Virtuoso advisors on how sustainability, A.I., & U.S. trends are shaping travel's future

Sustainability is no longer a niche talking point in luxury travel—it’s becoming an expectation, subtly shaping how travel advisors guide their clients and how travellers evaluate their choices.

At Virtuoso’s On Tour event in Toronto on Tuesday (April 7), three Virtuoso advisors, at a panel discussion organized for media, shared how environmental awareness is quietly but powerfully redefining the luxury travel experience, from the earliest stages of trip planning to the final details of execution.

For advisors like Jakki Prince of Trevello Travel Group, sustainability isn’t a separate conversation—it’s woven into everything.

“Sustainability as a conversation piece has been a big topic that I've been bringing up with a lot of my travellers, because I know people are really looking at it and want verified information,” she said.

Rather than waiting for clients to ask, Prince introduces the topic organically, ensuring it becomes part of the decision-making process without feeling forced or overwhelming.

That approach reflects a broader shift in the industry: sustainability is no longer a selling point on its own, but a layer of value that enhances the overall experience.

Advisors are increasingly acting as interpreters, translating complex environmental and cultural considerations, into meaningful travel choices.

Something to talk about

For Prince, the key is subtlety and relevance.

“Based on what the client's asking for, there's an element of sustainability that can be woven into any conversation,” she explained.

That could mean steering clients away from properties with questionable wildlife practices (like all-inclusive resorts that have dolphin areas) or highlighting hotels with strong environmental initiatives.

READ MORE: Virtuoso On Tour: Canada’s wealthy travellers shift from indulgence to intention

Importantly, she emphasizes that sustainability doesn’t always come at a premium.

By addressing cost concerns proactively, advisors can remove a common barrier. “By bringing it up, it allows them to sort of gently inquire, “Is this costing me more?” and I can highlight that it's not, in many cases,” she said.

Prince’s background in environmental science informs this approach, but she also sees it as a professional responsibility. “By bringing it up, it allows [clients] to ask questions,” she said.

Authenticity over optics

Travellers are increasingly seeking meaningful interactions that respect local cultures and environments rather than staged or performative encounters.

Prince noted that this is particularly evident in destinations like Africa or South America.

“If they're going to Kenya, they would like to have a Maasai Mara village visit. They don't want it to be performative,” she said. “They want a cooking class in Bolivia. They want to do things that introduce sustainable elements to a trip, but it’s not necessarily the sole purpose of the trip.”

This distinction is crucial. Sustainability is rarely the primary motivator for booking a luxury trip, but it enhances the experience in ways that resonate deeply with travellers.

Clients still want “jaw-dropping landscapes and scenery,” as Prince put it, but they also want to feel that their presence is respectful and responsible.

An expectation at the luxury level

For Erica Tu of First In Service Travel, sustainability has become embedded in the luxury segment that clients often don’t mention it explicitly.

“The majority of my clients do not come to me asking specifically about sustainability,” she said. “It is an expectation nowadays within our landscape. That at this luxury level, sustainability is automatically there,” she said.

In fact, she hears more feedback when sustainability is lacking than when it’s present. “I would hear more from clients if it was not there,” she added.

This expectation is particularly evident in cruising, where environmental concerns have historically been scrutinized.

According to Tu, luxury cruise lines have made significant strides, and beyond the ships themselves, clients are thinking about how they engage with destinations.

“When they do their excursions, they like to sometimes pick their own, “go outside of the box,” interact with locals, and contribute to the environment that way,” she said.

Younger generation drives awareness

For Eleanor Bell of Direct Travel, who works with a younger demographic, sustainability often comes pre-packaged in the client’s research.

Millennials and Gen Z travellers arrive with a baseline understanding of environmental issues – and often with specific brands or operators in mind, like G Adventures, Intrepid or Hurtigruten.

“I think that demographic has a pretty good understanding of sustainability,” Bell said. “When they come to me, they usually have a good idea of the [supplier] they want to travel with  because they've done some prior research.”

Her role, then, is less about introducing sustainability and more about refining and elevating the experience. “[Clients] look to me to elevate the luxury experiences from there.”

