Ensemble: Aviate, Bourdain on the menu

It was a much-talked-about start to Day Two of Ensemble’s international conference, which is currently hosting hundreds of members, travel suppliers and executives from the U.S and Canada to participate in a week-long program of informative workshops, trade shows and receptions.

At Sunday morning’s opening session, Ensemble Travel Group co-presidents Lindsay Pearlman and Libbie Rice announced several “points of differentiation” this year to the approximately 900 members in attendance, including new initiatives in air, cruise, technology, marketing and business development.

Among the new initiatives is Aviate — a newly-developed global ticketing platform, a guaranteed hosted cruise departure program with an elite excursions series, a web-based itinerary builder tool called MyTripRoute, as well as the Ensemble Affiliate Division, a non-shareholder membership option for smaller, niche-driven travel agencies.

The new initiatives fall in line with this year’s Ensemble theme — “Beyond Boundaries.” While many Ensemble members broke boundaries last year after turning high profits (2014 was a “record year” in profit-sharing, noted Rice), the organization's latest tools have turned the focus towards how members can participate in markets worldwide.

“The next strategy is a global one,” said Pearlman at a press conference Monday afternoon, crediting Ensemble’s success in North Americanizing their operations, a cost-saving strategy that began roughly five years ago.

A major part of Ensemble’s global strategy includes the company’s investment in Australia and New Zealand, which is what originally drove the development of its new user-friendly ticketing platform, Aviate, which allows members to house their own air agreements and maximize commission levels, among other benefits.

The platform, which Ensemble owns, was originally designed for members in the Australia and New Zealand regions, until developers realized it had potential to reach further and leverage Ensemble’s global infrastructure.

“It will have significant impact on our business,” said Pearlman of Aviate, which is currently in beta testing. “We had a decent air program [but] we didn’t have a great air program. Until now.”

That could mean the push for future expansion into markets such as Asia, said Pearlman, but for now the member-owned organization is focused on executing the plans it currently has in place.

“Things are more than good,” said Pearlman.

Bourdain serves up keynote

“The more we walk in someone else's shoes for a while to see how others live, the world will, I hope, be a better place,” said TV host, author and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, who delivered the keynote address at the conference.

Taking the stage in the National Ballroom of the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate in front of nearly 1,000 excited travel pros, Bourdain, a professional globetrotter, detailed how travel has changed him and his attitude towards the world.

With a knack for storytelling and possessing the charm of George Clooney, the New York City-native wasted no time cutting to the chase: “Be grateful that you’re even able to travel,’’ said Bourdain, noting the “shocking” number of Americans who don’t have passports and haven’t travelled outside of the country.

Bourdain is the face of CNN’s Emmy-winning food and travel show Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, which is devoted to uncovering the cultures and cuisines within lesser known destinations. From unearthing the hip-hop scene in Libya to dining on Persian food at private homes in Iran to exploring the mysteries of the Congo, Bourdain and his production crew leave no stone unturned.

His tips on being a better traveller? “Eat and drink whatever is offered to you,” said Bourdain, emphasizing how food — even strange food — can tell a story about a region or culture. Vegetarians and gluten-free dieters need not apply, hinted the television host, urging folks to let go of whatever comfortable diets they maintain at home and take a chance on local fare.

“What is the worst thing that could happen? A little extra time on the thunder bucket? C’mon people!” Bourdain exclaimed, generating bursts of laughter from the audience.

Despite his reputation for being a “culinary bad boy," Bourdain emphasized the importance of being polite while on the road —especially to professional service people. “If we go out for dinner together and you’re mean to your waiter, you’re pretty much dead to me. We’re not going to be friends,” said Bourdain.

Bourdain also frowned on over-planning trips. “People go to Paris and Rome with heavy itineraries…this is completely counterintuitive. Have a misadventure…eat crusty french bread. Sit in a cafe. Have sex with someone inappropriate. Let things go gloriously wrong!” he said.

Stay tuned as PAX brings you more on-location coverage from Ensemble all week long.