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Virtuoso – How It Works, Travel Advisors, Upgrades & Benefits

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Everything you need to know about virtuoso, final thoughts.

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If you routinely focus on luxury travel, you might have heard of Virtuoso , an incredible network of travel agencies that deliver huge added value to your hotel stay.

With tens of thousands of travel advisors worldwide capable of delivering extra perks to thousands of luxury hotels in the world, you’ll want to keep this company in your back pocket.

Sure, we pride ourselves on being able to use points for luxury hotel stays, but what if you want to save your points for a different trip? What if you don’t have enough points? Or what if wherever you’re traveling to doesn’t have points hotels?

That’s where Virtuoso can come in. In this guide, we’ll show you how Virtuoso can fit into your travel plans. We’ll walk you through the A to Z of what Virtuoso is, what benefits you can get, and how you can book Virtuoso rates.

Let’s get started!

What Is Virtuoso?

So what exactly is Virtuoso? Virtuoso is a worldwide network of travel agencies with specializations in luxury and experiential travel.

Virtuoso’s network consists of more than 20,000 travel advisors, each of which falls under a larger member agency.

Its travel advisors bring personalized travel recommendations and bookings to the table, whether you’re looking for hotels, cruises, or tours.

Importantly, though, bookings made through Virtuoso come with value-added perks for no additional cost to the traveler.

Virtuoso Benefits

In almost all cases, hotel stays booked through Virtuoso come with the following benefits:

• Daily breakfast for 2 guests per room
• Room upgrade (subject to availability)
• Early check-in (subject to availability)
• Late checkout (subject to availability)
• A special Virtuoso amenity (typically a $100 property credit or other amenity valued at a minimum of $100, like a free massage or round-trip car transfer)

Fees To Use Virtuoso

Virtuoso rates almost always cost the same exact price as the best available flexible rate .

This isn’t the same as a prepaid, advance purchase, non-refundable rate, corporate rate, or member-only rate.

However, if you usually book the best available flexible rates, you’ll literally get hundreds of dollars in added value just by going through a Virtuoso advisor .

In addition, Virtuoso advisors generally don’t charge you any commissions for hotel bookings — they get a commission on the back-end, but that cost won’t be passed on to you most of the time.

This isn’t the same as a planning fee — if you’re booking a complicated trip, you might be quoted for this extra fee depending on the travel advisor.

Hot Tip: Get in touch with Leigh, a next-level Virtuoso agent. UP’s very own Leigh Rowan has deep connections with some of the best hotels and hoteliers in the world. Reach out to him about your upcoming luxury hotel trip, and watch how he’ll upgrade your next stay. Submit your Virtuoso booking request to [email protected] .

Virtuoso Hotel Properties

The complete catalog of Virtuoso hotels includes name-brand luxury chains like:

• Aman Resorts
• Conrad Hotels & Resorts
• Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts
• Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
• Mandarin Oriental
• Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
• The Peninsula Hotels
• The Ritz-Carlton
• Rocco Forte Hotels
• Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
• St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
• Viceroy Hotels & Resorts
• Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts

As you can see, this more or less encompasses all luxury hotel chains . In addition, you can book luxury boutique properties that may not have multiple locations. These properties are incredibly helpful if you’re looking to book a more exotic vacation where there aren’t many luxury hotel options.

Earning Points on a Virtuoso Rate

Booking Virtuoso rates is a lot like stacking benefits! Because a Virtuoso hotel rate still goes through the hotel’s internal system, you can earn hotel points, elite night credits/stays, and even enjoy hotel elite benefits when booking through a Virtuoso travel advisor.

For example, if you’re a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium member and you’re booking a Virtuoso hotel stay at an eligible Marriott property, you will earn Marriott Bonvoy points and enjoy Titanium benefits on your hotel stay.

The reason this works is that your travel advisor will also enter your loyalty number when booking your stays.

Virtuoso Travel Advisors

The first thing you’ll need to do is have a stay in mind. You can view the rates for hotels by visiting the hotel search catalog , but you will need to contact a Virtuoso travel advisor (such as Leigh Rowan from our team)  to enjoy these benefits.

Hot Tip: You can even browse Virtuoso travel advisors by their destination specialties or travel interests!

