LAS VEGAS — Virtuoso Chairman and CEO Matthew Upchurch announced a major lead-generation initiative at Virtuoso Week, an event being held at the Bellagio hotel here.
Partners include National Geographic, Cunard Line, eight destinations and media companies. The partners will provide leads from their own marketing and lead-generation efforts to Virtuoso agents, who will book travel for these clients.
The group is also discussing a partnership with Merrill Lynch, whose wealth-management services include helping clients decide how they will use their leisure time.
“Travel is still the number one experience people want in their retirement years,” said Bill Hunter, director, personal retirement strategy and solutions at Merrill Lynch/Bank of America. Hunter was a speaker at the event.
National Geographic will market its Private Expeditions product through Virtuoso agents. It is National Geographic’s first preferred relationship with an agency group, said Lynn Cutter, National Geographic’s executive vice president, travel.
Virtuoso agents must undergo training in order to qualify to receive leads for the program. Virtuoso would not divulge commission rates.
Virtuoso will have similar partnerships with travel gear website TravelSmith and Saveur, a food and travel magazine that has been a long-time Virtuoso partner.
Destinations participating in the lead-generation program include Austria, Fiji, Germany, Hawaii, Peru, Spain, Switzerland and New Zealand.