtuoso Travel Week, an annual mega-event for the trade, now in its 36th year, that spotlights the best, new and next in luxury travel.

PAX is currently embedded in Sin City, covering the glitzy gathering, which is on now until August 16. This year’s conference, themed “The Voice Of Luxury,” has welcomed more than 4,700 attendees – a mix of travel advisors and hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, tourism boards and experience providers – from 97 countries. Travel professionals who don’t follow the trends, but set the trends. The influencers who influence the influencers. 

There’s a reason why Virtuoso Travel Week is called “The Fashion Week of Travel.” (And a fashion show it is! Some fierce OOTDs – "outfits of the day" – have been noted in the hallways of the Bellagio, Aria, Vdara and Cosmopolitan hotels, where the event is unfolding).

Adding to the mix is a line-up of VIP speakers (like author and speaker Simon Sinek, founder of The Optimism Company), entertainment, professional development sessions and tête-à-têtes for exchanging business-building ideas.

With rows of sponsored lounges and cafés, the conference itself creates a “temporary city” within Las Vegas, as Jennifer Campbell, senior vice-president of products and events at Virtuoso, put it at Sunday’s (Aug. 11) opening ceremony at the Bellagio.

For suppliers in the luxury space, Virtuoso Travel Week is a must-see, must-do. 

“I absolutely love this experience every year. It’s a great opportunity to connect with partners in so many different ways,” said Canada’s Expedition Queen Kristin Erz, director of expedition sales at Silversea, speaking to PAX at Saturday night’s welcome cocktail at the Bellagio.

Dondra Ritzenthaler, Azamara Cruises’ newly-appointed CEO, was also spotted on Saturday. Speaking to PAX, the former Celebrity Cruises executive called Virtuoso Travel Week “the best in the business.”

“Look around at these advisors – what they sell, how they sell luxury. They make more money, they know the products. They’re one of our largest sellers,” Ritzenthaler said, noting that her strategy at Azamara, where she took the helm in May, is to be “loud and proud” in promoting the cruise brand across the industry.

“We would never miss this conference,” she went on to say. “We have five people here and we’re a small brand. For us to have five people here shows our commitment to the Virtuoso network.”

So Virtuoso

Virtuoso Travel Week is an extension of Virtuoso the consortium, a network of independent luxury travel agencies with more than 22,000 travel advisors worldwide.

Virtuoso-certified advisors undergo extensive training to serve their clientele, which, collectively, can be summed up as a global gold mine of high-net-worth travellers.

The organization equips members with marketing tools, invites to exclusive events, and access to the world’s most luxurious hotels and suppliers, which, in turn, shower clients with exclusive perks (such as complimentary breakfast, champagne or late check-out privileges at hotels) when travel is booked through a Virtuoso advisor.

In Canada, Virtuoso is managed by Úna O’Leary, who joined the company in 2021 when Virtuoso regionalized, hiring general managers in territories around the world – a move that injected some much-needed local flavour into the Canadian Virtuoso space.

In recent years, Virtuoso Canada has achieved greater regional relevancy, hiring a coast-to-coast team that not only supports Virtuoso-certified advisors, but also the network’s supplier partners.

Virtuoso’s Canadian Regional Advisory Board, meanwhile, is part of a global collaboration that shapes Virtuoso’s direction and decisions.

And there’s some exclusivity attached to being a Virtuoso advisor – the consortium doesn’t accept just anyone.

Advisors have to be the right fit in a “So Virtuoso” kind of way, to borrow a line from the organization’s global campaign, which highlights the value of Virtuoso’s advisors and partners.

Tech terrain & globetrotting

The social code at Virtuoso Travel Week is if I don’t catch ya now, I’ll catch ya later. 

The week is jam-packed with sessions, socials, appointments and parties that send attendees in multiple directions, but leaves room for catch-ups and reunions.

This year introduced something called “Braindate,” which offers small-group conversations on topics posted by attendees – such as artificial intelligence and LGBTQ+ travel – before and during the event.

There's a new Hotel Showcase space where advisors can meet with high-end hoteliers from around the world. 

The third annual Travel Tech Summit also took place. This aims to enhance human connection in travel, rather than replace it (a relevant topic as travel continues to navigate the highs and lows of AI).

PAX participated in this year’s Community Globetrotting event, a pre-conference trade show that unfolded on Saturday (Aug. 10) and Sunday (Aug. 11).

Globetrotting spotlights Virtuoso’s “Communities” – cruise, adventure, family, culinary, wellness, ultra-luxe travel and, new to this year, sustainability.

The different niches are divided into pavilions, where attendees hop between branded booths, in ten-minute intervals, to learn about new product offerings and meet preferred partners.

It’s like a speed dating session, but more interactive. Some brands really get into it, transporting participants into new worlds and environments.

For example, Tourism New Zealand's space resembled an outdoor campfire, where agents sat around in a circle on “logs” to learn about the destination’s offerings.

Fairmont, promoting its Western Canada hotels in Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Whistler, turned its space into a rousing round of Jeopardy.

Displaying Fairmont and Canada-related categories on a TV screen, advisors were shown gameshow-style clues phrased as answers, to which they had to respond in the form of a question.

