Record sales, evolving advisor tools, and destination trends underscore Virtuoso’s leadership in luxury and experiential travel
Mar 25, 2025
Virtuoso, the leading global network for luxury and experiential travel, held its 2025 Continental Europe Forum from March 19–21 at the Mandarin Oriental Palace in Lucerne. The event gathered over 90 participants, including travel agency owners and managers from across Continental Europe, as well as global preferred partners, for a series of professional development sessions, idea exchanges, and networking opportunities.
Key takeaways
Human connection at the core: CEO Matthew Upchurch emphasized “humanising the exceptional” as Virtuoso’s core purpose, stating that human interaction is a necessity and that travel advisors are essential relationship marketers.
Record-breaking growth: Virtuoso’s 2024 sales exceeded 2019 by 239%, outpacing industry averages. Hotel sales led the growth, followed by cruises (up nearly 30%) and yachts (up over 75%).
Strong future bookings: 2025 and 2026 bookings show a 30%+ increase, with high-end bookings ($50K+) up 51%, and premium cruise bookings up 49%.
Destination trends: Cooler-climate European destinations like Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden remain popular. Slovenia is the breakout destination (+473%), followed by Croatia, Turkey, Malta, and Montenegro.
Marketing innovations: Launch of the Social Media Content Centre supports advisors with tools for Instagram, TikTok, and AI translation. Spotlight campaigns (Villas and Suites) drive consumer engagement and site traffic. Digital Destination Experiences offer immersive content for key destinations like Madrid and Australia; Toronto is next.
Hotel program enhancements: 30% of preferred hotels now offer enhanced amenities like guaranteed upgrades and bonus credits. These properties are seeing up to 50% revenue increases and higher ADRs (Average Daily Rates).
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