TORONTO — As the saying goes, ‘if you build it, they will come’ – and travel advisors came out in droves from across the country for Travel Leaders Network’s ELEVATE Canada conference in Toronto.
Taking place Oct. 28-29 at the Toronto Pearson Convention Centre, the two-day conference – which also included a stop in Vancouver on Oct. 20–21 – marks an expansion of TLN’s popular one-day Regional events, which for years have been held in Vancouver, Toronto and either Edmonton or Calgary.
According to Lindsay Pearlman, President of Travel Leaders Network, the decision to re-format the Regionals was a gamble – but it paid off. Toronto’s ELEVATE conference recorded 240 registrations with additional walk-ins and more than 101 supplier partners, bringing total attendance to nearly 350. Vancouver welcomed 175 attendees and approximately 65-70 suppliers. Both events set attendance records.
“We recognized that Canadians as a whole weren’t comfortable travelling to the U.S. for whatever reason. So, the whole idea was to bring our messaging to them,” he said during a media briefing on day two of the Toronto conference. “We questioned whether our members would be receptive to the change and whether supplier partners would believe and invest in it. But the results have been phenomenal – you walk into any room and it’s completely full.”
Christine James, Vice President, Canada at Travel Leaders Network, who spoke with Travelweek separately about her final day at the company ahead of her retirement, echoed those sentiments, adding she’s seen travel advisors attend from as far away as Alberta and Prince Edward Island.
“People are really absorbing everything. You look around the room at every general session and no one’s talking – they’re really focusing, taking screenshots. It’s just heartwarming to see that kind of engagement, especially at an inaugural event,” she said.
Both Pearlman and Jamed noted that ELEVATE’s success does not detract from the popularity of Travel Leaders Network’s annual international conference, EDGE, which next year takes place in Cancun from May 19-22. Registration opened two weeks ago, with attendance already nearly sold out.
Christine James getting her flowers on stage from Lindsay Pearlman at the company’s ELEVATE Canada Toronto conference, Oct. 29 — Credit Sana Keller
2027 FORECAST: A STRONG YEAR
Looking ahead, Travel Leaders Network is encouraged by the pace of advance bookings. James said future bookings for 2027 in the mass-market segment are beyond single-digit growth and approaching double digits.
The booking window is also lengthening. The average window for mass-market bookings has extended to approximately four or five months, James said, with more clients booking further ahead. That trend is giving agencies greater visibility into the year ahead.
Pearlman said the company’s Canadian volume is expected to end 2026 about 10% above last year. Rather than cancelling trips due to any number of reasons, from Cuba’s shutdown to the continued downturn in U.S.-bound tourism, many Canadians are redirecting their spending to other destinations.
“Canadians are spending a profit,” Pearlman said, referring to the continued growth in travel spending despite the shift in destinations. “They’re going to the Caribbean, Mexico, Spain, Portugal and some areas in South America. They’re not going to Florida for three or four weeks – they’re instead going to Costa Rica for two. It may even cost them more money but they’re still going.”
Lunch at ELEVATE Canada in Toronto at Pearson Convention Centre — Credit Sana Keller
LUXURY AND CRUISE KEEP GROWING
Higher travel costs have not stopped consumers from spending, particularly at the luxury end of the market. Pearlman said luxury is growing at a double-digit rate, while the larger contemporary segment is growing in single digits.
“Luxury is the tip of the spear,” he said. “It’s growing bigger than any other segment.”
Although luxury represents a smaller share of the overall market, Pearlman said its growth suggests consumers with the means to travel are continuing to spend, even in an uncomfortable economic environment.
Cruise is another bright spot. Megan Wollak, Senior Vice President, Member Services, said the North American cruise market is up double digits for 2027, with business building well across luxury, premium and contemporary cruising. She added that contemporary cruise pricing has remained firm, with year-over-year adjustments of approximately 3–5%.
Pearlman also pointed to strong demand for contemporary cruise, interest in superyachts and Norwegian Cruise Line’s recently reported yields coming in higher than expected.