Other Programs Like Virtuoso

Virtuoso is the largest consortium with thousands of luxury hotels and resorts within its purview.

However, other programs offer similar benefits, including Four Seasons Preferred Partner , Belmond Bellini, Dorchester Diamond Club, Hilton Impresario , Rosewood Elite, Marriott STARS, Marriott Luminous , and Mandarin Oriental Fan Club.

Virtuoso actually includes all of the brands above and offers similar benefits — as a result, Virtuoso offers a “one-stop-shop” for booking luxury hotel stays and getting benefits regardless of which exact chain you stay at.

Virtuoso vs. Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts

Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts is similar to Virtuoso in the sense that it offers perks like free breakfast and room upgrades. However, Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts offers a guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout .

Virtuoso is bookable without a specific credit card, while Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts requires a premium Amex card like The Platinum Card ® from American Express .

However, you need to have a Virtuoso travel advisor to help make your booking for you ( online or over the phone). On the flip side, you’ll also get a human who can offer recommendations and advice based on your destination and travel style.

Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts and Virtuoso both have overlapping hotels — that’s not terribly surprising when you consider that these luxury hotels are worldwide chains.

One thing you might notice is a significant markup on Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts rates . For example, if you look at The Ritz-Carlton Osaka stay searched through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts and compare it to a Virtuoso search, you’ll see a big difference in rates:

Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts is charging $568 per night before taxes and fees, while Virtuoso’s rates are $511 per night. In this case, booking through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts would cost 11% more than booking through Virtuoso.

Sometimes, the 2 programs have the same rates — however, in many cases, Virtuoso’s prices will beat out Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts.

On the other hand, Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts may have special offers such as a fifth-night free benefit, so you’ll need to evaluate the economics on a case-by-case basis.

Virtuoso is the secret tool that luxury travelers use to get hundreds of dollars worth of extra value on their bookings, especially hotel stays.

Some of the world’s most prestigious hotel brands like Four Seasons, Aman, Rosewood, and The Peninsula are available to book through Virtuoso. It also includes small luxury boutique hotels that aren’t a part of a larger hotel brand, so you can enjoy a boutique experience as desired.

With this program, you’ll enjoy benefits like free breakfast, room upgrades, early check-in, late checkout, and so much more — all for the same price as the best available flexible rate. Virtuoso rates are also often cheaper than Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts rates, so it’s definitely a no-brainer to consider Virtuoso!

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

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Meet the New Travel Agents (a.k.a. Travel Networks)

How do these networks stack up against each other, and what does it cost to take advantage of their perks?

By Shivani Vora

Why would travelers ever plan a vacation on their own when their money will go a lot further with the help of a travel agent? At a time when booking trips online seems to be the norm, it’s a message that several travel networks, each with their own group of travel agents, are increasingly pushing.

With more than 16,000 agents globally, Virtuoso is one of the largest networks. That scale can benefit the traveler: Book a trip with a Virtuoso agent, said Albert Herrera, the company’s senior vice president of global product partnerships, and you will get hotel perks such as free breakfast, room upgrades and spa treatments; these extras are worth up to $450 a property. “If you’re staying at three hotels on one trip, you’re looking at more than $1,300 of amenities that you’re not paying for,” he said.

Signature Travel Network has more than 7,000 agents. Ignacio Maza, the company’s executive vice president, said that the network’s agents can get clients benefits valued at up to $500 at hotels; on cruises, more than $1,000.

Smaller networks also offer amenities for their clients: Andrew Harper Travel , for example, began in the 1970s as a hotel review company but expanded around 15 years ago to offer travel planning services; currently, the company has around 20 agents.

How do these networks stack up against each other, and what does it cost travelers, if anything, to take advantage of their perks? Here is a breakdown of some of the top networks.

Signature Travel Network

HOW TO FIND AN AGENT signaturetravelnetwork.com

NUMBER OF AFFILIATED HOTELS More than 1,030, both large chains and boutique properties; the collection includes four- and five-star hotels.

THE COST Signature doesn’t charge a membership fee to use its agents, but some charge fees of up to several hundred dollars.

CRUISES? Yes, 30 lines. Benefits vary by sailing, but could include onboard credits, prepaid gratuities and shore excursions. Also, on a select 200 a year, travelers get a private guide and driver for a day at selected ports — a perk valued at up to $900, according to Mr. Maza.

