“An extraordinary opportunity”: Karen Hardie on leading Virtuoso Canada into its next chapter

As the luxury travel industry gears up for Virtuoso Travel Week—often dubbed "the Fashion Week of travel”—next month in Las Vegas, Virtuoso has named a dynamic new leader to oversee its Canadian operations.

Karen Hardie, a seasoned executive with more than two decades of experience in luxury travel, was appointed general manager for Virtuoso Canada last month.

Known for her strategic acumen and collaborative leadership style, Hardie steps into the role following Una O’Leary’s transition to vice president of global partnerships.

Recognized as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women (WXN 2016), Hardie brings a robust track record in B2B growth, partner engagement, and leading high-performing teams across international markets.

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Based in Vancouver, she joins Virtuoso from high-end rail-tour company Rocky Mountaineer, where she most recently served as vice president of global sales.

Her appointment marks a pivotal moment for Virtuoso Canada as the luxury consortium continues to expand and evolve its presence across the country.

Here, PAX speaks with Hardie about her vision for empowering Virtuoso advisors across Canada, the key takeaways from her time at Rocky Mountaineer, and her insights into the evolving landscape of luxury travel.

PAX:  What was it about Virtuoso, and the general manager role in Canada, that appealed to you? 

Karen Hardie (KH): Returning to Virtuoso feels like a full-circle moment for me. I began my career in tourism managing my family’s Virtuoso agency (St Ives Travel) in Sydney, Australia, and from day one, I saw how powerful this network is in turning travel into something transformative. The GM, Canada role offers an extraordinary opportunity to support a region full of passionate, innovative agency owners, advisors and partners. It’s a chance to give back to a community I’ve long admired, and to help shape what the future of luxury travel looks like in this market.

PAX: What did your experience at Rocky Mountaineer teach you about luxury travel and how will those lessons carry over into your work at Virtuoso? 

KH: Rocky Mountaineer gave me a deep appreciation for the emotional impact of luxury travel when it’s done right — combining remarkable service, anticipating travellers’ needs and telling a compelling story allows genuine connections to form. I also learned how important alignment is across teams, partners and markets to deliver a consistent, elevated guest experience. At Virtuoso, I’m bringing that lens to how we support our members and partners: with clarity, collaboration and a shared commitment to excellence.

PAX:  What is your vision for Virtuoso Canada? What strategic priorities will you be focusing on? 

KH: My vision is to build on the strong foundation that already exists in Canada by fostering a culture of strategic growth, collaboration and innovation. I see a lot of opportunity ahead, and my focus will centre on three key priorities.

First, we’ll be looking at how we can better engage our members and support the success of their advisors — whether that’s through more tailored training, enhanced tools or building stronger connections across the network.

Second, I want to ensure the Canadian voice is heard globally. Virtuoso operates within a highly collaborative matrix, and it’s important that our unique market insights and perspectives help further shape and amplify the broader strategy on a global scale.

And third, we’ll focus on deepening alignment with partners to unlock more value for our members, advisors and, ultimately, for their clients.

Canada has so much potential as a high-value market, and I’m excited to help translate that into meaningful results at every level of the Virtuoso ecosystem.

PAX:  What aspect of your new role are you most excited about? 

KH: I’m especially excited about the opportunity to embrace innovation — both in how we engage with our members and how we elevate the Canadian traveller’s experience. With a background in driving digital transformation and building scalable sales and marketing strategies, I’m passionate about using smart tools and technology to enhance human connection, not replace it, as our Chairman and CEO Matthew Upchurch says.

Whether it’s improving advisor enablement, capturing data-driven insights or reimagining how we collaborate across regions, I see tremendous potential to bring fresh thinking to the way Virtuoso operates in Canada. It’s about staying ahead of the curve while remaining grounded in what makes our community so special — relationships, trust and a shared passion for extraordinary travel.

PAX:  Supporting agencies and advisors nationwide has been a priority for Virtuoso Canada in recent years. How do you plan to build on and enhance this strategy? 

KH: Consistency and connection are key. We'll continue to invest in advisor development, regional networking and data-driven insights to empower growth. I want to ensure that no matter where an advisor is based — whether they’re part of a large agency or a solo entrepreneur — they feel supported, heard and have access to all necessary tools for growth.

