Travel executives gathered in the Netherlands for this year's Virtuoso Symposium. The high-level business meeting attracted 591 of the industry's top leaders and made history, taking place onboard seven river cruise ships and at six luxury hotels showcasing Amsterdam's high-end offerings.
Host hotels included Conservatorium Hotel Amsterdam, De L'Europe Amsterdam, InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam, Pulitzer Amsterdam, Sofitel Legend the Grand Amsterdam and Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam.
River cruise vessels and experiences were provided by AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Crystal Cruises, Tauck, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, U by Uniworld and Viking Cruises.
This year's keynote speaker was Anders Sorman-Nilsson, author of Digilogue. Sorman-Nilsson spoke on "analog hearts and digital minds," which was a discussion about the divergent path consumers can take when making buying decisions, one of the themes of his book.
Matthew D. Upchurch, chairman and CEO of Virtuoso, gave a presentation that focused on the myth of the intermediary. He pointed out that travel advisors are a valued extension of their preferred partner's sales force, and they should be viewed that way.
Upchurch noted that Virtuoso advisers offer great value, noting that they provide the highest rates at the lowest distribution cost-a fact reinforced by many of Virtuoso's partners. Travel advisers also know their clients best and they steer them to the right experiences.
Upchurch said that consumers are looking for a human connection. He quoted Kwik Learning CEO Jim Kwik, saying that people are suffering from "digital dementia"-the negative effect of too much reliance on technology-as well as "decision fatigue." He noted that research shows consumers make an average of 40,000 decisions per trip.
"The true definition of luxury is this: I choose to have someone do it for me," said Upchurch. "Without question, people have the ability to research anything they want or need, whether it's travel or any other aspect of their life. The reason they're coming to a Virtuoso advisor is because they want someone to collaborate with.
"They want someone who knows them so well that they can craft deeply personal and meaningful experiences, effectively making the advisor a specialist in them," Upchurch added. "There's a kind of magic that happens through the combination of the agency, advisor and Virtuoso network that fundamentally changes the way our clients travel. It's an elevated experience that cannot be replicated any other way."
Upchurch also introduced a proprietary travel planning platform that draws the customer into future journeys called "Virtuoso Orchestrator." The tool is designed as a game that gives the client their own Netflix-style personal portfolio, building anticipation and excitement for each new trip.
Following the Opening Session and the networking event, attendees boarded riverboats for the Sunday-night sail-away. A three-day itinerary included the chance to explore Arnhem, Rotterdam, the famed windmills of Kinderdijk and Dordrecht.
While in Amsterdam, Symposium guests enjoyed special access to venues that typically do not allow private functions, including the event's Welcome Reception at the Rijksmuseum and farewell gala at the National Maritime Museum.
A highlight of the week included the six Amsterdam host hotels coming together to develop and officially designate one of Holland's famed tulips as the "Virtuoso" tulip.
Next year, Virtuoso will hold its Symposium in Melbourne, Australia, May 7-11, 2019. This is its second Symposium in Australia. The event was held in Sydney in 2009.
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