HOTEL PERKS Up to $500 of amenities at hotels, including daily breakfast for two, an extra amenity such as a $100 dining credit, room upgrades and early check-in and checkout, when available. Some properties, like the Ritz Paris , offer additional benefits including round-trip airport transfers.

HOW TO FIND AN AGENT virtuoso.com/advisors

NUMBER OF AFFILIATED HOTELS More than 1,250 luxury hotels, both large chains and boutique properties; 900 of those can be booked through virtuoso.com .

THE COST Virtuoso doesn’t charge a membership fee to use its agents, but some charge trip-planning fees; depending on the complexity of the trip, fees can range from $50 to several hundred dollars.

CRUISES? Yes, 31 lines, with more than 500 select sailings a year. Travelers get an $800 credit to use one of three ways: onboard, for a private car and driver at a port of their choice, or for a tailor-made excursion.

HOTEL PERKS Up to $450 of amenities at hotels, including daily breakfast for two, room upgrades (either guaranteed at the time of booking or on a space available basis) and early check-in and late checkout, when available. All affiliated hotels also offer extras for their Virtuoso guests which vary by property. Examples include a six-course dinner at Casa Gangotena in Quito, Ecuador and a horse-drawn carriage tour with a stay at Alpaga Megève in Megève, France.

Ensemble Travel Group

HOW TO FIND AN AGENT ensembletravel.com

NUMBER OF AFFILIATED HOTELS Around 700, both large chains and boutique properties; the collection includes four- and five-star hotels.

THE COST Ensemble doesn’t charge a membership fee to use agents, but some charge trip-planning fees.

CRUISES? Yes, 26 lines. On more than 1,500 select cruises a year, travelers receive various benefits such as room upgrades, onboard credits and shore excursions.

HOTEL PERKS Benefits vary by property, but could include room upgrades, daily breakfast, spa treatments, and food and wine welcome baskets. The Raffles Makati in the Philippines, for example, offers daily breakfast, afternoon tea, evening cocktails and 50-minute massages for two.

American Express Travel

HOW TO FIND AN AGENT AmexTravel.com

NUMBER OF AFFILIATED HOTELS More than 1,000 affiliated luxury properties.

THE COST Several network benefits are exclusively for American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders — the annual fee for a Platinum card is $550. (The company doesn’t reveal the cost of the Centurion card.) In addition, some agents charge small trip-planning fees.

CRUISES? Yes, 15 lines. On sailings of five nights or more, travelers receive an onboard credit of between $100 to $300.

HOTEL PERKS The average value of benefits travelers receive at each hotel is $550, according to Tom Stein, the vice president of American Express Travel. These include a space-available room upgrade, daily breakfast for two, noon check-in, when available, and a guaranteed 4 p.m. checkout, as well as an additional amenity that varies by property — examples include a spa treatment, a meal or a bottle of wine.

Andrew Harper Travel

HOW TO FIND AN AGENT andrewharper.com

NUMBER OF AFFILIATED HOTELS 500. The majority are 40 rooms or less.

THE COST $395 a year. In addition, advisers charge a $250 “commitment” fee which is applied to the cost of the trip once travelers book.

CRUISES? Yes, around a dozen lines. Travelers receive $100 onboard credit on every sailing.

HOTEL PERKS Benefits include daily breakfast, room upgrades upon availability or at the time of booking and an additional amenity valued at $100 that varies by property — examples include a dining credit or a cooking class.

An earlier version of this article, using information provided by a company publicist, misstated the name of a travel network. It is American Express Travel, not Fine Hotels & Resorts.

A picture caption with an earlier version of this article misidentified a building in Quito, Ecuador. It is the San Francisco Cathedral, not the Casa Gangotena hotel.

How we handle corrections

BELONG  TO A NETWORK OF LEADERS

Inspire  your clients to travel, grow  your agency’s business.

Travel Leaders Network is a passionate community of travel professionals focused on mutual success. Travel Leaders Network is one of the largest sellers of luxury travel, cruises and tours in the industry. Representing over 5,700 travel agency locations across the United States and Canada, our Network uses the power of our parent company, Internova, to assist millions of leisure and business travelers annually.

