Virtuoso has named its 2024 travel advisor and partner Community Awards winners during Day 1 of Virtuoso Travel Week today in Las Vegas. Winners were announced during the first day of Globetrotting, which this year has been expanded to two days for the first time due to its popularity with Virtuosos, and the introduction of the Sustainability Community.
The Virtuoso Community is centred on seven distinctive fields of luxury travel: Adventure, Culinary, Cruise, Family + Celebration, Sustainability, Ultraluxe and Wellness.
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The Community Advisor awards recognises a travel advisor who inspires one or more of these types of travel, and demonstrates that through the top level of sales and engagement, with nominees and winners based on agency reported sales data. Whereas best Community Partner awards nominees and winners are based on voting in the community.
This year’s winners include a number of Community Partners who were also recognised last year, including Lindblad Expeditions, IC Bellagio and Micato Safaris.
Adventure Community
Top Adventure Community Advisor
Becky Craft | Travel Experts, Inc.
Josh Friedman | Travel Experts, Inc.
*** Margaret Larkin | Universal Travel – Houston – Winner ***
Rhona Wendler | McCabe World Travel, Inc.
Tim Burke | Travel Experts, Inc.
Best Adventure Community Partner
Backroads
Big Five Tours & Expeditions, Inc
G Adventures
*** Lindblad Expeditions – Winner ***
Swain Destinations
Cruise Community
Top Cruise Community Advisor
Becky Robinson | Departure Lounge
*** David Porter | The Roaming Boomers, an independent affiliate of CADENCE – Winner ***
Jonathon Phillips | Cassis Travel Services, Inc.
Kristin Bodin | Acadiana Travel, an independent affiliate of CADENCE
Ralph Bias | Amazing Cruises, Inc.
Best Cruise Community Partner
*** AmaWaterways – Winner ***
Explora Journeys
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Seabourn
Silversea
Culinary Community
Top Culinary Community Advisor
Debra Clark | Provident Travel Corporation
*** Denise Shorthouse | Coastline Travel Advisors – Winner ***
John Skelton | Departure Lounge
Sandy Miller | The Travel Society LLC
Shawn Kilner | Direct Travel – Victoria
Best Culinary Community Partner
Calvados Club Luxury Travel – Croatia
Decouvertes Inc & Sarl – France
*** IC Bellagio – Italy – Winner ***
Oceania Cruises
We travel France
Family + Celebration Community Partner
Top Family + Celebration Community Advisor
Becky Robinson | Departure Lounge
*** Kristin Bodin | Acadiana Travel, an independent affiliate of CADENCE – Winner ***
Lisa Rubin Reich | Gifted Travel Network
Mary Ann Ramsey | Betty Maclean Travel, Inc.
Tim Burke | Travel Experts, Inc.
Best Family + Celebration Community Partner
Backroads
Costa Rican Trails
*** Family Twist – Winner ***
Made for Spain and Portugal
Royal Caribbean International
Sustainability Community
Top Sustainability Community Advisor
Angela W Pierson | Wallace Pierson Travel
Beth Washington | Smartflyer
Jennifer Hicks | Four Seasons Travel
*** Mary Levine | Paul Klein Travel – Winner ***
Sheila Gallant-Halloran | Direct Travel Toronto – HQ
Best Sustainability Community Partner
Destination Canada
Explora Journeys
Lindblad Expeditions
Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam
*** Wilderness – Winner ***
Ultraluxe Community
Top Ultraluxe Community Advisor
David Porter | The Roaming Boomers, an independent affiliate of CADENCE
*** Kristin Bodin | Acadiana Travel, an independent affiliate of CADENCE – Winner ***
Laura Madrid | Travel Experts, Inc.
Laura Wallace | Herff Travel, Inc.
Margaret Larkin | Universal Travel – Houston
Best Ultraluxe Community Partner
Abercrombie & Kent USA, LLC
Explora Journeys
*** Micato Safaris – Winner ***
Norwegian Adventures As – Norway
The Brando
Wellness Community
Top Wellness Community Advisor
Carol Minker | Sanders Travel Centre
Christina Buaas | CSB Travel
Diane Wilkinson | Travel Experts, Inc.
*** Josie Schiavone | SmartFlyer – Winner ***
Marissa Grad | SmartFlyer
Best Wellness Community Partner
Cloister at The Boca Raton
Grand Hotel Victoria Concept & Spa
Hacienda AltaGracia, Auberge Resorts Collection
*** Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa – Winner ***
SHA Wellness ClinicThe winners of the 2024 ‘Virtuoso Luminaries, Legends and Leaders’ will be announced later. As LATTE revealed last earlier this month, Australia and New Zealand’s has one sole Nominee in these awards – Ben Chidgzey from Bicton Travel in Western Australia, who is nominated for the ‘Rising Star’ category.
Meanwhile, applications and renewals for the 2025 Community Programs will open to Partners on 11 September and run through until 11 October 2024. For Advisors, registrations and renewals will open in November.LATTE is reporting from Virtuoso Travel Week as a guest of Virtuoso.
Lead image: Micato Safaris, Best UltraLuxe Partner: Community
