Industry Events

Ensemble Wraps Up Horizons Event, Focused on “The Power of You”

By Newsdesk Sep 26, 2024 3:50pm

Ensemble recently held its annual consortium-wide event, Horizons, at Resorts World Las Vegas from September 16-19. Themed around “The Power of You,” the event convened over 800 attendees, including the network’s owners, managers, advisors and key supplier partners, in an experience designed to inspire, inform and empower professionals across the industry.

A Vision for the Future

In the opening session, Michael Johnson, president of Ensemble, set the tone by sharing Ensemble’s vision for creating a different kind of consortium—one that redefines how consortia can transform the working experiences of thousands of travel advisors. “We are a partner that starts by listening to you, and then uses size, scale, and innovation to develop solutions to real problems. We aren’t trying to be a traditional consortium but are focused on building something different that truly meets the needs of today’s travel advisors in an environment where it’s become more complicated to book travel instead of easier,” Johnson stated. He emphasized that Ensemble is focused on adapting customer-centric strategies to deliver practical, innovative solutions for advisors.

Johnson also referenced what he believes is the Golden Age of the Travel Advisor. “Never before has the power of you been stronger or more compelling,” he declared, highlighting the growing influence and expertise of travel advisors in today’s dynamic landscape. He noted that Ensemble is uniquely positioned to equip advisors with the tools, technology, and support needed to thrive during this pivotal time.

Johnson specifically referenced how Ensemble is helping members capitalize on the growing air market with the launch of its Ensemble Air Concierge platform. According to IATA (International Air Transport Association), air travel grew by 65 percent in 2022 and continues to exceed 2019 levels, with projections to double by 2040. To meet this demand, nearly 4,000 new aircraft will be delivered over the next two years, making air sales an essential revenue stream for advisors. With Ensemble Air Concierge, members refer clients to Ensemble’s air team, who handle the booking and return the itinerary to the advisor, ensuring additional earnings without the hassle.

He also shared insights from a recent network Census aimed at learning about the specific needs and challenges members have and how Ensemble could address them with new products and programs. The results revealed that 20 percent of Ensemble members have been in the travel industry for fewer than six years, while 61 percent have over a decade of experience.

To address the varying needs of these diverse groups, Horizons’ agenda was curated into three tracks, each tailored to different stages of an advisor’s professional journey. The event featured practical sessions for new advisors on booking air and hotel and leveraging Ensemble’s marketing programs, while seasoned advisors were offered insights on leveraging PR and understanding key travel trends such as family travel and “set jetting” that has continued to evolve thanks to popular movies and television shows where the destinations were as much the focus as the cast. Owners and managers also heard from an economist on wealth management and success planning.

There were also opportunities to meet one-on-one with more than 300 key industry partners including AmaWaterways, Accor, Azamara, Crystal, Explora, Hilton, Hyatt, Holland America, Lindblad, Norwegian, Oceania, Regent, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, Silversea, WestJet Vacations, Delta, and many others.

Sneak Peek at Travel Weekly/Phocuswright Industry Survey

In a sneak preview of the annual Travel Weekly/Phocuswright Survey of the travel industry, Weissmann, Editor in Chief of Travel Weekly, joined Ensemble President Michael Johnson for a fireside chat revealing key insights from the survey, which for the first time also included Canadian travel advisors.

This included the top five most important reasons for being a member of a consortium, with respondents highlighting a sense of community, brand recognition, revenue, supplier commissions, and booking tools. The survey also explored why clients choose to book with their preferred travel advisors, with relationships (38 percent) and customer service (30 percent) emerging as the top factors, underscoring the critical role of the human element in travel planning.

Notably, price was the least important reason, cited by only 3 percent of respondents. When asked about the most important features of a travel booking platform, ease of use led the way in both countries (U.S. – 68 percent; CAN – 59 percent); followed by the ability to book multiple services on one platform (U.S. – 13 percent; CAN – 20 percent) and the option to bundle components into one file with markups (U.S. – 8 percent); CAN – 10 percent).

The full report will be published in “Travel Weekly” on November 18.

Weissmann also shared what he sees as the top travel trends including Extreme Travel; Meaningful Travel; and Transformational Travel.

Technology and Tools to Simplify the Booking Process

In keeping with Ensemble’s advantages with its proprietary booking platform, ADX (Agent Digital Experience), there was a session on how the platform has also undergone significant upgrades to ensure it meets its objective of simplifying the booking process while providing enhanced profitability and increased margins. Built by industry professionals, ADX aims to simplify the increasingly complex process of booking travel across multiple platforms. In his opening remarks, Johnson likened Ensemble’s offering to the functionality of an iPhone, with its various programs and products as the apps on the phone that members can use based on their specific needs.

