Ensemble recently hosted its annual Horizons conference in Las Vegas with more than 800 owners, managers, and advisors, as well as preferred partners, in attendance for the “human centric” extravaganza. It was the first time the entire consortium has been together since an acquisition and rehaul of the brand.
Michael Johnson, President of Ensemble, opened the conference – themed “Level Up” (focusing on the future defined by human expertise and experience and ways to leverage technology, data, and programming to help members grow their businesses amidst evolving challenges) – at Paris Las Vegas by sharing four fundamentals that he said represent the foundation of Ensemble.
Chief among them is a core principle that “people make travel better.” Addressing the threat of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Johnson stated that the time advisors put into their craft from developing their expertise to building relationships with partners and clients is the most valuable and something technology cannot replicate.
“The craft is the advisor’s advantage – the combination of art and science, expertise and empathy that turns a trip into an experience and is the magic that allows travellers to collect memories instead of souvenirs,” he said.
Building on that is the second fundamental that “connections matter,” Johnson emphasized that while other consortia often refer to themselves as the glue, he views Ensemble as an active connection. “Rather than merely sit in the middle, we are a real-life example of an information highway connecting buyers with sellers, connecting agencies with solutions and partners with sales driving opportunities.”
The third core principle is that agencies require business partners rather than mere affiliations. Johnson stressed that Ensemble’s role is to facilitate, but it’s the advisor who “truly makes the magic happen.”
He also highlighted a key distinction between Ensemble and other consortia – a deliberate choice to prioritize the members and their business. “Our primary role is to support our members, standing behind them in a deliberate and quietly effective manner – they are the ones who have spent years building their businesses and nurturing client relationships.”
In line with this philosophy, he noted that Ensemble focuses on providing customizable tools and resources that empower the advisor to take the forefront – not Ensemble itself – offering features like white-label itineraries and customizable marketing options.
In the opening session, Johnson also spoke about a fourth fundamental – that Ensemble can also be a force for good by contributing positively to society. Ensemble has a long history of working with organizations such as the Make-a-Wish Foundation and now as part of Navigatr Group through its myriad relationships with organizations that support the environment, those impacted by war and many others.
In keeping with that ethos to make a positive impact, Ensemble is launching a new giving platform called Spark. Through this program, members can choose from over 2 million charitable causes to support. In addition, Ensemble announced a one-to-one matching program with an initial group of nine charities including Doctors Without Borders, World Central Kitchen, Make-a-Wish Foundation and others. Each agency will have its own dedicated page where they can choose from a range of activities to participate in, create their own branded giving campaigns, and show their support for these organizations.
Best of the Best
The four-day event culminated in a Moulin Rouge themed gala where Ensemble recognized members and partners with awards. Winners included:
Partners
• Partner of the Year/Adventure – Lindblad Expeditions
• Partner of the Year/Tourist Board – Jamaica Tourist Board
• Partner(s) of the Year/DMC – Titanium Tours and Egypt & Beyond
• Partner of the Year/Land – Globus Family of Brands
• Partner of the Year/Ocean Cruise – Viking
• Partner of the Year/River Cruise – AmaWaterways
• Unchartered Award for Best Presentation at Ensemble’s virtual Unchartered event – G Adventures
• Partner of the Year – Celebrity Cruises
Members
• Innovation Award(s) – Larissa Lognay, Groupe Voyage Montreal and Diana Hechler – DTours Travel
• Rising Stars – Megan Duncan, Travel Gurus and Susan Jasnoch, Custom Cruises and Travel
• Member Excellence Award – Goldrush Travel
• Outstanding Commitment to the Travel Community Award – Fareconnect
Looking ahead
Ensemble also unveiled the dates and locations for the 2024 series of annual branded events. This includes:
• March 27 – Unchartered – Ensemble’s virtual event for owners, managers, and advisors where Ensemble partners bring their brand/destination come to life virtually
• April 28-30 – Summit – High-level executive retreat for owners and managers at the Biltmore, Arizona
• June 17-21 – Beyond – Celebrating top performers at Half Moon in Jamaica
• Sept. 16-19 – Horizons – Annual network-wide event at Resorts World Las Vegas