BE A  LEADER

I am so appreciative of the Social Media images, tools and training provided by Travel Leaders Network. I'm often so busy crafting travel experiences for clients that I neglect my social media. Travel Leaders Network is such an asset and crucial partner to my business, because I can access and use the images and tools to engage with my audience on social media.

Angela Lindsey | Luxury Vacations and Travel, LLC

Being part of the Luxury Leaders Alliance gives me the opportunity to learn from other advisors that focus on luxury travel. Hearing their feedback about destinations, hotels and suppliers is priceless. Being able to have more intimate, smaller group trainings with more open dialogue has proven to be beneficial.

Diane Michael | Travel Leaders

The most valuable aspect of Engagement is the Agent-level marketing that ties my photo and profile to the online promotions and emails that go out our behalf. I recently heard from an old client who had not booked with me in years. She told me that she was so happy to see I was still in the business after seeing my photo on an email and the renewed relationship has already turned into two sales of more than $30,000 each.

Nora Blum | Market Square Travel

The Engagement program is AMAZING! I use the Engagement emails and mailers to keep in touch with my clients, reminding them that I am here when they need me and keeping them aware of travel trends and offers. Many of my clients tell me that they love getting the emails and mail so they can start dreaming about their next adventure!

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I can't do it without Engagement! This resource gives me a professional edge over other small travel agencies. I'm so excited each time a client contacts me to book a holiday based on the flyer they recently received in the mail. If you are not using this resource, you miss out on a great opportunity!

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The leads generated to me are incredible. I have booked Regent Seven Seas, Silversea and Paul Gauguin cruises from leads. I have booked Kensington Tours private safaris in Africa and high-end European private tours from leads generated from Agent Profiler. I have new clients that travel business class and stay in suite accommodation at Leading Hotels of the World that found me on Agent Profiler. They have told their friends about me and I have gained many more clients from their referrals. I love Agent Profiler. Thank you.

Julie Evans | Valente Travel

The IC program has really helped me step by step to get my program up and running without feeling overwhelmed. We are a small agency and have little experience with ICs. On Agent Universe I am able to quickly access documents needed to continue my knowledge of the program. This helped me get my orientation packet together for my ICs and I am able to answer questions that I have not thought of.

Anne Jasper, Owner | Travel Leaders / Destinations Unlimited | Cedar Rapids, Iowa

The Host Agency+ program has been invaluable for me this year. For someone who has just dabbled in IC’s in the past, it has given me many resources especially in the area of recruitment and implementation that have helped me finally have a handle and focus on where I want to go with my IC efforts.

Ann Waters, President | Conference & Travel | Fort Wayne, Indiana

Travel Leaders Network has been a longstanding partner for us in providing the tools and resources our independent agents need. Extensive education opportunities, cutting edge technology, robust marketing programs and dedicated support all enhance and strengthen our independent agent network. Engaging with our agent network, providing support and ongoing education has always been a core focus for our agency and Travel Leaders Network has been a great collaborator for us in meeting that goal.

Kimberly LaScala Detore, President | Prestige Travel Systems Tampa, FL

I’m a veteran in the travel industry with over 34 years of experience, but I was a real novice in respect to ICs and being a host agency. I am so thankful for the Travel Leaders’ Host Agency+ Program which laid out a one-year plan to get me up and running with all the tools available online and at my disposal to be a successful host agency.

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There are offerings out there for the dabblers and the tinkerers, but the Host Agency+ Program isn’t one of them. This program, by design, is intended for those who have already embraced a serious commitment to growing their host agency program. You will find in this program virtually every requisite tool to compete effectively in this very challenging marketplace. From competitive insights, to market trends, to critical analysis, it is all there.

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For nearly 20 years, we’ve enjoyed far more than just the products and services offered by Travel Leaders Network. We’ve enjoyed sincere relationships with dedicated partners that are truly here to support us. We can’t imagine having a better partner than Travel Leaders Network.

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“Since joining Travel Leaders, our business has grown significantly due to the support and programs offered. The training offered has taken my staff to a new level. We fully anticipate continued growth as part of Travel Leaders Network.”

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"I never thought in a million years that we would feel so valued in an organization this size, but it has been incredible. There is help with whatever we need to be successful. The marketing and support we’ve received has saved us thousands of dollars."

