“The Power of You” was a fitting theme for Ensemble’s recent Horizons event, where the consortium’s president Michael Johnson declared current times as nothing less than the ‘golden age of travel advisors.” Taking place in Las Vegas, the Sept. 16-19 event brought together 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.
Johnson 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,” he declared. “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.”
He emphasized that Ensemble is focused on adapting customer-centric strategies, inspired by companies like Apple, to deliver practical, innovative solutions for advisors.
And he enthused: “Never before has the power of you been stronger or more compelling,” as he highlighted the growing influence and expertise of travel advisors in today’s dynamic landscape.
Johnson said Ensemble is uniquely positioned to equip advisors with the tools, technology, and support needed to thrive during this pivotal time, and specifically referenced how Ensemble is helping members capitalize on the growing air market with the launch of its Ensemble Air Concierge platform, which allows members to simply refer clients to Ensemble’s air team, who handle the booking and return the itinerary to the advisor, ensuring a seamless process and 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% of Ensemble members have been in the travel industry for fewer than six years, while 61% 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.
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 Tour Operator North America: Globus Family of Brands
- 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
Future events
Ensemble also announced its events lineup for 2025-26:
Uncharted – Virtual event; Jan. 29, 2025
Uncharted Expo – Virtual expo; Feb. 2025
Uncharted SE (Summer Edition); Aug. 20,2025
Beyond: Elevated Experiences – For top performers – Summer 2025; Mystery location and experience to be revealed.
Summit – For owners/managers – Oct. 26-29, 2025; Fairmont Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City
Skyline – Regional events (Canada dates)
- Winnipeg; April 7-8, 2025
- Montreal; May 1-2, 2025
- Toronto; May 5-6, 2025
- Edmonton; May 8-9, 2025
- Vancouver; May 12-13, 2025
Horizons – Consortium-wide event; May 4-6, 2026; Resorts World Las Vegas
If you enjoyed or found this story useful, we’d appreciate if you would forward it to a colleague or friend who may also enjoy it. If, on the other hand, a friend shared it with you, welcome! You can get all the latest travel news and reviews from Travel Industry by simply clicking HERE.