This week: Ensemble reveals its top performers destination for 2026; Virtuoso wrapped its 2026 Canada Forum; a travel trade portal featuring lesser-known Japanese destinations launched; and a community tourism organization in Nepal is inviting the trade to visit.
Ensemble
With China dropping visa requirements for Canadians, Ensemble couldn’t have picked a better time to announce that its 2026 ‘Beyond Extraordinary Experiences’ event will take place in the Asian nation from Aug. 18 to 26.
The annual program recognizes the network’s top-performing members and coincides with the Year of the Fire Horse, traditionally associated with courage, momentum, and achievement – themes, Ensemble says reflect both the network’s continued transformation and the advisors whose performance earned them a place on the exclusive journey.
Beyond Extraordinary Experiences was established as a distinctive recognition program designed not simply as a reward, but as a shared, high-level experience for those driving the strongest results across the network. It brings together a select group of top-performing advisors, Rising Stars, and key supplier partners for meaningful engagement, cultural immersion, and elevated collaboration in some of the world’s most compelling destinations.
Organized in close collaboration with Century Cruises (banner photo) and the Shanghai, Beijing and Chongqing Tourism Boards, the 2026 Beyond experience will be a three-part exploration of China’s great diversity – from imperial legacy and historic landmarks to dramatic river landscapes and vibrant global cityscapes.
The journey begins in Beijing, where participants will experience the city’s rich historical heritage through exclusive, private-access moments, including a VIP experience at the Great Wall of China and a privately hosted cultural experience within the Temple of Heaven.
Participants then travel to Chongqing to embark on a luxury Yangtze River-Three Gorges sailing with Ensemble’s newest partner, Century Cruises.
The trips concludes in cosmopolitan Shanghai, China’s where participants will explore the city’s celebrated culinary scene, contemporary arts, and dynamic nightlife.
The 2026 program builds on prior Beyond journeys. In 2024, attendees traveled to Paris with VIP access to the French Open at Roland Garros, while the 2025 experience in Tuscany culminated in a private performance by Andrea Bocelli during his 20th-anniversary hometown concert.
Beyond is one of several annual programs hosted by Ensemble, alongside Uncharted, Summit, Skyline, and Horizons, each designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and continued growth across the network.
VIRTUOSO
Virtuoso recently hosted its 2026 Canada Forum at the Fairmont Palliser in Calgary. The event brought together more than 100 attendees, including owners and managers from Virtuoso’s travel agency members in Canada and preferred partners from around the world.
Designed to allow agency management to focus on their business in a new way, Forum offers an exchange of insights and best practices while also fostering meaningful human connections.
The two-day event featured high-impact presentations and professional development sessions, complemented by candid peer-to-peer dialogue and discussions across critical topics shaping the industry, including marketing, technology, generational diversity, economic opportunity, organizational leadership and more.
Canada’s General Manager Karen Hardie opened the event with an overview of the Canadian luxury travel landscape and its outlook for 2026, including projections indicating that global luxury travel is expected to grow 8% over the next four years, with demand for luxury experiences in Canada growing at twice the rate of luxury goods.
Hardie also outlined several key trends shaping the year ahead, including multi-generational travel, authenticity, cultural immersion and nature-based excursions. She closed by addressing the role of travel advisors in Canada and another reason for optimism, citing the 2025 Virtuoso Global Luxury Traveller Report, which found that 33% of affluent Canadian travellers expressed interest in working with a travel advisor in 2026, eight percentage points above the global average.
Executive VP David Kolner shared that in 2025, preferred partner sales among Canadian agencies increased by 9% year over year. Sales grew across all categories, led by tours at 74%, followed by cruise at 33%, hotels at 16% and on‑sites at 5%. Preferred partner ADR (Average Daily Rates) also remained resilient throughout the year, peaking at US$1,870 in December.
JAPAN TRAVEL TRADE PORTAL
Tourism Exchange Japan (TEJ) has launched of Japan Travel Trade Portal, a B2B sales platform the organization says is designed to solve one of Japan’s “most pressing tourism challenges” – directly connecting international travel professionals with high-quality Japanese accommodations and experiences in a way that has not previously existed.
TEJ explains that Japan’s lesser-known regional destinations have long inspired travellers looking to experience an authentic stay apart from high-volume crowds in areas such as Tokyo and Kyoto, though they can pose booking challenges due to language, distribution or operational constraints. The JTTP is designed to change that, making travel to these regions more accessible than ever.