Off-peak & last minute bookings

Sustainability is also influencing when and where people travel. Advisors are seeing increased interest in off-peak travel and less traditional destinations, both to avoid crowds and to reduce environmental strain.

Tu pointed to a surge in demand for Scandinavia, as well as continued interest in destinations like the Galápagos and Antarctica

Seasonality is becoming a key consideration, especially in Europe. “For Italy and the Greece in the middle of summer, it's not happening anymore. It's spring, it's fall,” Tu noted.

While sustainability is shaping long-term trends, shorter-term behaviours are also evolving.

Advisors are seeing more last-minute bookings, with some clients planning trips just weeks in advance.

“For me, last minute is anything within a month to six weeks,” Tu said.

And, in an increasingly unpredictable world, travel insurance has become a critical part of the planning process.

“We are becoming advocates of insurance more,” Prince said. “It's less of a nice to have, more of an essential.”

Tu echoed this sentiment, noting that insurance is now a central topic in client conversations. “Because of how the world is changing, you need to have that money protected,” she said.

The rising cost of air fares, meanwhile, are reshaping the way Canadians fly around the world.

Some of Tu’s clients, for example, are opting for economy instead of business. Or, they’re finding creative ways to save on tickets.

“A lot of them want to use their points now,” she said. “Or, they’re tacking on a trip to a business trip so they can alleviate some of those costs.”

AI: a tool, not a replacement

Artificial intelligence is another factor reshaping the landscape, but advisors agree that it hasn’t replaced the human element. It has reinforced its value.

Prince has tested AI tools and found them lacking in accuracy and realism. “There's a lot of hotel and restaurant suggestions for businesses that do not exist,” she said. “I think AI also gives really unrealistic expectations for timing and pacing of trips.”

Rather than viewing AI as a threat, she sees it as a starting point for client conversations. “It's changed the relationship I have with clients in that they want it to be more personal,” she said.

Tu takes a similar view. “I think AI is part of our world, but I take it like a grain of salt,” she said. “I don't want to do an AI itinerary.”

Bell added that the continued demand for advisors speaks for itself.

“They still call us because they still question if AI is beneficial,” she said. “They looked at ChatGPT, but they're still calling us. They still want that service.”

The cost question

Despite growing awareness, willingness to pay more for sustainability remains uncertain.

“If I gave them the options…I'm not sure 100 per cent that they would pay for it. Not yet,” Tu said.

Prince believes the issue often comes down to perception.

“Sustainability can sometimes suggest for luxury clients that they have to compromise on something,” she said.

However, many sustainable choices align naturally with luxury preferences—such as avoiding crowds or staying in smaller, locally owned properties, she said.

Geopolitics & the U.S. question

Beyond sustainability, geopolitical factors are also shaping travel decisions—particularly when it comes to travel to, or through, the United States.

Amid backlash over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, border safety concerns, and the weak loonie, Prince described a highly-polarized landscape among Canadian travellers.

“I have people who will not even transit through a U.S. airport or sail on a U.S. cruise line. They won’t stay at a hotel chain owned by an American entity,” she said, noting that concerns range from currency to politics and overall sentiment.

At the same time, other clients continue their usual travel patterns.

“Likewise, I have travellers who are planning a corporate trip to Arizona because they go every year and they do business in the states,” she added.

For advisors, the role is not to influence these decisions but to navigate them, she said.

“It's more about advocating and finding a solution to whatever their travel problem is,” Prince said.

Bell is seeing similar patterns, particularly when it comes to routing. “If there's an option not to transit through the United States, they will definitely take that,” she said, adding that some clients limit U.S. travel to specific purposes like pre- or post-cruise stays.

For Tu, the trend is even more pronounced. “My clients won’t travel to the U.S. at all. They won't even take a flight that has to go through Miami,” she said. “Will they pay more money for a flight that transits through somewhere else? Absolutely.”

Ultimately, the discussion highlighted a deeper truth: for many clients, travel is not just an activity, it’s part of who they are.

“People see [travel] as part of their identity,” Prince said. "People who have big travel plans have identified as a traveller their whole life. They're not just country counters. They want to do different experiences, across seven continents, and they’re incorporating travel into part of who they are. It's how they spend their time." 

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