Ensemble hosted its annual Summit at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Quebec City, welcoming more than 200 attendees from across North America for three days of learning, leadership, and collaboration under the theme “Reimagine the Future.”
Designed exclusively for agency owners and managers as well as top supplier partners, Summit focused on the challenges and opportunities unique to running a modern travel business. The agenda explored everything from leveraging the surge in air demand to reimagining reporting, marketing campaigns, and customer engagement; providing attendees with actionable strategies to drive performance and profitability.
Ensemble President Michael Johnson opened the event alongside the senior leadership team (SLT) including the newly appointed SVP, Partner Relations, Danny Finkel, with a brief update on Ensemble’s strong performance and continued growth over the past year, including the addition of nearly 55 new member agencies and nearly 120 new preferred partners.
This growth has been particularly notable in the cruise and sun and sand categories, where Ensemble now holds a market leadership position. Johnson attributed this to the consortium’s complete transformation across all disciplines from technology and marketing to partner engagement and training/development. He also reinforced Ensemble’s purpose and mission to equip members with the tools, training, and visibility they need to thrive.
At the heart of Ensemble’s approach is a clear vision of what a modern consortium should be: a true partner in helping members build stronger brands and more profitable businesses. Through innovative marketing, integrated infrastructure, scalable platforms, and strategic partnerships and programs, Ensemble is delivering on that promise. With continued focus on growth and a disciplined approach to how it channels business, the organization is poised to take another significant step forward in the year ahead.
During the opening session, members of the SLT shared results from Ensemble’s annual Census, highlighting feedback that is helping shape future priorities and guide investments in the programs and resources that matter most to members.
Highlights included:
- 95 percent of respondents stated that the community at Ensemble met or exceeded expectations.
- 91 percent of respondents said Ensemble’s training met or exceeded expectations.
- 97 percent of owner/managers reported considering Ensemble preferred partners when booking, citing profit share potential and higher commissions as key motivators.
- 83 percent said the marketing met or exceeded expectations with the award-winning Range Travel portfolio among the most popular tools for members.
- Members most described Ensemble as supportive, forward-thinking, and community-centric aligning perfectly with the organization’s core pillars.
“The Census is invaluable in helping us understand what’s resonating with our members and where we can focus our efforts to better support their evolving needs,” said Kristina Boyce, SVP, member services. “It validates that we’re on the right path while also pinpointing where continued investment will deliver the greatest value ensuring our programs and resources drive meaningful impact for our members and their businesses.”
To that point, new programs specifically created in response to feedback from the Census included a new Hotel Group Desk to streamline the process for members sourcing for larger groups as well as a new social media management platform to help members enhance their online presence.
Johnson also announced the renewal of Ensemble’s partnership with Make-A-Wish, originally established in 2010. Together, Ensemble and its members will aim to grant 14 wishes including seven each in the U.S. and Canada in advance of Horizons 2026, the consortium’s annual gathering to be held May 4–6, 2026, in Las Vegas.
The fundraising target of $150,000 will be matched dollar-for-dollar by Ensemble’s parent company effectively doubling the impact.
During Summit, members engaged in a session where teams designed creative wish experiences for two children in the program marking a heartfelt and inspiring start to the campaign.
As part of Ensemble’s continued transformation, Johnson emphasized the importance of building relationships with the most influential voices shaping the travel industry. Ensemble has forged strategic partnerships with leading media and research organizations including Northstar’s Travel Weekly, Phocuswright, and Skift to help contribute to the broader industry conversation.
The event’s keynote, delivered by Jeremy Kressmann, VP of Skift, drew on insights from Skift’s 2025 State of Travel Report to explore the evolving travel landscape and its implications for the advisor community. Kressmann examined the impact of geopolitical events on destination trends, the growing role of live sports and entertainment as travel drivers, and the opportunities and challenges presented by AI, particularly how it is reshaping both workflow efficiency and the search for information.
The Summit concluded with a meeting of the President’s Circle, an executive-level strategic discussion with the network's top members (by production) aimed at driving tighter control of supply programs and increased sales through Ensemble programming.
Attendees also had the opportunity to immerse themselves in Québec City’s charm through a selection of curated experiences including vineyard visits, culinary tours, an art walk, e-bike explorations a St. Lawrence River zodiac excursion, and more reflecting the diversity and personalization that define Ensemble’s approach to live events.
The Summit is part of Ensemble’s award-winning series of events that foster learning, collaboration and recognition across its network including Horizons—consortium-wide annual event (May 2026, Las Vegas); Skyline—regional gatherings across the U.S. and Canada; Beyond Extraordinary Experiences—exclusive once-in-a-lifetime experiences for top performers; and Uncharted, the virtual learning series. The next Summit will be held from November 4–6, 2026, in Mexico.
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