Mimi Comfort, a Travel Leaders Network Affiliate from Kansas City, Missouri

The Secret Tool That Gets You EXTRA Value on Hotel Stays

While it’s true that we can choose to use points for luxury hotel stays, maybe that’s not always the best choice. After all, points don’t just drop out of the sky and into our accounts, right? Maybe we’re saving our points stash for another travel adventure. Or maybe we’ve spent our points and simply don’t have enough for an upcoming hotel stay. Or what if your travel plans take you to a destination that doesn’t have hotels you can book on points.

That’s where Virtuoso can come in. Let’s dig in and see how Virtuoso can work for you, what Virtuoso is, what benefits you can get, and how you can book Virtuoso rates.

Access Luxury Perks & Upgrades : If you’re looking to book a luxury hotel stay via Virtuoso —Katie, a member of our PointMe team, is a Virtuoso agent. She can help get you complimentary room upgrades , daily breakfast for 2, late checkouts and more (for no extra cost). Contact Katie for a fast reply to access these special perks.

Everything You Need To Know About Virtuoso

What is virtuoso.

What exactly is Virtuoso? Virtuoso is a worldwide network of travel agencies with specializations in luxury and experiential travel.

Virtuoso’s network consists of more than 20,000 travel advisors, each of which falls under a larger member agency.

Its travel advisors bring personalized travel recommendations and bookings to the clients. They have expertise when you’re looking for hotels, cruises, or tours.

Bookings made through Virtuoso come with value-added perks for no additional cost to the traveler.

What Are Virtuoso Benefits?

In almost all cases, hotel stays booked through Virtuoso come with the following benefits:

• Daily breakfast for 2 guests per room
• Room upgrade (subject to availability)
• Early check-in (subject to availability)
• Late checkout (subject to availability)
• A special Virtuoso amenity (typically a $100 property credit or other amenity valued at a minimum of $100, like a free massage or round-trip car transfer)

Are There Fees To Use Virtuoso?

Virtuoso rates almost always cost the same exact price as the best available flexible rate.

This isn’t the same as a prepaid, advance purchase, non-refundable rate, corporate rate, or member-only rate.

However, if you usually book the best available flexible rates, you’ll literally get hundreds of dollars in added value just by going through a Virtuoso advisor.

In addition, Virtuoso advisors generally don’t charge you any commissions for hotel bookings. This does vary from advisor to advisor though so check with them upfront. They get a commission on the back-end, but that cost won’t be passed on to you most of the time.

This isn’t the same as a planning fee. If you’re booking a complicated trip, you might be quoted for this extra fee depending on the travel advisor.

Virtuoso Travel Hotel Properties

The complete catalog of Virtuoso hotels includes name-brand luxury chains like:

• Aman Resorts
• Conrad Hotels & Resorts
• Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts
• Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
• Mandarin Oriental
• Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
• The Peninsula Hotels
• The Ritz-Carlton
• Rocco Forte Hotels
• Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
• St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
• Viceroy Hotels & Resorts
• Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts

This list just about covers all luxury hotel chains . You can book luxury boutique properties that may not have multiple locations or be part of a hotel group.

• Do you find it difficult to book award flights with your miles and points? I do! That’s why I turn to Point.me. They get me great deals and save me money and time.

Can I Earn Points on a Virtuoso Rate?

Booking Virtuoso rates is a lot like stacking benefits!

Because a Virtuoso hotel rate still goes through the hotel’s internal system, you can earn hotel points, elite night credits/stays, and even enjoy hotel elite benefits when booking through a Virtuoso travel advisor. If that’s not a win-win, then what is?

For example, if you’re a Hyatt Globalist member and you’re booking a Virtuoso hotel stay at an eligible Hyatt property, you will earn Hyatt points and enjoy Globalist benefits on your hotel stay.

Your Virtuoso travel advisor will also enter your loyalty number when booking your hotel stays, so you’ll be good to go earning hotel points on stays.

How Do I Find Virtuoso Hotels and Virtuoso Travel Advisors?

Do you have a stay in mind? Good. That’s the first step.

You can view the rates for hotels by visiting the hotel search option here , but you will need to contact a Virtuoso travel advisor (such as Katie ) to enjoy these benefits. You can even browse Virtuoso travel advisors by their destination specialties or travel interests!

