Virtuoso Launches AI-Powered Intelligence Foundation at Travel Week 2026

Travel industry network Virtuoso has introduced an artificial intelligence-powered foundation that aims to simplify complexity and enhance the human connection in luxury travel. The new capability, which was unveiled at Travel Week 2026, is designed to connect data, systems, and security across the Virtuoso network, making it easier for advisors, member agencies, and partners to access and act on expert knowledge and thousands of interconnected data points.

The foundation builds on Virtuoso’s existing technology philosophy, ‘automate the predictable so that you can humanize the exceptional.’ This approach has guided the development of various tech solutions aimed at preserving and enhancing the human connection in luxury travel. The new intelligence capability is a key component of this strategy, which seeks to streamline complexity and unlock collective advantage within the Virtuoso network.

Virtuoso’s advisors have been quick to adopt AI technology, with 74% now using it in their business. This adoption rate far surpasses the industry average, reported by Phocuswright at 59%. However, despite its benefits, AI-generated travel content has also revealed some limitations. Much of this content overlaps due to similar sources being used, resulting in repetitive and untailored itineraries that contribute to overcrowding at popular destinations.

Human expertise remains a crucial aspect of luxury travel, with three-quarters of Virtuoso clients citing their advisor’s accommodation and destination expertise as a key benefit. In contrast, fewer than half of travelers advised by others share this sentiment. Additionally, 60% of Virtuoso clients point to an advisor’s ability to curate experiences tailored to them, whereas only one-third of those advised elsewhere can say the same.

The luxury travel market is showing interest in using advisors for future trips, with 79% of high-end travelers expressing openness to this approach. Furthermore, half of Virtuoso advisors report clients steering away from over-touristed destinations, highlighting a growing desire for unique and exclusive experiences.

As AI technology continues to evolve, it’s clear that algorithmic inspiration is giving way to analog escapes in luxury travel. Time, privacy, and the ability to disconnect are emerging as the ultimate luxuries, with Virtuoso positioning itself at the forefront of this trend.

The new intelligence capability is built on Virtuoso’s proprietary global knowledge, which has been cultivated over decades through member and advisor expertise, partner relationships, and institutional experience. This collective knowledge was previously scattered across people, conversations, and systems that couldn’t be universally accessed. The foundation will simplify complexity by connecting data, systems, and security across the network.

According to Virtuoso Chairman/CEO Matthew Upchurch, ‘What we’ve built is a foundational digital capability that is ever evolving with infinite possibilities.’ This new capability brings together expertise, insights, data, and relationships within the Virtuoso community – advisors, member agencies, preferred partners – making it easier to access, combine, and act on them.

The foundation will allow the network to tap into collective intelligence in a greater way while also helping Virtuoso learn from how the network uses this capability. This feedback loop will enable the organization to identify gaps and build solutions to close them. Rather than introducing a standalone product, this is an intelligence foundation that will continue to grow and expand based on network engagement.

Future capabilities are intended to help member agencies, advisors, and partners discover opportunities, make informed business decisions, and draw upon trusted network intelligence in new ways. The tool also aims to enable Virtuoso’s own teams to better serve the network with more precise support. As Virtuoso President Brad Bourland noted, ‘AI is at the core of how it works, but what we’re really talking about is Virtuoso collective intelligence, powered by AI.’

The project’s next horizon builds on this foundation by combining Virtuoso’s proprietary insights with vetted external market, economic, and behavioral data. This will create a richer understanding of what Virtuoso knows and the forces shaping the world around it. The aim is to deliver intelligence with a level of context, relevance, and precision that meets the unique needs of each member and advisor.

The new foundation marks a significant step forward in Virtuoso’s technology strategy, which focuses on adding value to existing platforms, nurturing an ecosystem of solution providers, and creating unique value within the network. As Upchurch emphasized, ‘The future of this organization is not a one-size-fits-all system that flattens the network into sameness.’ Instead, it’s a foundation built to enhance each member’s and advisor’s own unique expression while unlocking collective advantage.