HEADWINDS: AIR PRICES, CUBA AND U.S. SLOWDOWN
It’s been a volatile year in travel to say the least. Higher fuel costs and airline capacity adjustments are contributing to pressure on airfares. Pearlman pointed to ongoing adjustments across the airline industry as one factor behind rising fares. “You’re already starting to see they’re realigning routes, they’re taking some inventory out. What does that do? That raises the price,” he said. While he doesn’t believe current cost levels are sustainable indefinitely, he cautioned that these market conditions could persist for another “two or three years.”
Shifting travel patterns are also reshaping where Canadians are spending their vacation dollars. James said the shift in bookings has helped offset some of the impact of losing Cuba, as travellers who can afford to pay more are choosing alternative sun destinations.
“The sun-and-sand market is huge so we were really concerned when Cuba basically shut down. But what we’re seeing is that sales to the DR and Mexico have gone up. The good thing about that is the price point is higher for the clients who can afford the additional investment. So, what we’re seeing is that revenue is going up, even though we’ve lost Cuba completely,” she said.
James also noted that Canadian travel to the U.S. remains below previous levels, although the numbers have been rising month by month. “Compared with last year, the Statistics Canada numbers show that U.S. travel has been increasing month by month this year. It hasn’t recovered to previous levels, though. It’s still down about 20–25% compared with where it was before January,” she said.
She emphasized that U.S. destination partners remain committed to the Canadian market, with several attending the ELEVATE event in Toronto. ““They’re still optimistic that travel from Canada to the U.S. will turn around. It’s not going to happen tomorrow, but they remain very committed to the Canadian market.”
Travel Leaders Network’s Lindsay Pearlman (far left) and Megan Wollak (2nd from right) pose with travel advisors at ELEVATE Canada in Toronto, Oct. 29
NEW ADVISOR PLATFORM
Technology is also getting an upgrade, with Travel Leaders Network rolling out new tools designed to help agencies work smarter and keep more business in-house.
Announced yesterday, AdvisorOS is a new platform launching Nov. 2 that evolved from AgentMate, the company’s long-running front-, mid- and back-office accounting and CRM application.
The platform brings agency management, booking and client engagement tools into a more connected experience. Features include enhanced sales reporting and business intelligence, centralized client profiles, customizable communications and reminders, improved invoicing, secure electronic authorizations and a redesigned dashboard. It will also provide integrated access to TLN’s SNAP and Cruise Complete booking platforms.
Pearlman said TLN has been taking a measured approach to the rollout, drawing on lessons learned from previous technology launches.
“It’s not like we’re throwing out the old system and simply switching on a new one. It’s an evolution of the existing platform. We’ll continue to support the current system and help train our members on the features of the new one,” he said.
Existing users will retain their current functionality, workflows and login credentials. The transition will also be supported by webinars, training resources and dedicated member support to help advisors adjust to the new platform.
AdvisorOS is designed to evolve, with its first vendor integration, Project Expedition, planned for late November. Additional integrations and AI-driven capabilities are expected in 2027 and beyond.
SNAP (Simple Navigation Advisor Platform) is another example of the network’s focus on adoption and support. First launched in Canada in July 2024 for hotel and car rental bookings only, the platform has since expanded to include an air component, a longstanding pain point for travel advisors.
“If you asked the room how many advisors have sent their customers elsewhere to book air because they were uncomfortable booking it themselves, 90% of them would raise their hands,” said Lauren Spinks, Director, Sales of SNAP.
“Reasons why include there’s no money in it and there’s no support. But now we have commissionable air through SNAP, along with commissionable hotels and cars, plus advisors are supported throughout the process. I can’t take all the pain out of air – weather and mechanical issues are still going to happen – but we can take some of it out.”
Spinks added that programs like SNAP are designed to help advisors own the journey and keep all of the revenue themselves.
According to Pearlman, the company will apply the same approach to AdvisorOS, pairing the technology with education and hands-on assistance to help members make the most of the new platform.
Travelweek sat down with Christine James at ELEVATE Canada in Toronto, ahead of her final day at Travel Leaders Network on Oct. 30 and her retirement after 27 years with the company. To read the interview, click here.
Lead image caption: Travel Leaders Network’s President Lindsay Pearlman, Senior Vice President, Member Services Megan Wollak, and Vice President–Canada Christine James at the company’s ELEVATE Canada conference in Toronto, Oct. 29