Are There Other Programs Like Virtuoso?

Virtuoso is the largest group offering thousands of luxury hotels and resorts to choose from. Virtuoso was founded by Jesse Upchurch in 1986, but it’s currently lead by his son Matthew D. Upchurch. Virtuoso is a private company and has hundreds of employees.

However, other programs offer similar benefits, including Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Belmond Bellini, Dorchester Diamond Club, Hilton Impresario, Rosewood Elite, Marriott STARS, Marriott Luminous, and Mandarin Oriental Fan Club.

Virtuoso actually includes all of the brands above and offers similar benefits.  Virtuoso offers a “one-stop-shop” for booking luxury hotel stays and getting benefits regardless of which of these hotel chains you prefer.

Pro Tip: Do you Pruvo all your hotels stays? If not, do what I do and let Pruvo monitor your reservations for price drops. It’s  free and it’s the easiest way to save money on all your hotel rooms.

Virtuoso Travel vs. Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts

Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts is similar to Virtuoso in the sense that it offers perks like free breakfast and room upgrades. However, Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts offers a guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout.

Virtuoso is bookable without a specific credit card, while Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts requires a premium Amex card like The Platinum Card® from American Express. However, you need to have a Virtuoso travel advisor to help make your booking for you (online or over the phone).

Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts and Virtuoso both have overlapping hotels.

Sometimes, both programs have the same rates. But sometimes not. Best to check both programs to see if there are price differences even at the same properties.

Don’t MISS OUT on the BEST current travel credit card offers!

Final Thoughts on Virtuoso Travel

Virtuoso is the secret tool that luxury travelers use to get hundreds of dollars worth of extra value on their bookings, especially hotel stays. The best part is you won’t need to pay extra to enjoy these benefits.

Some of the world’s most prestigious hotel brands like Four Seasons, Aman, Rosewood, and The Peninsula are available to book through Virtuoso. It also includes small luxury boutique hotels that aren’t a part of a larger hotel brand, so you can enjoy a boutique experience as well.

With this program, you’ll enjoy benefits like free breakfast, room upgrades, early check-in, late checkout, and more all for the same price as the best available flexible rate.

Related  Articles:

• My Favorite Travel Resources and Products
• I Always Get the Lowest Prices on Hotel Rooms: Here’s How!
• 9 Awesome Travel Accessories To Pack for Your Next Trip
• Don’t miss out on the BEST current travel credit card offers!

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Shelli Stein

Shelli Stein is a travel writer, personal development coach , and story teller. She has come to realize writing as a way of sharing travel experiences brings her a lot of pleasure! Her areas of expertise are: all things  Southwest Airlines ,  hotel reviews , and what to do, see, and eat in destinations around the world. She sees travel as an adventure, trying to somehow get inside and experience a different way of life, a different cultural heritage. Maybe she can  show you something  you’ve never seen.  Inspire you with new ideas  for your next vacation. Attempt to  put a smile on your face . Help you learn from her mistakes . Or challenge your  assumptions about the world . She lives life with humor, gratitude, and humility and always sees the coffee cup as half full!

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Three Agency Groups Combine To Form Travel Leaders Network

A new Travel Leaders Network logo will represent the combined three groups. 

In a move that at least a few in the industry had been predicting for years, three major travel agency groups, all owned by Travel Leaders Group, have combined to form one giant travel organization under the Travel Leaders Network brand.

Vacation.com, the largest travel agency consortium; Travel Leaders Associates (also known as Travel Leaders Franchise Group), a leading agency franchise group; and Results! Travel, a smaller franchise group, will be merged to form a mega-travel agency group with nearly 7,000 locations, 35,000 individual agencies and $17 billion in annual sales, including $6.5 billion in cruise and tour sales alone.

The merger will be effective Jan. 1, 2017.

The newly combined Travel Leaders Network (TLN) represents roughly 33% of all agency locations in the U.S. and Canada. TLN will offer common marketing and technology solutions to both associates and affiliates. It also will have one combined annual meeting, the first set for April 29-May 5, 2017, at Loews Pacific Hotel at Universal Orlando.

