Virtuoso | the power of one to one

one of several ballrooms, filled with Virtuoso travel consultants and suppliers

Several years ago, Virtuoso Travel Week used the tag line "the power of one to one" as the theme of that year's meeting. It's not just rhetoric; it's actual fact. The advantage that a Virtuoso travel consultant offers is more than just getting amenities (which are quite valuable - you can save hundreds of dollars over the course of your hotel stay through the exclusive Virtuoso amenities). Even more important are the personal contacts that travel advisors make with suppliers through hundreds of four-minute appointments (pictured above) and through interactions in relaxed social settings.

Here's a true story from last night. I was seated at a banquet table when an email came in from a client who had several specific requests related to a prospective booking at Four Seasons Hong Kong. Could he get a spa menu? Could he arrange for child care? Could he make an reservation at one of the hotel's two three-star Michelin restaurants?

I was seated immediately to the left of the hotel's Director of Sales and Marketing. I handed her my iPhone, she read the request, said "Confirmed!", and I immediately let my client know. When I woke up at 6 a.m. this morning, the restaurant reservation had been made, the spa menu was attached, and information on child care was provided. I forwarded it back to my client.

The Power of One to One is not an overstatement. If anything, I'd call it the Magic of One to One. The time I invest each year at Virtuoso Travel Week translates directly into great service delivered directly to my clients from valued hotel partners such as Four Seasons Hong Kong.

Virtuoso travel consultant (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.