Virtuoso hosts inaugural Impact Summit

Virtuoso brought together 105 agents and partners from nearly 20 countries for its first-ever Impact Summit last week.

Held from June 2-5 at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta, the invitation-only event discussed solutions for furthering progress around the network’s three pillars of sustainability: supporting local economies; celebrating culture; and protecting the planet.

The summit included a range of panel sessions centred around these pillars, where panellists included Virtuoso members, partners and media guests. Another session saw Virtuoso senior executives come together to discuss how the company supports, amplifies and incorporates sustainability into business practices.

There were also a range of guest speakers, who discussed everything from the role AI plays in furthering sustainability efforts to how the public and private sectors can support sustainable tourism.

Virtuoso’s vice president, global public relations, Misty Belles, led a panel of media guests, touching on best practices for communicating sustainability to readers and how to tell more engaging sustainability stories.

Attendees also had the chance to enjoy a variety of sustainability-focused activities, including hikes to Emerald Lake, volunteering with local food charities and tours of Lake Louise’s water treatment plant.

Jessica Hall Upchurch, Virtuoso’s vice chair and sustainability strategist, said: “The idea of the Impact Summit was a seed planted over a decade ago that’s been fed and nurtured, and after continuous alignment and a labour of love and passion among our network, it’s an honour to see the inaugural event come together.

“This is a space for exchanging ideas, having future-focused discussions and engaging in meaningful collaborations.”