LAS
VEGAS, Aug. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtuoso®,
the leading global network specializing in luxury and experiential
travel, is hosting its third annual Travel Tech Summit during
Virtuoso Travel Week on Saturday, August
10, at ARIA Resort & Casino. 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. The summit's core aim is to give Virtuoso member
agencies and partners access to thought leaders who will share
their views on the future of travel technology, as well as best
practices on adopting technologies to further enhance their
businesses.
The summit is led by tech entrepreneur, investor and Virtuoso
board member Gilad Berenstein, who
will open the discussion by sharing updates about the state of the
travel tech ecosystem, key trends in the development of AI, the
"travelization" of finance, social commerce, the connected trip and
more.
"In the three years since we've introduced the Travel Tech
Summit, we have seen Virtuoso members and partners widely adopt
innovations that have been showcased at the event," said
Berenstein. "Giving momentum to innovation is key to driving the
travel technology industry forward, which is why our goal is to
present ideas that are ready for action today combined with those
that spark conversation about the future."
He will be joined by Shane
O'Flaherty of Microsoft and Richard
Kerr of Bilt. Additional technologists, investors, industry
analysts and pioneers within the Virtuoso network will take the
stage, too. A fireside chat with academic leaders Dean Michael Chen of Florida International University's School of
Hospitality and Professor Christopher
Anderson of Cornell's School of
Hospitality will cover what students are currently learning as
future leaders of the hospitality industry. Carolyn Corda of Deloitte will share data
surrounding the impact of AI on consumers and their evolving
expectations from brands.
A panel of Virtuoso travel agency owners will focus on how best
to incorporate data and AI into the luxury travel business,
followed by a panel of venture capital investors – Cara Whitehill of Thayer Ventures, Betsy Mule of F-Prime and Meryem Aydin of Amadeus Ventures – to discuss
nascent innovations they believe are driving the luxury travel
sector forward.
For a peek into the ongoing digital transformation at Virtuoso,
Senior Vice President, Digital & Consumer Products Travis
McElfresh will highlight the development and significance of the
Virtuoso Technology Ecosystem, discuss recent trends and
partnerships, and explore how these innovations enhance the
experience for member agency owners, advisors and preferred
partners.
"It's long been our belief that there is no single solution when
it comes to technology, that it boils down to addressing the
specific need of the business owner," says Virtuoso Chairman and
CEO Matthew D. Upchurch. "We saw a
gap in technology development, with the emphasis always on the big
players rather than spotlighting innovation that enhances human
connection. The goal of our Tech Summit is to do just that, bring
forward innovators and thought leaders to share solutions that
allow travel advisors to focus their energy on their clients –
while also presenting new ways of doing business."
The Startup Showcase will also return, with 15 businesses
providing a deep dive into innovation in real-time, allowing
attendees to be early adopters and advocates of future
technologies. Startups will be divided into three deep dive
sessions as outlined below, and attendees can engage in two
showcases of their choice.
Startup Showcase Participants &
Groups:
Advisor, Agency and Hotel Technology and AI
- Mindtrip
- Trip Boutique
- GuestOS
- TravelWitz
- Travel Genius
Social Commerce, Visual AI and Virtual Reality
- Joyned
- GreetHer
- @Hotels
- Globe Thrivers
- Feeel
Travel Perspectives and Optimization
- Wheel the World
- Intimacy Moons
- Winnow
- Swayed
For more information on Virtuoso, its global network of world's
best travel agencies, advisors and partners, or developments within
the organization, visit www.virtuoso.com.
About Virtuoso
Virtuoso® is the leading global
travel agency network specializing in luxury and experiential
travel. This by-invitation-only organization comprises over 1,200
travel agency locations with more than 20,000 travel advisors in 54
countries throughout North
America, Latin America, the
Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. Drawing upon its preferred
relationships with more than 2,300 of the world's best hotels and
resorts, cruise lines, airlines, tour companies and premier
destinations, the network provides its upscale clientele with
exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access.
Normalized annual sales of (U.S.) $28-$32 billion
make Virtuoso a powerhouse in the luxury travel industry. For more
information, visit www.virtuoso.com.
Media
Contacts:
|
|
Misty Belles
|
Lauren Wintemberg
|
Virtuoso – Vice
President, Global Public Relations
|
Alice Marshall Public
Relations –Account Director
|
+1.202.553.8817
|
+1.212.861.4031
|
mbelles@virtuoso.com
|
lauren@alicemarshall.com
|
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SOURCE Virtuoso