Future bright for travel advisors at Travel Leaders Network conference
Despite previous predictions of their demise, many travel advisors are now living the dream of successful careers fueled by healthy market economies and geopolitical silver linings.
That was the outlook presented by key travel professionals who took their turns as speakers at the recent Travel Leaders Network EDGE conference and trade show in San Diego.
Even Covid 19 had a silver lining, said J.D. O’Hara, CEO of Internova Travel Group – owners of Travel Leaders Network. The pandemic proposed a rethink of priorities by many people, suggesting that investments in experiences and family/friend connections, through travel, was more valuable than the acquisition of goods.
“People are choosing to invest in experiences rather than things, and what better way to gain experiences than to travel,” he said, noting that travel advisors have benefitted from this reassessment. “Actual transactions may be down, but the value of those transactions is up,” he said on the ballroom stage of the sprawling Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center.
About 2,200 advisors from across the U.S. and Canada came to the 2026 EDGE International Conference by TLN in San Diego. This included 114 Canadian member agents and 44 Canadian supplier delegates. They spent four days networking with suppliers at a trade show, listening to keynote presentations and attending training sessions on new travel tools that have been launched by TLN. EDGE stands for Educate, Discover, Gather, Evolve.
When asked about the headwinds and challenges facing travel advisors, O’Hara responded that “we’ve been expecting the doom and gloom, yet here we are. Nothing has made sense for a number of years including, for example, inflation. Conventional wisdom says raising interest rates will curb inflation, but not this time. So inflation continues, interest rates continue and the markets continue to skyrocket.”
“So, I have to imagine at some point there will be a correction, certainly to markets, which will impact our industry,” he continued. “But until then, we are enjoying the spend (of clients), as we should. But we are prepared to be flexible and adaptable for whenever the situation changes.”
The situation changed suddenly for the many travel advisors who sell holidays to Cuba, when those flights were cancelled due to fuel shortages. Flights and vacation programs have been cancelled until the fall 2026, negatively impacting many advisors after the announcements.
“When we were hit with the cancellation of the entire Cuba program, through to the fall of this year, we were all worried, because that’s a big piece of our market,” said Christine James, the VP Canada for Travel Leaders Network.
“But what has happened is that advisors started booking those Cuba clients into more expensive products and destinations, and they ended up actually making more commissions. I’m not belittling the pain they had to go through to rebook those clients, but this was the silver lining we got for not having that Cuba product to sell. I think the agents have been really resilient and done a great job, and I admire them day in and day out.”
Even the industry-disruptive statements from Washington have resulted in a rethink that is reshaping the content and size of the regional conferences/trade shows that TLN operates in Canada in the fall.
The new “Elevate” trade shows will replace the TLN fall regionals with programs that run over the course of two days rather than the current one day. They will be held in Toronto and Vancouver next October. And they address the reluctance by some Canadians to visit the United States at this time.
“Yes, there is a demand for this,” said TLN president Lindsay Pearlman, who noted that the new Elevate events could serve as a “mini-version” of the EDGE conference.
“The Elevates are a go, and have been created in response to a hesitancy by Canadians to attend the EDGE conference in the U.S.,” said James. “This expanded event will provide the opportunity for more networking, more workshops and more speakers.”
“With just one day, there wasn’t enough time for workshops by our supplier partners. Now we can offer that, so the suppliers love the more indepth exposure they will get with our member advisors.”
As for the EDGE International Conference in 2027 – its location is being adjusted away from the United States, and will be held in Cancun next year. It will be presented at the Moon Palace Riviera Maya, May 19 – 22, 2027.
In the photos
TOP PHOTO
Travel advisors pose next to the EDGE sign during the conference opening night reception.
SECOND PHOTO
Lindsay Pearlman, president of Travel Leaders Network, interviews J.D. O’Hara, CEO of Internova Travel Group, during the EDGE conference.
THIRD PHOTO
Canadian advisors met with suppliers and TLN executives during a Canada reception at the conference.
FOURTH PHOTO
Christine James, the VP Canada for Travel Leaders Network, outside the trade show during the EDGE conference.
FIFTH PHOTO
Graeme Franklin of Sunwing Vacations (l.) and Shane Dineen of WestJet Vacations during the EDGE gathering in San Diego.
Photos by Ted Davis
