LAS VEGAS — Being in an environment where the travel advisor really is king (or queen!) goes beyond warm and fuzzy.

These are pros at the top of their game, and I feel like the coach has put me into the scrum.

At the 38th annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, among 4,000 + attendees, it’s clear just how important travel advisors are, not just for the industry, but also for their clients and how it shapes their leisure lives.

Karen Hardie, GM, Canada, Virtuoso

Among the stand-out events here this week: The Virtuoso Canada team celebrated Canadian advisors at last night’s Canada Advisor Appreciation gathering, high above the famed Las Vegas strip, in the Bellagio Presidential Suite.

Personalized perfume making and massages were on offer, along with light bites and Champagne. The event was sponsored by the Los Cabos Tourism Board, Bedsonline/The Luxurist and Viking.

CLOSER IN & FURTHER OUT

The future of travel and the role of travel advisors is looking bright. Sales and bookings are up, as reported earlier this week as 2026 Virtuoso Travel Week got underway.

Yet I still felt the spectre of AI floating through the air. That said, according to Virtuoso CEO Matthew Upchurch, “the evolution of technology has actually made advisors more valuable.” Travellers are still seeking the human touch, with an eye to what personally matters to them, something AI can’t really grasp.

And humanity is here in a big way. Although the Canadian contingent of agents was smaller than in previous years, Trevello Travel Group, Direct Travel and Zebrano Travel were among the smiling faces, hug-filled reunions and business cards exchanged at the pace of a croupier dealing at the blackjack tables.

I managed a few minutes with Karen Hardie, General Manager of Virtuoso Canada since June 2025, to get her view on the Canadian success. “The luxury part of the market that Virtuoso travel advisors focus on has proven to really be resilient through this period. And so, whilst our network continues to grow, our emphasis is on helping those travel advisors focus on preferred partner production. Through that, they’re able to grow their business, and that’s where we’re really seeing the acceleration of their sales across all of the verticals.”

Hardie recognizes that Canada is a distinct and different market, but she’s also taking advantage of the access to an extensive base of preferred partners, professional development training, marketing and the global network she can give advisors.

Clearly, people still want to travel. “Definitely, with the feedback that we’ve had from our owners / managers,” Hardie said. “And what they’re seeing is two trends: With the ongoing uncertainty, one is that people are booking closer in and further out.” And, rather than freezing, as travellers did during 9/11 for example, they’re pivoting. According to Hardie, travellers are booking what they want to do this year next year, then wait and see what happens, but they’re still going to travel somewhere else this year.

“THEY’RE NOT STOPPING – THEY’RE SHIFTING”

Susan Lawson, director of engagement at Canada’s Trevello Travel Group, said as much during the global travel advisor panel discussion earlier in the week. “They’re not stopping, they’re shifting. Travel within Canada is up; Norway too. Japan and Portugal are both popular – and there’s a shift to more cruising,” she said. “It’s intentional travel, to make that human connection.”

The ‘why’ of travel has never been greater. Purpose-led journeys are another way to infuse a sense of global stewardship and sustainability into the mix. “I really love that evolution – from people, profit and places to now what we call planet, cultures and economies,” Hardie said. So the idea is to help educate the Virtuoso travel advisor on how they can add greater meaning to their traveller’s experience while also enhancing and enriching the destination or yes, the people or places. “And helping their clients realize their values within their travel itineraries.”

Hardie added: “I think that is the unique part about Virtuoso – not trying to be all things to all people but really focused on that very high touch, high level of expertise.”

THE POWER OF VIRTUOSO INFLUENCE

Virtuoso has been in Canada for 40 years, says Hardie, as long as in the U.S. So in a way, could Virtuoso be an influencer beyond the trends, rather than just a collector of that data? Fallcations are on the rise. But what happens when you want to go to a Greek island or an Italian villa in November or December, when they typically shut down for the winter? Could the power of Virtuoso influence those ‘seasonal’ places to stay open longer – even if the infrastructure might be lacking?

For Upchurch, it’s about the luxury travellers’ intrepid mindset. “They are just as diverse as everyone else,” he said. “And we’ve seen the positive effect our holding conferences in and exposing advisors to places like Slovenia and South Korea can have on tourism,” he added. “Luxury travellers see themselves as partners, and they’ll go to places that are not perfect.”

Christmas in Crete? Sounds pretty perfect to me.

Lead image caption: Susan Lawson, Trevello and Patricia Bruno, Virtuoso; Virtuoso’s James Allen welcomes guests from The Pelican Club and First In Service, including Gina Gabbard and Fernando Gonzalez; The Bellagio, Las Vegas (all event photos courtesy Vivian Vassos)