Virtuoso Is Taking It To the Next Level

Virtuoso is gearing up for its annual Virtuoso Travel Week, which is set for Aug. 10 to Aug. 13.

For over 30 years, the event has been attracting top names in the industry and huge crowds – in 2019, it welcome over 6,500 attendees.

However, with the COVID-19 pandemic making in-person gatherings impossible, 2020 marks the first time the event has moved from the otherworldly glitz of Las Vegas to the virtual world of online.

And while the medium may be 2D, what remains the same is Virtuoso’s determination to bringing together its travel agency members and preferred partners for the famed one-to-one appointments, its decades-long commitment to sustainability, and its industry-leading professional development classes that are available to all participants.

Knowing Virtuoso Week comes with a strong social component, the challenge for the organization was coming up with the right platform to support seamless interaction between attendees, and that’s exactly what organizers were able to do. While there is no substitute for hugs and air kisses, participants will be able to hold private, 10-minute appointments that flow in succession in virtual breakout rooms. Those expecting another Zoom call will be delighted to find a tailored meeting experience that enables more fluid communication.

Preferred partners who attend can have upwards of 106 individual appointments with a level of choice not previously available through the in-person event. Meeting requests and scheduling are left to partners, who can select which Virtuoso advisors they want to see over the course of the four days.

Among those looking to connect with the industry’s leading advisor sales force are the event’s key sponsors: Abercrombie & Kent, Crystal Cruises and One&Only.

Recognizing these are unprecedented times, Virtuoso has also organized a comprehensive line-up of educational sessions hosted by award-winning outside speakers aimed at helping navigate and manage for a new future.

In addition to 50 destination-focused trainings, there are 20 professional development classes that fall into four key categories and the virtual format allows attendees to set their own schedule:

• Connect with Yourself
• Connect with Your Team
• Connect with Your Clients/Guests
• Connect with Your Business

For a complete list of Virtuoso Week speakers and professional development options, go to https://s3.amazonaws.com/VirtuosoTravelWeek/2020/Speaker-Overview.pdf

And Virtuoso’s sustainability summit, “Under One Sky,” returns for a second year, with new sponsorships from andBeyond and the Monaco Government Tourist Office complementing Virtuoso’s own passion and financial investment.

This meeting of the minds, hosted by Virtuoso Vice Chair and Sustainability Strategist Jessica Hall Upchurch, brings together some of the most notable voices in sustainable tourism for a discussion surrounding what Virtuoso considers the three pillars of sustainability –  celebrating cultures, supporting local economies and protecting the planet.

As Virtuoso looks to help make sustainability a greater factor in consumer choice, it will highlight how this pandemic has led to a tipping point where the traveller’s heightened level of awareness makes sustainability not just good practice, but good business.

Virtuoso Travel Week is a by-invitation-only event open only to travel agencies and preferred partners within the Virtuoso network.

To learn more, go to https://virtuosomeetings.virtuoso.com/VirtuosoTravelWeek/Virtual.aspx .