For someone whose career has become synonymous with high-end travel, Virtuoso chairman and CEO Matthew Upchurch does not exactly fancy the word “luxury”.

Too often, he believes, luxury travel has been challenged, copied and commoditised – a term that implies elitism more than excellence. He prefers a different frame, borrowed from billionaire Warren Buffett: Price is what you pay; value is what you get.

That distinction underpins everything Upchurch believes about travel, advisors and what it means to spend time well. Since Virtuoso’s inception in 1986, Upchurch has helped grow the company into a network of more than 20,000 travel advisors across 59 countries.

Speaking at the 2026 Virtuoso Forum North & Southeast Asia in Bali, he shared the principles he believes will shape the future of travel advising.

Curation over access

The traditional model of luxury travel was built on access – getting clients a seat at the sold-out restaurant, the private villa, or seamless entry into a remote destination. That model is fading. As people lead increasingly busy, complex lives, what they value is genuine expertise and care. Luxury has shifted from being about what you can get to being about how thoughtfully it has been chosen for you.

This reframes who the best advisors are. The ones pulling ahead, Upchurch argues, are not those competing on price or trying to appeal to everyone. Instead, they are clear about their niche and intentional about who they serve.

“The number one thing that separates a transactional travel agent from a trusted travel advisor,” he said, “is the quality of the debrief.”

The most powerful gesture is to listen to clients – before, during and especially after their trip – then tailor the next experience to what you have learned.

AI makes us more human, not less

While each new wave of technology triggers debate about the decline of the human advisor, Upchurch believes the opposite often happens.

“We humans are wired to trust – it’s a survival mechanism,” he said. “Humans are good bullshit readers, and this instinct will only get more acute with AI.”

The distinction he draws is sharp.

“In a world where content is infinitely reproducible, trust no longer comes down to trust. Trust comes from who you trust.”

Rather than a threat, Upchurch views AI as a tool to strip away repetitive tasks so advisors can focus on what humans do best – empathy, judgment and relationship-building.

His philosophy is simple: “Automate the predictable so you can humanise the exceptional.”

Service is not hospitality

In an era built for speed, “the power of personality and trust” works in the travel advisor’s favour. Technical excellence – whether it is flawless service or a perfectly planned itinerary – is easier to achieve, but emotional connection is the true differentiator.

“Service is that thing you do, hospitality is how you make somebody feel doing that thing you do,” he said, quoting restaurateur and author Will Guidara, author of Unreasonable Hospitality.

When advisors bring genuine care and emotional intelligence into client relationships, the role shifts from service provider to trusted steward. Relationships built intentionally, generously and creatively are far harder for algorithms to replace.

Time is the ultimate luxury asset

Perhaps the most resonant theme running through Upchurch’s thinking is his conviction that leisure time deserves the same intentionality as financial wealth. Money can be earned, lost and earned again, but time is irreplaceable.

Yet most people plan their finances with far more rigour than they plan their leisure time.

“Why have a financial advisor to optimise your financial assets,” he asked, “but not a travel advisor to plan your free and fun time?”

This idea sits at the heart of Virtuoso’s “return on life” philosophy – the belief that great travel advisors are not just planning holidays but helping clients live more purposefully through meaningful experiences, genuine rest and time spent with the people who matter most.

Travel, in Upchurch’s view, remains one of the few things people spend money on that can genuinely make them richer. The true return is not measured in margins, but in meaning and, ultimately, a life better lived.