Collette, meanwhile, transported attendees to India, one of its many offered destinations. The company flew in a real chaiwala (tea maker) from India, Mohammed Lliyas, who performed a chai-making demonstration using a mixture of spices.

While attendees sipped on flavourful chai, they learned about some of Collette’s cultural experiences in India, such as guests having the opportunity to dine with local families in their homes.

“Nothing short of epic”

For travel advisors like Ottawa-based Sheila Gallant-Halloran, owner of Lush life Travel, a Direct Travel affiliate, Virtuoso Travel Week lays the groundwork for future strategies.

“It's my 14th year attending, and the inspiration and new ideas I gain here propel my business forward,” said Gallant-Halloran. “Connecting with top luxury cruise lines, hotels, and tour operators from around the globe, I can tell this week will be nothing short of epic.”

Gallant-Halloran has already made connections with some of travel’s power players, such as Lindblad, Silversea, AmaWaterways, Uniworld, Windstar, Natural Habitat and Big Five Tours.

The Canadian travel advisor, notably, was named a “Virtuoso Cruise Icon” this year, joining an elite group of just 137 top performers across eight countries. Collectively, they represent the top one per cent in Virtuoso’s cruise sales.

The professional development sessions at Virtuoso Travel Week have been “invaluable,” Gallant-Halloran told PAX. 

Record growth & the “Swift Lift”

Virtuoso Travel Week unfolds as the network reports a doubling of sales over last year, hitting record sales targets, pacing 211 per cent over 2019 levels. 

Kolner added that Virtuoso is becoming more relevant, growing faster than the travel industry as a whole, according to stats from Tourism Economics.

“Year over year, we’re already seeing a 14.4 per cent increase in global sales from 2023. We’re in our relevance era,” said David Kolner, Virtuoso’s executive vice-president, making a Taylor Swift reference during his welcome remarks yesterday.

Virtuoso’s long-term future bookings “really stand out,” Kolner told the delegation, noting that sales for travel one to two-years out is pacing 38 per cent higher than 2023.

“We’re seeing clients plan further out in advance this year – 8.3 per cent higher or longer to 127 days,” Kolner said.

The festive travel period is also looking good, with average daily rates tracking higher than last year. With bookings up 42 per cent in 2024, Virtuoso’s festive ADRs have hit a new record, resulting in a network average of $2,000 worldwide, Kolner revealed.

Virtuoso’s executive vice-president was also eager to discuss the “Swift lift,” which refers to the economic boost communities experience whenever singer Taylor Swift’s popular “Eras Tour” rolls through town.

At Virtuoso, Taylor Swift’s concert tour has resulted in a 51 per cent ADR increase and a 139 per cent increase in booking volume, Kolner shared.

Jumping into the audience, Kolner sat down with Virtuoso advisor Nancy Strong, who recently made headlines for celebrating her 90th birthday at Taylor Swift’s concert in Paris. 

A short video clip posted to Instagram shows the Dallas, Texas-based travel pro clad in sequins at Swift’s concert in France, “singing at the top of her lungs,” as documented in People magazine.

“She’s an economic phenomenon,” Strong told Kolner. “She’s a pop star influencer and that connectivity is so important to us.”

Enhanced hotel amenities

This year, Virtuoso has introduced enhanced hotel amenities, including higher commissions and guaranteed early check-in or late check-out at booking. 

The network has expanded 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. 

In addition, the network says its preferred partner revenue has grown by 15 percent year-over-year. That, with just a five per cent increase in new partners.

Virtuoso CEO Matthew Upchurch said the key to Virtuoso's growth, in an AI-driven world, is to automate the predictable and humanize the exceptional. Qualities such as trust and empathy cannot be replicated by artificial intelligence, he said. 

"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.”

Expeditions are “where it’s at”

Another way to get a sense of what’s trending is to simply talk to conference attendees.

Julie Skinner, senior vice-president of leisure sales and operations Canada at Direct Travel, told PAX that sales have “normalized” since COVID, noting that clients in Canada are booking further out when compared to travellers in the U.S.

“Our 2025 numbers are looking quite good,” she said. “We’re a little concerned about the end of 2024. U.S. election years always see a dip. We’ll see what happens.”

As for product trends, Skinner said cruises are selling – especially small ship voyages. It’s a pandemic-era trend that’s still holding up. “People want experiences where they’re around fewer travellers,” Skinner said, noting a heightened interest in expeditions.

The team at Quark Expeditions would agree. “If a travel advisor wants to do well in the industry, sell expeditions,” said Vancouver-based Jake Rogers, an area sales director at Quark.

He said expeditions are currently in their “gold rush era.”

“It’s a different type of travel experience and people love it,” he said. “They come back for seconds, thirds and fourths. It’s where it’s at right now.”

Rogers’ Australia-based colleague, Tenille Hunt, a regional director at Quark, added that the term bucket list has “gone out the window” as post-pandemic travellers rush to make their dreams a reality.

“People aren’t waiting,” she said. “And it’s not just the 70-plus crowd [doing expeditions]. It’s younger professionals and multi-generational families. They’re travelling now.”

Stay tuned for more of PAX’s on location coverage from Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas.

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