After a week of recovery from the whirlwind that is Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, I’ve had some time to think about all the really cool things I’d experienced and learned. And the really neat things that I want you to know about.
I arrived in Vegas very late on Friday night (well, actually, very early Saturday morning – like 2 am). And I hit the ground running at 8 am Saturday morning for Virtuoso’s Globetrotting.
Globetrotting used to be called VAST – which was Virtuoso’s active and specialty travel. It’s an immersive trade show, where the best of the best Virtuoso travel suppliers put on 10 minute presentations for the luxury travel advisors from around the globe to learn what’s new with them. This year, the evolution of VAST into Globetrotting continued. And while the focus is still on adventure travel for those who wish to focus on adventure travel (and it’s still near and dear to my heart), advisors can also focus on wellness travel (and yes, you know I did), as well as virtuoso voyages, or cruises – and culinary, and family, and ultraluxe, and celebration travel – and so much more.
Essentially, advisors have to pick 3 pavilions to attend, and unfortunately, you can’t skip and go between (I’ve tried!). So, I focused on two adventure pavilions (adventure A and adventure B), as well as wellness travel. And then I had to schedule my meetings with cruise and other partners as the one-on-one meetings if I wasn’t already set to meet with those folks during the business meeting tracks on Monday-Thursday. I did a LOT of cruise cafe and preferred partner meetings in between the track meetings, so I did a lot of running between the Bellagio and Aria hotels. But – I was there to work, and to meet with as many travel supplier partners as I could in person – all so I could shop for you, and help you make your next travel experience magical.
Over the 3 pavilions I chose, I met with 36 partners – 12 in each pavilion.
Here are some pictures – and here’s who I met with, with a note about something special for each of them.
Let me know if you’d like to learn more.
ADVENTURE A – Pavilion – Globetrotting Trade Show Takeaways:
- Los Cabos Tourism Board – welcoming everyone to Mexico with wonderful beach and 5* holidays – deep sea fishing, culinary, and more
- Lindblad Expeditions – the new science hub on the new ship is incredible for kids, with connecting rooms for multi-gen families; also solo suites
- Big Five Tours & Expeditions – incredible water filtration program in Guatemala for those without drinking water – book a trip, and support a community
- Natural Habitat Adventures – over 75% of guests rebook their next trip with NatHab, their Greenland and their Monarch butterfly trip probably most underrated
- Seabourn – great classic and expedition cruises, partnering will wellness as well, and UNESCO world heritage
- Visit Finland – unique holidays from ice castles to Lapland to reindeer herding season
- Southern World Australia, Fiji, New Zealand – New Zealand is re-opened; Australia too is ready for business (after bush fires, CoVid, closures more) – FICO world cup
- Quark Expeditions – 2 twin helicopters on new ship. Polar travel is really booming for “learner” clients who are 55+
- Costa Rica Tourism Board – Costa Rica is open for business, and offers rainforest to beach to volcano options
- Aurora Expeditions – new expedition cruise partner that is offering some unique itineraries
- Abercrombie & Kent – incredibly different itineraries on full charter Ponant ships – September cruise circumnavigating Italy is wonderful
- Hurtigruten – Norway to Antarctica and beyond, offering some specials for families in coming year
ADVENTURE B Pavilion – Globetrotting Trade Show Takeaways:
- Tourism Australia and Tourism Western Australia – the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia lets you swim with whale sharks, humpback whales and giant mantarees
- Tourism New Zealand – exciting news about Dallas Fort Worth direct flights, and JFK-NZ bringing more premium economy and business
- Backroads – bike, e-bike, walk and hike, paddle and cruise with the family – from New England to African safari
- Silversea Cruises – has purchased the Crystal Endeavour with 200 passengers, and a new fly cruise Antarctica program is coming
- Wilderness Safaris Botswana + – their Rwanda program has been nominated for award, and their reforestation program is incredible, see chimps every day
- Intrepid Travel – they have re-started their solo women trips post-pandemic
- Rocky Mountaineer – the new US route Rockies to Red Rocks is extremely popular
- Alpine Adventures – started in 1996 by a brother and sister, they now do ski holidays around the world
- Experience AlUla – Saudi Arabia is home to over 120K years of human history, accommodations range from a caravan to 5* Banyan Tree
- G Adventures – G has 60 different trips to Peru, and their National Geographic Journeys trips have an average age of 55
- Celebrity Cruises (Galapagos) – explore the Galapagos on Xpedition, Xploration, and Flora – groups kept to 10 passengers
- African Travel – more and more clients want to make travel matter, sustainable tourism is on the rise, Zambia is growing in interest for travelers
WELLNESS Pavilion – Globetrotting Trade Show Takeaways
- Palmaia – the House of AiA – focus on meditation and breath awareness to bring mind, body, and soul back together – architects of life, 234 ocean front suites
- Miraval Resorts and Spas – 3 properties in Arizona, Austin and Berkshires – festive travel has a gratitude theme for end of year reboot
- Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa – formerly Ritz Carlton, do dining along the sea wall, have a mud bath, and then visit champagne bar
- Virtuoso Wanderlist – great tool to start travel dreaming when you’re not sure where you want to go – share with clients, ease now to share on social media
- Hacienda AltaGracia, Auberge Resorts Collection – wellness is what you define it to be, opened last November with a focus on culinary and horseback riding
- The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise – over 20 retreats in 2023, from wellness culinary to dealing with loss; new wellness building being built
- Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal – unique architecture with focus on food and wellness, and tequila tasting
- Faena Hotel Miami Beach- align your chakras with a visit to Miami, and enjoy a world-class spac as well
- Malta Tourism Authority – over 7000 years history, hub for the rest of Europe that is close to Sicily, archipelago that is perfect for wellness escape
- The Ranch Malibu – Hudson Valley opens in June, Malibu, and new in Italy as well
- Half Moon, Jamaica – new changes started in Mar.20 – now have a vegan cafe, and focus on wellness and fitness, equine therapy
- Sensei Lana’i, a Four Seasons – focus on health tends to be reactionary – focus on move, nourish, rest – sports psychology adapted to wellness
Let me know if you’d like to learn more!