Asia's World City To Host 2015 Virtuoso® Symposium

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hong Kong, one of the world's premier travel destinations, will host luxury travel's most influential individuals from around the world during the 2015 Virtuoso® Symposium. The annual event held by the leading luxury travel agency network, Virtuoso®, will take place in Hong Kong from April 25 to April 29, 2015. The announcement of Hong Kong as the host destination was made shortly after Hong Kong received recognition as one of the top "10 Hottest Destinations" of 2014 by Virtuoso® and its network of elite travel agency members.

"We believe the unique appeal of Hong Kong makes Asia's World City the perfect destination for the 2015 Virtuoso® Symposium, where we bring together senior leaders from our global luxury travel network to connect with each other, discuss and debate the future of the luxury travel industry and experience one of the most exciting and dynamic places in the world," said David Hansen, Senior Vice President of Virtuoso® Events. "This is the second Symposium to be held in Hong Kong and the destination was selected over several strong contenders that were bidding for their first Symposium. Hong Kong remains a must see destination for Virtuoso's global travel advisors and the discerning travelers they serve."

The last time Hong Kong hosted the Virtuoso® Symposium was in 2003. Since then, Asia's World City has experienced many notable changes including the following:

• Worldwide visitation increased from 15.5 million to an estimated 59 million, making Hong Kong the world's most visited city
• The number of hotel rooms increased from 38,000 to 70,000
• The number of Michelin-starred restaurants increased from 22 to 64
• Wine has quickly become an important part of the culture, making Hong Kong one of the world's top three cities for wine auctions
• Hong Kong is the contemporary art capital of Asia and the home of Art Basel Hong Kong

"Hong Kong is truly a place like no other, where east meets west and rich Chinese traditions contrast with the latest global trends," said Bill Flora, the U.S. Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board. "As the host of the 2015 Virtuoso® Symposium, we welcome all attendees to experience Hong Kong's distinct and timeless appeal."

An estimated 450 participants are expected to attend the Virtuoso® Symposium in spring 2015. Among those attendees are some of the world's leading luxury travel companies. Attendees from as many as 38 countries will congregate in Hong Kong to network, discuss key issues impacting travel today, and to take in the sights of the dynamic city playing host to them.

To learn more about the highly-anticipated 2015 Virtuoso^® Symposium in Hong Kong, visit Virtuoso's Events website at www.virtuosomeetings.virtuoso.com/. To learn more about Hong Kong, visit the Hong Kong Tourism Board's website at www.DiscoverHongKong.com/us. Travel professionals are also invited to sign up for HKTB's PartnerNet – a "one-stop shop" online platform created for those involved in the travel trade industry by visiting http://partnernet.hktb.com. For a chance to win a trip of a lifetime to Asia's World City become a certified Hong Kong Specialist by December 31st, 2014 by completing the Hong Kong Specialist Course at http://specialisthk.com.

About Virtuoso^®:
Virtuoso^® is the leading network of luxury travel advisors and entities. This by-invitation-only organization comprises 340 agencies with more than 8,900 elite travel specialists in 20 countries in North and South America, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, as well as over 1,700 of the world's best travel providers and premier destinations. The network's member agencies generate over $12.5 billion annually in travel sales, making the group the most powerful in the luxury travel segment. Their relationships with the finest travel companies provide the network's affluent clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com. To view Virtuoso's latest videos, go to www.youtube.com/user/VirtuosoTraveler.   

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SOURCE Hong Kong Tourism Board

Related Links

http://www.virtuoso.com