U.S. luxury travel agency network Virtuoso will hold its 2014 Symposium in Berlin, Germany, on April 26-30, 2014, as announced by Virtuoso’s CEO, Matthew Upchurch, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the site of the current year’s convention. The German National Tourist Office (GNTO) in collaboration with visitBerlin submitted the winning bid to host next year’s Symposium.
“As host country of the Virtuoso Symposium in 2014, Germany has the unique opportunity to highlight its appeal as a luxury destination during the event and the accompanying field trips to some of the most influential decision makers in the American luxury travel industry. Therefore we can strengthen our position within the most important overseas market for incoming travel to Germany,” Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the GNTO, commented on the joined success.
It is the first time that the Virtuoso Symposium will be held in Germany.
“Berlin is experiencing an enormous come-back as one of the great European capitals and must-visit destination”, says Burkhard Kieker, CEO of visitBerlin. “The city has something for everyone, including a wide range of upscale experiences for the high-end traveler.”
Twenty-four years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Berlin has grown into Europe’s third most popular tourism destination, ranking after London and Paris, but before Rome in terms of visitor numbers. Boasting double-digit increases of tourists from the USA, Berlin offers 26 five-star hotels, twelve Michelin star-rated restaurants with a total of 16 stars, as well as high-end and designer shopping. The city’s cultural institutions present world-class performances and exhibitions, and a highly professional tourism infrastructure is conducive to creating high-end luxury experiences and accommodating the needs of the elite traveler.
“Virtuoso is pleased to announce the selection of Germany and Berlin as the host of our 2014 Symposium. Berlin is one of the most exciting and dynamic cities in the world and is the perfect destination to bring together senior executives from our global luxury travel network,” said David Hansen, CFO & SVP of Virtuoso Events.
About 400 participants are expected to attend the Virtuoso Symposium in spring 2014. The annual event brings together the most influential decision makers of the luxury travel industry and features discussions on travel trends, challenges, opportunities and the future of travel in general while at the same time members can experience Germany and Berlin through a variety of pre- and post-convention tours.
German National Tourist Board, www.germany.travel; VisitBerlin, www.visitBerlin.com; Virtuoso, www.virtuoso.com