03/04/2026
Amanda Halacy, VP Strategy & Digital Innovation here, reporting from Madrid 🇪🇸 where the Virtuoso Impact Summit just wrapped!
Impact Summit 2026 brought 100 leaders from across our industry (agencies, DMCs, tourism boards, travel media, hoteliers & more) to Madrid to explore how luxury travel can create meaningful impact for people, places, culture, and the global economy.
We dove into modernizing sustainability, heard from the Secretary General & Executive Director of UN Tourism as well as the World Travel & Tourism Council, unpacked Madrid as a destination case study, and challenged ourselves to rethink impact reporting, measurement, and storytelling — moving from message to measurable change.
A few takeaways that stuck with me:
🌍 If travel & tourism were a country, it would be the 3rd largest economy in the world.
💼 1 in 3 jobs globally are connected to our industry.
🏡 If you don’t have happy locals, you’ll never have happy tourists.
🧭 It’s time to shift the narrative from “over-tourism” to thoughtful destination management. Tourism is a force for good - when managed well.
🌿 Today’s travelers are seeking experiences that are intentional, immersive, slow, and ethical... all rooted in strong, sustainable partnerships.
I'm returning home grateful to be part of an industry that has the scale to make real change and inspired by those who are leading the charge to do it right.
