The best places to visit

Nearly three-quarters of all American employees earn time off work. But while they understand the benefits of a vacation, most don’t use all the time they’ve earned. National Travel and Tourism Week (May 3-11) is a great time to reflect on the value of taking time off and even book your next vacation. A study by the U.S. Travel Association and Oxford Economics found that in 2013, 42% of employees finished the year with unused time off. For the entire workforce, this equals a staggering 429 million unused days. That’s an average of 3.2 days per employee earning time off.

The year of 2011 may mark the end of the “staycation” as travelers once again embrace the opportunity to explore the world. Advisors from luxury travel network Virtuoso ® say their clientele increased travel purchases by 36 percent from 2009 to 2010, with luxury international leisure trips being the dominant choice. More than 90 percent of Virtuoso’s elite travel agency membership lent their insight to the 2011 Virtuoso Luxe Report , which tracks trends in travel destinations, comparisons to travel in 2010, and above all, forecasts the travel decisions and motivating factors of some of the most upscale travelers in the United States and Canada. This year’s report shows international travel is slated to be the most popular type of trip in 2011, with 57 percent of respondents reporting clients reserving international trips of eight days or longer. To where will these international travelers be venturing? Italy , France and South Africa nabbed the three most popular international des...

Virtuoso is staying ahead of the curve when it comes to promoting luxury travel profesionals, by launching its own YouTube channel. If you don’t know the benefits of an Advisor-planned vacation, now you can sit back and watch it unfold in front of your eyes. Find out with the first four videos posted to VirtuosoTraveler , the network’s new YouTube channel. These powerful videos showcase the value of relying on the expertise of a Virtuoso travel advisor to create extraordinary travel experiences. Videos include: Defining Moments in Travel – an inspirational tour of the huge variety of experiences that create treasured memories for travelers and the Virtuoso Advisors who can deliver those travel dreams 20 Truths About Virtuoso Travel Advisors – emphasizes the benefits of a knowledgeable, connected Advisor in creating and customizing carefree and memorable journeys for their clients Extraordinary Experiences Created by Virtuoso Travel Advisors – a disco...

Click here to vote for Stacy Small as USA TODAY’s Best Twitter Traveler In just a few seconds, you can cast your vote for an exceptional luxury travel leader who is nominated for a USA TODAY Reader’s Choice Award. Stacy Small lives and breathes luxury travel. She’s the founder, owner and president of Elite Travel International in Los Angeles, a Virtuoso agency and unique boutique firm. Named Virtuoso’s Most Innovative Travel Advisor in 2013, Stacy is the go-to luxury travel planner for a portfolio of clients that includes Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, C-level execs, Hollywood producers, celebs, media, fashion, technology and finance moguls.