All existing Travel Leaders associates (franchisees) will retain sole licensing rights for the use of the Travel Leaders brand name. In addition, all members of both Results!  and Vacation.com will automatically become affiliate members of Travel Leaders Network, while those who qualify will be offered the option of becoming Travel Leaders associates in order to get a higher level of service. Travel agencies can now join TLN as associate members (franchisees) or as affiliate members.

TLN will remain part of Travel Leaders Group, the travel holding company led by CEO Ninan Chacko, which also owns such mega-travel agencies as Protravel International and Tzell Travel Group, as well as Travel Leaders Corporate, among other travel companies. Other Travel Leaders Group owned agencies, such as host agency Nexion and Cruise Specialists, will become TLN members (they are currently Vacation.com members). Protravel will continue as a member of Virtuoso, the luxury travel network, while Tzell will remain a member of Signature Travel Network, the travel agency cooperative.

TLN will continue to have headquarters offices in Alexandria, VA, and Plymouth, MN. The same team that currently oversees the three existing groups being combined will now oversee the new organization. John Lovell, currently president of Vacation.com and president of Travel Leaders Leisure Group, will serve as president of Travel Leaders Network and Leisure Group, and Roger Block, formerly president of Travel Leaders Franchise Group, will serve as TLN president, reporting to Lovell. TLN marketing will continue to be led by Stephen McGillivray, who remains chief marketing officer of Travel Leaders Group.

Jose Ferreira, chief technology officer for Travel Leaders Group, will head up TLN’s technology. Bernadette Stark, who has served as vice president of conference, events and training for Travel Leaders Leisure Group and Vacation.com, will be in charge of meetings and conferences. Gloria Stock Mickelson, currently senior manager of education and training for Travel Leaders Franchise Group, will head up TLN’s training and education. Nicole Galowin, senior director of member services for Vacation, will have now have a similar role for TLN.

“This is the dawn of a new day,” said Lovell. “We have long been recognized as a world-class organization, offering the industry’s most innovative and honored travel agency solutions. But as our industry’s landscape continues to evolve and consolidate, so must we. Simply put, we must come together to create one powerful force that helps each of our agencies compete even more effectively for the hearts and minds of the traveling public.”

What the new combination also represents, however, is an end to Vacation.com and Results! names as a travel agency brands. Vacation.com was formed in 1999 by the merger of two competing consortia buyout groups. In 2000 it was sold to Amadeus, which then sold it to Travel Leaders Group in 2008. Travel Leaders Network has tentative plans to continue to use the Vacation.com name for lead generation. The Results! franchise brand, which was formed in 2008 as a franchise group for those agencies that did not want to operate under the Travel Leaders brand, will fade away.

Our industry recognizes and rewards size and volume. I’m also a big believer in collaboration and the more creative, intelligent people we can put together, the better all the members will be.

Travel Leaders Group itself was formed in 2008 when Carlson Companies sold Carlson Leisure Group to its management team led by Michael Batt, president and CEO, who remains chairman of Travel Leaders Group. The name Travel Leaders was adopted because the group needed to replace the Carlson Wagonlit name for its agency franchisees. It came from a Florida travel agency that was purchased by the buyout group.

Among the changes for associates and affiliates migrating to the combined TLN: By 2017, the online bios from all qualifying travel agents from Results! Travel and Vacation.com will added to the existing Agent Profiler directory on TravelLeaders.com. TLN’s first conference next April will have one combined day for both associates and affiliates, but will also have separate sets of sessions, training and networking tailored for the specific needs of associates and affiliates.

All TLN associates and affiliates will have access to the technology currently offered to the three original agency groups, such as the CruisePro cruise booking platform and AgentMate travel agency management system. In addition, by 2017 all existing agency extranets will migrate to one Agent Universe platform, though content will be geared to individual agency participation agreements. Finally, a new website, TravelLeadersNetwork.com, has been launched to provide information about TLN.

Initial reaction to the TLN combined group has been positive from agents who are members of Vacation.com, Travel Leaders Franchise Group and Results! “I see it as a very positive move,” said Kate Murphy, president and CEO at Wings Travel Group in Blue Bell, PA, which is currently Vacation.com member. “Our industry recognizes and rewards size and volume. I’m also a big believer in collaboration and the more creative, intelligent people we can put together, the better all the members will be.”

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