Updates from Ensemble’s Senior Leadership Team

Several members of Ensemble’s Senior Leadership Team provided key updates on new initiatives:

Kristina Boyce, SVP of Operations, focused on the myriad solutions that Ensemble has created since last year’s Horizons event. This includes a new Member Portal that serves as the central hub for everything related to Ensemble. Boyce also shared how Ensemble’s tech stack, anchored by ADX, now includes several other platforms to simplify the booking process. This includes Revelex, featuring a responsive widget that can be integrated directly onto members' websites; Softvoyage, a plug-in widget that enables travelers to view, compare and book a variety of packaged vacations to help drive increased traffic, garner leads and sales to member sites; and Sherpa, which provides important information such as passport and visa requirements, border procedures, health declarations, and much more all in one dashboard. Ensemble also rolled out ClientSites, a new website-building tool for advisors.

Boyce also spoke to the rise in Google searches and media coverage on how to become a travel advisor, noting that the while the profession is often glamorized, the reality is that it is challenging work, often leaving advisors to feel isolated as many said they felt in the Census. In response and to enhance the sense of community among members, Ensemble has launched new Circles community groups focused on niche travel areas such as Adventure, Luxury, Celebrations, and Cruise with plans to introduce others including Pride in the coming months.

Shahla Lalani, SVP of Marketing, announced the launch of a new partnership with Hubspot. Through this partnership advisors will be able to manage client information and marketing campaigns in one integrated CRM platform. Lalani also highlighted the tools and programs that Ensemble offers to support the entire client journey from awareness to advocacy. This includes the Range portfolio, Range Best offering exclusive offers from Ensemble partners, and Ensemble Guides to choose the right cruise or hotel.

Beth Butzlaff, SVP of Partner Relations, provided updates on the revitalized Global Hotel Program, Amenity Program and Hosted Cruise Program, now rebranded as Ensemble Experiences. Butzlaff also announced Ensemble’s new hotel cruise amenity program that will debut in four key port cities of Seattle, Vancouver, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. As part of this program, Ensemble’s clients receive complimentary hotel transfers to the port. Butzlaff noted that bookings in the luxury cruise sector were up 31 percent from last year. She also shared the network’s creation of the Ensemble Member Advisory Partner Panels (EMAPP), which bring together members and partners to address challenges and opportunities in the cruise, hotel and tour sectors.

A Commitment to Social Impact

The opening session included the return of Giles Duley, the founder and CEO of Legacy of War Foundation, alongside Olive Mutetamfura, a survivor of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The session was a follow up to Duley’s story at last year's Horizons event about Mutetamfura’s journey and their bond that led to the establishment of the Land for Women project, a program promoting the economic empowerment of Rwandan women through land ownership and sustainable cooperative farming. This year, through a silent auction, direct donations and matching funds from Navigatr, Ensemble’s parent company, Ensemble raised over $200,000 for a new farm and the Land for Women program—permanently lifting 100 women and their families out of poverty.

Member and Partner Awards

Ensemble recognized members and partners throughout the conference culminating with several awards at a gala event held at Drai’s nightclub on the final night and throughout the event.

Partner Awards

Hotel Collections – Hyatt Inclusive Collection
Hotel Chain – Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Ocean Cruise – Oceania Cruises
River Cruise – AmaWaterways
Expedition Cruise – Silversea Cruises
Luxury Cruise – Explora Journeys
Family Cruise – Royal Caribbean International
Top partner, Land, Canada – WestJet Vacations
Top US Tour Operator – Apple Leisure Group
Top Tour Operator North America – Globus Family of Brands
Travel Insurance USA – Allianz
Travel Insurance Canada – Manulife
DMC (Destination Management Company) – Titanium Tours & Travelive
Adventure partner of the year – G Adventures
Fastest Growing Hotel Partner – Omni Hotels
Top Air Partner – Delta Air Lines
Tourism Board – Jamaica Tourist Board
Overall Partner of the Year – Royal Caribbean

Looking Ahead

Ensemble also announced the lineup for 2025-26:
Uncharted – Virtual event (January 29, 2025)
Uncharted Expo – Virtual expo (February 2025)
Uncharted SE (Summer Edition) (August 20,2025)
Beyond: Elevated Experiences – For top performers – (Summer 2025); Mystery location and experience to be revealed
Summit – For owners/managers – (October 26-29, 2025) at Fairmont Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City
Skyline – Regional events across the United States and Canada
Winnipeg (April 7-8, 2025)
Chicago (April 9-11, 2025)
New York City/Tri-State (April 23-25, 2025)
Ft. Lauderdale (April 28-30, 2025)
Montreal (May 1-2, 2025)
Toronto (May 5-6, 2025)
Edmonton (May 8-9, 2025)
Vancouver (May 12-13, 2025)
Newport Beach/San Diego (May 14-16, 2025)
Horizons – Consortium-wide event (May 4-6, 2026) at Resorts World Las Vegas