Virtuoso has named its 2024 global Award Nominees of travel advisors, agencies and partners across various communities and categories. This year’s Virtuoso nominees includes one sole Australian advisor – Ben Chidgzey from Bicton Travel in Western Australia, who has been nominated for the Rising Star category.

Virtuoso is hosting its third annual Travel Tech Summit during the 36th annual Virtuoso Travel Week on Saturday 10 August. Dedicated to innovation within the luxury travel industry, the Travel Tech Summit is a one-of-a-kind event that focuses on using smart technology to elevate and enhance human connection, rather than replace it.

Virtuoso recently held elections for its Boards and Committees, with nine agency owners and managers from Australia and New Zealand appointed to represent their region on their respective committees. These luxury travel experts will work with their counterparts across the globe to foster collaboration and innovation, establish best practices and guide network decisions to ensure maximum benefit for agencies and advisors, their clients and preferred partners.

Fifty Virtuoso Cruise Icons of 2024 recently sailed aboard Windstar’s 312-guest, all-suite Star Breeze in French Polynesia.

Swan Hellenic has been accepted into Virtuoso®’s exclusive portfolio of luxury travel partners, comprising over 2,300 preferred suppliers in 100 countries.

Virtuoso has confirmed a number of changes within its Australia and New Zealand team, including the departure of long-time Account Director, Anna Davies, who will be stepping back from the business having spent almost six years in the role.

Virtuoso has released its latest survey findings on cruising preferences based on the expertise of more than 300 professional travel advisors who specialise in the field.

Matthew D. Upchurch, CEO and Chairman of Virtuoso has been inducted as a member into the prestigious Altagamma International Honorary Council during the organisation’s annual gala dinner in Rome on 28 May 2024. Altagamma brings together Italy’s top cultural and creative companies to promote the country’s excellence, distinctive identity and lifestyle worldwide.

Virtuoso Travel Week 2024 will see luxury travel advisors given more control over their appointment schedules than ever before, with matched meetings each morning, and both informal and more structured networking in the afternoons. Attendees will also need to be qualified to attend.

Virtuoso has appointed Brigid McDonnell as General Manager, Middle East & Africa to spearhead efforts of the network’s further expansion within the region. This is the first time that the luxury travel network has appointed a designated GM for the region.

Virtuoso hosted its annual Symposium in Dubai last week with more than 400 of the industry’s top professionals from 37 countries in attendance, including a strong contingent of Virtuosos from Australia.

Luxury travel network Virtuoso has officially launched the Virtuoso Cruise Icon program in Australia and New Zealand. As exclusively foreshadowed by LATTE in March, the program has been broadened beyond the USA to new regions, with 29 ‘cruise icons’ named in this region in 2024.