SAINT-SAUVEUR, QC — At Uniglobe Travel (Canada)’s annual conference this past weekend, collaboration and partnership took centre stage as travel agents and top suppliers came together to tackle challenges that agents face every day.

From navigating changing travel patterns to finding the best ways to serve clients, informative sessions and panel discussions focused on practical solutions, open dialogue and sharing insights. The event, held from Oct. 24-26 in Saint-Sauveur, Quebec offered a unique opportunity for Uniglobe agents to ask the questions that matter most and for suppliers to respond with strategies and innovations to help agencies thrive in a shifting travel landscape.

“Every one of our agencies is an independent business. They operate uniquely differently, with different locations and customers,” Regional President Dean Dacko tells Travelweek. “What these events provide is an opportunity to get together and share ideas, experiences and knowledge. We try to get together multiple times throughout the year but this is the main event – it’s a fabulous time.”

YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED

During a Corporate Airlines breakout session, one agent asked Karen Acs, Senior Manager, Regional Sales at Air Canada, whether flight passes will soon be available on AC Connex, Air Canada’s free desktop booking tool designed for agencies. Garnering a round of applause, Acs confirmed that the function is expected to be put in place by the end of November. “It’s a phased-in process right now. A link will take you directly to the flight pass platform. We eventually want to integrate this in its entirety as a feature of AC Connex, but at this time, when signing into the tool, you’ll simply click on the flight task link where you’ll be able to enter the passenger’s name and Aeroplan. It will then present you with only the flight passes associated for the routing you’re looking for,” said Acs.

Another agent asked Acs about the airline’s AI solutions for rebooking connections, noting inconsistencies between system suggestions and availability in Sabre. Acs highlighted the importance of combining technology with human oversight. “The best way you can leverage the technology is to have the magical combination of a human checking it out,” she said. Acs explained that AI tools scan multiple layers of scheduling hierarchy but emphasized that agents or call centres can still intervene to secure better connections. “It will always have to be in harmony,” she said.

At a Leisure Travel breakout session, one agent asked Sevi Anagnostis, Key Account Manager at WestJet Vacations, whether recent hiring and training issues that have been plaguing the company’s call centre have been resolved. According to Anagnostis, the situation is now under control, with about 20 new agents brought over from the airline arm in the last three weeks. “The reality is it’s really difficult to find agents, train them and retain them. So, it’s great that this group from the airline side wanted to come over because they at least understand the industry. Now, they just need some time to get up to speed on the leisure side of the business,” she said.

Sevi also fielded a question about group booking capabilities, confirming that WestJet Vacations will be launching an instant quote tool in the first quarter of 2026. “Right now, obviously quotes are done manually but we’re slowly starting to build up. We’re very excited about groups – we just need a bit more time to get there, but we’ll get there.”

The Leisure Travel panel (from l-r) – Brent Carnegie, Canlink Travel; Sevi Anagnostis, WestJet Vacations, Beata Kaminski, Expedia TAAP; and Rob Pugliese, Collette

NDC ADOPTION: “WE NEED TO EMBRACE IT”

Airline panelists highlighted the growing adoption of NDC across global carriers and the impact it will have on air travel. Air Canada’s Acs said that the airline is “already there” in terms of NDC, having recently announced GDS Apollo coming on board. She also noted that the airline will be “sunsetting” aircanada.com/agents, “a platform you’re familiar with and probably log onto every day” but one that regularly crashes as it’s powered by 20-year-old technology.  “We will be transitioning to Air Canada Connex, an NDC platform with modern technology and new functionality and improvements being added every week.” Acs also encouraged agents to provide feedback about the new platform so that Air Canada can better support them.

Mason Spencer, Account Executive-Canada at Air New Zealand, described the airline’s cautious approach to NDC so far, observing market developments before selecting an aggregator. “We haven’t yet chosen an aggregator on that front, but that will be coming into place next year,” he said. Similarly, Annique Slowey, Key Account Manager, Commercial at WestJet confirmed plans to roll out NDC in mid-2026 with Accelya as its provider and noted the airline is currently testing with select partners.

Daryl Herbert, Agency Support, Manager at Uniglobe Travel (Canada) underscored the inevitability of NDC adoption and cautioned agents to not be left behind. “By 2030, almost 95% of your business is going to be through NDC. I know it’s been contentious and that there’s resistance – change can be difficult. But we need to embrace it, otherwise we’ll be at a competitive disadvantage.”

IMPROVING ON-TIME METRICS

Airline partners also emphasised the role of technology in improving customer experience and operational reliability. Acs explained that Air Canada is using advanced tools and AI to better understand customer needs and manage its network. She highlighted an internal program called ECX (Elevating the Customer Experience), which focuses on monitoring on-time performance and other metrics, noting that realistic connection times improve passenger satisfaction and reduce costs related to irregular operations. “We’ve actually widened the space between some of our connections and are now offering realistic connections that work. It saves our passengers money and time,” she said.

Air New Zealand’s Spencer highlighted the airline’s cultural approach to service, centred on hospitality and treating passengers like family. “Manaakitanga, which means hospitality, is a massive part of who are and what we do,” he said. Spencer also noted the airline’s push to become a leading digital airline, with the recent promotion of Chief Digital Officer Nikhil Ravishankar to the role of CEO.

Stacey Nishikawa of United Airlines shared examples of technology-driven solutions, including the airline’s Connection Saver tool, which saved 725,000 passenger connections in 2024. “It takes the decision out of the gate agent’s hands to hold the flight for connecting passengers,” she explained. United has also invested in curbside baggage drop, digital check-in and app features that show gate-to-gate directions and provide proactive updates during delays.

