Ensemble summit in Québec City highlights growth, new initiatives and member feedback

Ensemble hosted its annual Summit at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, welcoming more than 200 attendees from across North America. 

The three-day program was built around the theme “Reimagine the Future.”

Designed for agency owners, managers and supplier partners, Summit looked at the operational challenges and opportunities of running a travel business. 

Sessions covered air demand, reporting, marketing campaigns and customer engagement.

Redefining Ensemble

Ensemble President Michael Johnson opened the event with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), including newly appointed SVP, Partner Relations, Danny Finkel, sharing an update on Ensemble’s performance over the past year, which included the addition of nearly 55 new member agencies and almost 120 new preferred partners.

Growth has been notable in cruise and sun-and-sand categories. 

Johnson attributed this to changes across technology, marketing, partner engagement and training. 

He noted Ensemble’s ongoing focus on giving members access to tools, training and visibility.

Census Findings

The SLT also shared results from Ensemble’s annual Census, highlighting feedback guiding future priorities and resource allocation.

Highlights included:

· 95% of respondents said community met or exceeded expectations
· 91% said training met or exceeded expectations
· 97% of owner/managers reported considering preferred partners when booking
· 83% said marketing met or exceeded expectations

“The Census is invaluable in helping us understand what’s resonating with our members and where we can focus our efforts to better support their evolving needs,” said Kristina Boyce, SVP, member services.

Programs developed in response include a new Hotel Group Desk and a social media management platform.

Announcements and Industry Engagement

Johnson also announced the renewal of Ensemble’s partnership with Make-A-Wish. Ensemble and its members will aim to grant 14 wishes ahead of Horizons 2026 in Las Vegas. 

The $150,000 USD fundraising goal will be matched by Ensemble’s parent company.

During Summit, members participated in a session to develop wish concepts for two children in the program.

Ensemble has also established partnerships with Northstar’s Travel Weekly, Phocuswright and Skift. 

The event’s keynote, delivered by Jeremy Kressmann, VP at Skift, referenced the 2025 State of Travel Report and looked at destination trends, live sports and entertainment demand and the role of AI in workflow and search.

The Summit concluded with a President’s Circle meeting with top-producing members.

Attendees also participated in select Québec City experiences, including vineyard visits, culinary tours, art walks, e-bikes and a St. Lawrence River zodiac excursion.

Ensemble’s event series includes Horizons (May 2026, Las Vegas), Skyline regional gatherings, Beyond Extraordinary Experiences and Uncharted virtual learning. 

The next Summit will take place Nov. 4–6, 2026 in Mexico.

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