Virtuoso keen to expand Ireland membership as Independent Contractor model grows
The location of members is ‘less of a priority’ since the rise of remote working, says Karen Joyce, EMEA general manager for Virtuoso.
Many of the international group’s agency members are based in London, but Virtuoso is keen to expand its presence in Ireland and other parts of the UK.
“We are enthusiastic about expanding our agency presence in Ireland and increasing our reach across the UK,” Karen Joyce, EMEA general manager at Virtuoso, told TTG Luxury.
“Although many of our agencies are based in London, the growth of the Independent Contractor (IC) model has made location less of a priority than before. Instead, our focus for membership growth is centred on each agency’s vision and business strategy.”
Virtuoso currently has more than 20,000 members across 54 countries, making it the largest collection of luxury travel advisors in the world. As for the type of candidate Virtuoso is looking for, Joyce said it hopes to attract more advisors with specialisms in trends such as wellness, adventure, digital detox, multi-generational travel, and solo female travel.
Agents with a knowledge of unique destinations and alternative locations to overtouristed destinations are also in demand. Joyce notes the importance of insight such as recent research revealing that 57% of travellers worldwide stated “creating a travel experience that aligns with my expectations is more important than cost”.
This announcement comes shortly after Virtuoso welcomed three new members, including Ellidore, a London-based luxury lifestyle management service, and Somerset White, a concierge company with offices in London, New York and Los Angeles.
It has also been joined by 1000 Mile Travel Group, which is already a Virtuoso member agency in Australia and the US. “Each of these agencies are well-regarded in the market and share Virtuoso’s core values,” Joyce said.
Virtuoso has made a number of changes to its business model in the past year too, restructuring the EMEA region into three distinct areas – UK & Ireland, Continental Europe, and the Middle East and Africa.
“The aim is to offer members and partners within each region a more tailored approach, better addressing the unique needs of each market,” Joyce explained.
“For the UK and Ireland, we now have a dedicated team focused entirely on these regions. Galina Vasiljeva, our senior account manager for member relations, ensures that owners, managers, and advisors are fully informed of the many Virtuoso partners, programmes, and initiatives available to support their success.”
Virtuoso is also looking to team up with more “brands beyond the travel industry” in 2025, following its successful partnership with property magazine Adobe2 last year. Companies that prioritise sustainability who are “making meaningful changes” are another point of interest, she said.
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