WestJet’s Slowey described similar efforts to reduce friction and enhance the guest experience. She described a tool that identifies passengers at risk of missing connections and rebooks them automatically on partner airlines if necessary. “Whereas that used to take manual intervention, now it’s system led, and then it’s just a quick check if that’s the right thing for our guest,” she said.

AGENT TOOLS & SERVICES

There is no shortage of tools and services that travel agents can use to better serve their clients, said the airline panelists. United’s Nishikawa highlighted both current and upcoming tools, including a new group booking tool in 2026 and the Jetstream agency portal, which allows agents to track ticket status and manage exchanges. She also noted the airline’s Executive Desk, available 24/7 for agent support.

Slowey described multiple resources for agents, including WestJet’s travel agency resource site, self-serve waivers, a self-coding group tool and tools to manage irregular operations. She emphasised the importance of subscribing to communications for real-time updates and highlighted the WestJet agent portal, which offers training modules for new hires. “Plus, we’ve made a lot of changes to WestJet Rewards. If you subscribe to our communications, you would’ve heard that we’re running through to Oct. 31 a contest to win Gold status for a year,” she said.

Spencer noted ongoing engagement initiatives, such as Air New Zealand’s Airline of the Month promotions with Uniglobe and the expansion of its North America sales support team. “When you call, you speak to real people. We know that 35% of our bookings are from the trade – it’s a massive part of our business not only to New Zealand, but to Australia and the Pacific Islands, too,” he said.

Acs noted that Air Canada’s Agent Reference pages are in the process of being completely revamped on Air Canada Connex to be “more logical, easier to manage and make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for.” Here, agents can download PDF guides, find links to Air Canada’s group platform and open a sales support case. Acs also praised Air Canada’s sales support teams in Toronto and Montreal who work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., covering coast-to-coast work hours. “You’ll notice your answers are usually coming from the same support agent, and our turnaround time has greatly improved,” she said.

LEISURE TRAVEL: SHIFTING TRAVEL PREFERENCES

During a Leisure Travel breakout session, top tour operator partners noted significant changes in travel patterns, particularly amid reduced demand for the United States. WestJet Vacations’ Anagnostis said U.S. travel has dropped by 50%-55%, resulting in a pivot toward sun destinations. “Cancun is definitely the number one destination right now, number two is Puerto Vallarta, followed by Punta Cana, Huatulco and Montego Bay,” she said. She also noted that the changing market has allowed new destinations like Tepic and Panama City to be added.

Robert Pugliese, Strategic Partnerships Manager at Collette, commented on trends in the guided tour sector, noting a shift from traditional European favourites to longer, higher-ticket destinations. “The three I’s – Italy, Iceland and Ireland – have switched over to the three A’s: Australia, Africa and Asia,” he said. “Current trends tend to be these higher ticket items and longer tours. Snowbirds that would have typically gone to Florida or Las Vegas are now choosing to stay a month down south or take a long, extended tour.”

Brent Carnegie, Vice President of Canlink Travel, reinforced that although U.S. tourism is softening, travellers are still active and seeking alternatives. He cited the Caribbean as a key growth area, noting expanded flight options and capacity. Using Nassau as an example, he said: “We’ve gone from 26 flights a week across Canada to 41 this year. WestJet has doubled its capacity out of Calgary from one flight to two, and gone from seven flights to nine out of Toronto. We’ve also added Porter Airlines for the first time, flying out of Toronto. So, you have a lot more options to offer three-, four- or even 11-night programs to your clients, who no longer have to stay overnight in Toronto, necessarily.”

EMERGING TRENDS IN LEISURE

Leisure travel panelists discussed how vacation preferences are shifting across demographics, from luxury seekers to multi-generational families and eco-conscious travellers. Carnegie noted a strong post-COVID interest in higher-end travel. “There’s been a real shift towards people saying, ‘You know what, I deserve this. I’m going to do something a little bit higher scale,’” he said, highlighting opportunities for agents to offer premium accommodations, upgrades and luxury experiences.

Anagnostis highlighted the rise of multi-generational family travel and the importance of providing options for different budgets and trip lengths. Noting a wide variety of properties that have one-, two- and three-bedroom units for families, she also emphasized an increased demand for pickleball. “Travellers want to know how easy it is to find properties with pickleball courts and tournaments, which is why we’re coming out with this information in our next Collection,” she said.

Pugliese observed similar shifts, particularly among retirees and families seeking authentic experiences. “People are looking for experiences that break the mold of travel,” he said, giving examples such as home-hosted meals on safaris or community-focused excursions in Italy and Morocco. “All these experiences are being built into tours, which is really moving the needle on authenticity.”

ON THE TRADE SHOW FLOOR

In addition to breakout sessions and panel discussions, Uniglobe Travel (Canada)’s weekend conference also included a trade show featuring over 50 booths and 73 suppliers. Agents had the chance to win various prizes, including car rentals with Auto Europe and Avis Budget Group, roundtrip air tickets with Bermudair, $500 vouchers from Delta Air Lines, a two-night stay at The Royal at Atlantis courtesy of Nassau & Paradise Island, rewards points and gift cards from Colette, British Airways and Porter Airlines, and much more. Title sponsors of the weekend conference were WestJet and WestJet Vacations.

Following the trade show was an awards gala where Uniglobe Travel (Canada)’s top agents and agencies were honoured. For a complete list of Gold Award winners, click here.

Check out more photos from the weekend!

Now our award winners…