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Imagine that it’s the mid-90s. The Internet has just begun to enter business and the home in a significant way. Thought leaders and speculators are abuzz with predictions of how the digital revolution will change life as we know it. If you’re in the travel industry, the emergence of digital travel agencies is giving consumers the power to book their own online trips – and putting your industry on edge, as concerns grow that the travel advisor will essentially be extinct within the next two decades.
Fast-forward to present day. Now, of course, we know that those dire predictions about the death of the travel advisor are entirely untrue. A recent Luxury Daily article calls travel advisors “the hottest new thing that never went away,” a phrase borrowed from Virtuoso global marketing strategist James Ricks. Virtuoso, the world’s leading luxury travel agency network, is a testament to how the digital revolution has – contrary to initial predictions – actually strengthened travelers’ desire for an advisor to help shape their experiences.
Speaking with Luxury Daily, Ricks pointed out that given their level of expertise and connection, travel advisors are better-equipped to give consumers the experience they want out of travel – or even the experience they didn’t know they wanted. Travel advisors, in particular elite ones approved by a network like Virtuoso, have access to specialized knowledge and insider connections that can personalize a trip far beyond ordinary online booking. Plus, they can provide travelers with perks such as complimentary concierge services and VIP status. Finally, we suspect that the growing demand for travel advisors has something to do with travelers’ desire for a human touch in the digital landscape.
No one knows the need for human connection better than us. Our commitment to a customer experience far beyond the algorithm has made us the leading luxury limo service from NYC to LA, as well as overseas in over 700 major cities. It’s also qualified us to be part of Virtuoso’s supplier portfolio network, a designation reserved only for vendors and partners that meet Virtuoso’s standards for upscale, experiential travel and impeccable client service.
Learn more about what makes us worthy of inclusion in Virtuoso’s network by getting in touch with our Global Reservation Center at 888-826-3431. Whether you need car service in NYC or group transportation on the other side of the globe, you won’t travel better than with EmpireCLS.
Photo: flickr