That means smart regional engagement, responsive communication and continuing to build advisor-centric programming that reflects the evolving needs of Canadian luxury travellers.

PAX: What’s your motto? 

KH: “Lead with curiosity.” I love that it reads both as a personal mindset and a leadership approach. At Virtuoso, one of our guiding principles is “seek to understand,” which aligns perfectly. To me, curiosity means staying open, actively listening, challenging assumptions and embracing a learning mindset. It helps me lead with empathy, spot hidden opportunities and remain agile in a constantly evolving industry.

PAX: How would you describe the current state of luxury travel, and where do you see it heading in the near future? 

KH: Luxury travel has never been more purposeful. Today’s travellers are seeking more than five-star accommodations. They’re looking for meaning, personalization and access to experiences that are truly transformative. We’re seeing a shift from status to substance — luxury defined not just by what money can buy, but by what money can’t: time, connection and authenticity.

The 2025 Virtuoso Luxe Report: Canada, a survey of travel advisors from Virtuoso-affiliated agencies, shows that Canadian luxury travellers in particular continue to prioritize exploration and personalized experiences, but they are increasingly focused on maximizing value without compromising quality. While luxury travellers are willing to spend more, they are also mindful of rising costs and want to ensure their investment enhances their travels, making their relationship with a trusted travel advisor all the more important.

Destination Canada research also shows travellers are increasingly driven by personal values, well-informed and willing to invest in travel that aligns with their priorities, whether that’s wellness, sustainability or cultural immersion. This applies to both outbound and domestic travel, where we’re seeing greater interest in exclusive, behind-the-scenes experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations within Canada as well.

Looking ahead, I believe luxury travel will continue to evolve toward hyper-personalization, driven by data insights and advisor expertise. Virtuoso is uniquely positioned to lead in this space — offering travellers experiences that are not only exceptional, but deeply aligned with who they are and what they care about.

PAX:  What stands out as your most memorable travel experience? 

KH: That’s always a tough question for those of us lucky enough to have built our careers in tourism! Rather than naming a specific place, what stands out most for me is a particular feeling. After all, Matthew always says we’re in the “how did you make me feel” business. 

I remember being unexpectedly alone in a new city — an experience that offered total freedom. While I love travelling with friends and family, there’s something extraordinary about solo travel. With no one’s agenda but your own, every moment becomes more vivid. I found myself fully present taking in the colours, textures, sounds and flavours of a place with heightened awareness. There’s a beautiful kind of romance in the slow reveal of a destination, as its people, culture and spirit unfold organically with each step.

PAX: What do you see as the biggest growth opportunity for Virtuoso in Canada?

KH: One of the most exciting opportunities for Virtuoso in Canada right now is to truly define what “luxury” means to the Canadian traveller. While we share cultural touchpoints with many of our global neighbours, the Canadian traveller has a distinct perspective often rooted in humility, curiosity and a desire for meaningful connection over status.

For Canadians, luxury is less about extravagance and more about intention — how time, our most valuable non-renewable resource, is spent. That’s where Virtuoso has a powerful role to play: helping Canadian travellers optimize their precious time away through curated experiences that are personalized, immersive and enriching.

By deepening our understanding of what matters most to this market—and by working closely with our member agencies and partners to deliver that value—we have a compelling opportunity to grow not just market share, but loyalty and impact.

A major part of that impact lies in the growing demand for transformative, authentic and sustainable travel. In fact, in the Virtuoso 2025 Brand and Traveller Trend Tracker survey, 54 per cent of travellers in Canada expressed an affinity for sustainability in travel. This signals a shift toward more conscious travel choices—ones that align beautifully with the values of Canadian travellers and the ethos of the Virtuoso network.

We’re incredibly proud that Canada was chosen to host Virtuoso’s first-ever sustainability-focused event, the Virtuoso Impact Summit, which took place earlier this year in Lake Louise. This global gathering brought together leaders in travel to explore how we can drive positive change through tourism, and it was an honour to have such an important and future-focused conversation take place on Canadian soil.

Virtuoso Travel Week 2025 takes place Aug. 9-15 at the Bellagio Las Vegas, Aria Resort & Casino, Vdara Hotel & Spa and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. 

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