Virtuoso first-ever Impact Summit, held from June 2 to 5 at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Canada, brought sustainable tourism development considerations to the fore through peer-to-peer discussions.
The event was attended by 105 attendees from nearly 20 countries, although none came from Asia.
The by-invite event is said to be an outcome of Virtuoso’s long-established commitment to sustainable travel.
Speaking at the opening session, Virtuoso, vice chair and sustainability strategist, Jessica Hall Upchurch, said: “Our efforts to educate advisors and amplify the work of our partners to Virtuoso travellers started 15 years ago.
“Our principals when it comes to implementing sustainability in travel have always been ‘no shame, no blame’ and ‘start where you are’ – meaning we’d rather see 95 per cent of the world take one step forward than five per cent trying to get it perfect.”
She added that the idea for the Impact Summit took form “over a decade ago”, and had materialised though “continuous alignment and a labour of love and passion among our network”.
“We all know travellers want a great experience, but making it easy for them to feel good about who they give their money to adds an emotional element that’s a powerful differentiator,” said Hall Upchurch.
The Impact Summit demonstrated its own commitment to sustainability by offsetting emissions from activities. Using emissions data gathered from attendee travel and event operations, Virtuoso was able to offset 64.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide through Planetair’s verified Canada Tree Portfolio reforestation project, ensuring a carbon-neutral footprint for the gathering.
Attendees were also invited to take part in a variety of sustainability-focused activities, with options including hikes to Emerald Lake or Johnson Canyon, lessons on making natural salves, volunteering with local charity Soup Sisters to combat food insecurity, a tour of Lake Louise’s water treatment plant, and a warrior women tea ceremony.
While the inaugural event is deemed a success, Virtuoso told TTG Asia that it has yet to decide on the next edition.
Earlier in May, Virtuoso announced that its 2026 Virtuoso Symposium will head to Seoul, South Korea. Taking place from April 15 to 19, and held in partnership with the Korea Tourism Organisation, the event is expected to attract some 400 travel executives from over 35 countries.
