NEW YORK — Virtuoso’s top-performing travel agency members were honoured recently at its Chairman’s Event in Munich, Germany earlier this month.
A total of 155 attendees from nine countries were in attendance to network, discuss key industry topics and explore the city. While the Chairman’s Event is a destination immersive experience, business was still a major focus, with participants learning how to optimize their portfolio of high-net-worth clients and analyzing recent trends in traveller demand and spend.
(Left to Right) Mike McCown (Virtuoso’s Senior Vice President, Finance and Operations); Jennifer Campbell (Virtuoso’s Senior Vice President, Network Products & Events); Dr. Robert W. Joselyn, Ph.D., CTC (President and CEO of The Joselyn Consulting Group, Inc.)
“Fostering relationships and trust and admiration is what a shared travel experience does for our travellers, but also for our members,” said Virtuoso Chairman and CEO Matthew D. Upchurch. “Our Chairman’s Event has strengthened that bond, lead to greater collaboration and grown in importance with the diversity of business models around the world. The way in which we’re received in the destination also creates a sense of price in the collective reputation we have built and strive to enhance.”
Several Virtuoso members in Canada were recognized as top-producing and most engaged agencies in 2022.
Said Úna O’Leary, General Manager Canada, Virtuoso: “We are incredibly proud of our Canadian member agencies and their advisors’ commitment to providing exceptional advice and service to luxury leisure travellers.”
The following agencies were invited to attend Virtuoso’s Chairman’s Event:
- CWT Vacations – CWT Harvey’s Travel, St. John’s, NL represented by Stephen Outerbridge
- Maritime Travel, Halifax, NS represented by Carol Buchanan
- Travel Professionals International, Winnipeg, MB represented by Morris Chia
- TTI Travel, Away by TTI Travel, Toronto, ON represented by Rocky Racco
- Renshaw Travel, Vancouver, BC (recipients unavailable to attend)
- North South Travel & Tours Ltd, Vancouver, BC (recipients unavailable to attend)
- Direct Travel/Vision Travel, Toronto, ON (recipients unavailable to attend)
Throughout their stay in Munich, participants were able to design their own days with options that included BMW Welt and Museum tours, a ‘bretzel’ making class and wine tasting, culinary and beer tours, and a visit to Nymphenburg Palace and Park. Guests were also treated to an authentic Bavarian dinner, complete with traditional lederhosen and dirndl attire, hosted by the Munich Tourism Office. Other highlights include dinners at Mandarin Oriental Munich and Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski, and a gala dinner party at The Charles Hotel hosted by Rocco Forte Hotels.
