TORONTO — Travel agents received some good news and a challenge at an Ensemble Extraordinary event at the Estates of Sunnybrook in Toronto earlier this week.

“Last year was the best year in the company’s history,” said Lindsay Pearlman, Co-President of Ensemble Travel Group.

Pearlman also told the assembled group they have a right to ask to be compensated fairly and make a good living at what they do, and encouraged agents to be proactive.

“When people come to conferences like this, only 4% actually leave and do anything with the material, only 4%,” he emphasized. “The reality is you’re busy, the phone’s ringing, you have stuff to do. So here’s the challenge I present to you. You’ve learned a lot today. What I’ll ask is don’t be that average 96%, be the 4%. Take one, two, maybe three things and institute that in your business…”

This week’s event, part of a seven-city cross Canada tour ending at the Oakville Harbour Banquet Centre in Oakville March 4, focused on ‘extraordinary’ destinations and vacation experiences with seminars and more than two dozen suppliers in attendance.

Among them Lindblad Expeditions, Globus and Silversea Cruises.

Cristie Newell, Ensemble Travel Group’s Director of Training & Development, North America, told Travelweek selling luxury travel results in higher earnings for agents and increases the relevance of the travel professional.