Connected to four major Connected Booking Systems (CBS) in Japan, the platform provides access to 20,000+ accommodations, with an initial focus on high-demand ryokans in major onsen towns and key sightseeing areas. For more remote regions like Kii Peninsula and Niigata Prefecture – rich in local culture, traditions and unique travel opportunities – this means their most distinctive properties can now be sold globally with ease.
Key platform features include:
- 13% Commission Structure: Maximize profit margins with competitive NET pricing
- Live Inventory Access: Real-time availability and instant booking confirmations
- Expanding Network: Growing portfolio of distinctive regional accommodations
- Multilingual Interface: Available in English, French, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese, with automatic translation making Japanese-only properties accessible to international agents
- Direct Invoicing: Streamlined billing with suppliers invoicing travel companies directly
- Special Requirements Support: Including dietary needs (vegan, vegetarian) and accessibility options
- End-to-End Platform: Complete booking, cancellation, and billing management in one system
Support for special dietary needs, assistance with tailored experiences and transparent commission structures are just some of the aspects that further strengthen its appeal. The platform will progressively expand with activities and experience programs added and new regions including Hokuriku, Mt. Fuji area, Nagano, the internationally acclaimed Setouchi region, Kyushu and Okinawa, and other distinctive destinations that showcase Japan’s diverse regional character.
Check it out at https://japantraveltradeportal.jp/?lang=en
Fam trips
Patel, Nepal; photo – Simon Unwin COMMUNITY HOMESTAY (NEPAL)
Nepal-based community tourism trailblazer Community Homestay Network (CHN) is looking to expand its reach via the travel trade in 2026 by announcing two dedicated fam trips for agents and operators.
Departure dates are May 10-19 and Aug. 25-Sept. 01, both offering a chance to experience Nepalese culture and reminding that “meaningful travel is built not on distance covered, but on human connection.”
CHN is looking to expand its travel agent sales and is also collaborating with tour operators looking to add community-centric trip itineraries, homestay accommodation and/or curated day experiences – such as cooking or learning an artisan craft – to their existing portfolios of Nepal tour offerings.
The founder of Community Homestay Network, Shiva Dhakal, says the social enterprise has completed its most successful year in terms of growth and awareness since it began in 2017, and believes its time to turn its attention to evolving trade relationships in 2026.
“There is work to do with both agents and operators in terms of enhancing and changing perceptions of both Nepal and the experiences Community Homestay Network offers travellers. Travelling with us means seeing a completely different side to the country, beyond trekking and climbing, in a way that supports and empowers local people, particularly women, in lesser-known parts of Nepal.
He adds, “Our model is designed for us to co-create community-led interactions that integrate smoothly into established itineraries with existing DMCs, and we also work as a DMC to arrange logistics in the absence of a local supplier.
“CHN is collaborative and flexible in terms of meeting the needs of agents, operators and most importantly, customers, to deliver immersive experiences that ensure local people benefit and travellers take home lifelong memories to share,” says Dhakal.
The trips include:
Stories from our Himalayas (May 10-19, 2026)
- This 10-day journey begins in Kathmandu with a sound bath and welcome dinner at Avata Wellness Center. Fly to Pokhara and travel by jeep to the peaceful Magar village of Narchyang. While there, hike to Upper Narchyang, visit waterfalls, and soak in natural hot springs. Next, travel north into Mustang to explore Jomsom and optionally hike to the remote village of Thini. The following day goes deeper into the high Himalayan culture with a visit to Lubra, home to one of the last remaining Bon monasteries. Returning south, experience the warmth of Gurung hospitality in Hemjakot through a hands-on cooking workshop in the homestay with other local activities. To finish, unwind in Pokhara before flying back to Kathmandu.
Valley of Festivals (Aug. 25-Sept. 01, 2026)
- This eight-day cultural journey begins in Kathmandu with a grounding sound bath and welcome dinner before joining early rising devotees at Swayambhunath the next morning to witness Gunlā, the sacred Newar Buddhist pilgrimage month filled with music, prayer, and processions. From there, the itinerary unfolds across the historic towns and peoples of Patan, Kirtipur, Bhaktapur, and Panauti. Learn to cook momos with local women, try Paubha painting, and visit ancient temples during Janai Purnima, the Hindu festival of renewal. In Bhaktapur, experience the playful, satirical, and emotionally powerful Gai Jatra celebration. A tuk-tuk ride to Namobuddha and a village hike add a gentle outdoor element, and your final evening includes a community reflection session over a shared meal.
Applications of interest for the two fam trips can be made at this link by Feb. 27, 2026
For more information, visit https://communityhomestay.com or via email at info@communityhomestay.com.
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