THE FOSTER FILES

By Mike Foster/ As we dive deeper into the themes introduced in my last column (and series opener), I want to share a practical vision of the near future. We are standing at a crossroads: AI is already part of our daily lives, and by 2026 it will be far more ubiquitous in the workflows of travel professionals. 

In 2026 Ethan had decided to stop trying to be everything to everyone. He built a narrow lane – small-ship and rail journeys for active, mid-life couples – and promised himself two things: to keep learning and to use technology only when it served his judgement. Twelve months later he’s busier, calmer, and clearer than ever.

By Mike Foster/ If you’ve been in the travel industry long enough, you know what it feels like to carry out a role that keeps growing in every direction. One moment you’re unravelling a schedule change, then answering a late-night text, then explaining a loyalty perk, then reviewing cancellation terms, then sourcing a boutique hotel that still has the right room type in the right week.

By Mike Foster/ If you’ve been in travel long enough, you’ve probably dreamed of the “perfect sale.” Mine? One delightful human who buys the same $10-million trip every year, loves every minute, and never needs me to leave a bottle of cheap wine in the room. At a 15% commission, I’m good with one sale a year. Easy, right? 

By Mike Foster/   After nearly five decades in the travel industry, I’ve learned that sometimes the most profitable word in your vocabulary is “no.” But it took me years to understand that saying no to the wrong opportunities isn’t limiting your business – it’s focusing it. 

Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees … I joined the travel industry almost 48 years ago when I started at Fanshawe College in London, Ont., yet my journey’s biggest lessons hit me in the few months since I retired (at the end of 2024).