ACTA opens applications for inaugural Aurora expedition; Avalon River Cruise Summit returns

ACTA has announced a first-of-its-kind educational expedition experience in partnership with Aurora Expeditions.

The unique professional development opportunity will take place June 9–16, 2026, aboard the Sylvia Earle, sailing through Iceland’s Westfjords region.

Designed for ACTA member travel advisors seeking deeper knowledge and hands-on training, this experiential learning opportunity will be limited to just 30 participants.

A professional development participation fee of USD $3,250 per person, based on double occupancy, will be payable directly to Aurora Expeditions to cover voyage-related costs, following the itinerary available here.

Interested members can apply here. Airfare is not included. However, ACTA is working with airline partners to secure discounted rates. Flight saving details will be shared upon acceptance.

The application deadline is Friday, April 9, 2026. Successful applicants will be notified on April 15, 2026.

Avalon River Cruise summit returns

The Avalon Waterways European River Cruise Summit, in partnership with ACTA, will also return for its fourth year in 2026.

“River cruising continues to see strong demand among clients seeking immersive, making product knowledge and firsthand learning increasingly important for travel advisors seeking to strengthen their expertise in this growing sector,” ACTA said in a release.

See PAX’s on-location video report from last year’s river summit here.

Through ACTA’s long-standing partnership with Avalon, ACTA member travel advisors continue to benefit from immersive professional development opportunities designed to build confidence and deepen product knowledge in river cruising.

This year, the European River Cruise Summit will take place on November 14-21, 2026, along the Danube River, through an eight-day onboard education program and river cruise itinerary, from Nuremberg to Budapest.

Designed as an intimate and immersive learning opportunity, participation is limited to 120 ACTA member travel advisors.

A participation fee of $1,300 CAD per person, based on double occupancy, will be payable directly to Avalon Waterways to cover program costs.

Airfare is not included, but again, ACTA is working with airline partners to secure discounted rates. Flight saving details will be shared upon acceptance. Applications close on April 17, 2026.

For more information and to apply, visit this link.

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