On Location: Ensemble closes Horizons 2026 with glitz, awards & a look ahead

Ensemble Horizons 2026 closed Wednesday (May 7) with sessions focused on travel insurance and expedition travel, before ending with a high-energy awards party at Zouk Nightclub & Ayu Dayclub at Resorts World Las Vegas.

PAX is on location at the conference this week, where nearly 1,000 members and partners gathered for executive updates, supplier presentations, education sessions and networking events focused on growing advisor businesses. 

Sessions spotlight risk, purpose and advisor value 

One of the morning’s most practical sessions focused on travel insurance and the growing number of global disruptions affecting travellers.

Panelists from Allianz, Northstar Travel, Manulife and Travel Guard discussed everything from geopolitical instability and weather events to rising claims volumes and increasingly complex policies, while stressing the importance of advisors confidently positioning insurance as part of the overall travel experience.

“I would challenge advisors that don't have a great routine when it comes to selling travel insurance, that you're almost protecting memories,” said Andrew Hallfrisch, owner, Northstar Travel. 

“If something bad happens on a trip, your clients are going to remember that. If they don't have insurance, they're only going to remember the negative things that happened.”

At lunch, attendees heard from a panel tied to Kensington’s partnership with the Explorers Club and the company’s growing focus on expedition-style travel.

The discussion explored the intersection of luxury travel, conservation and storytelling, with panelists arguing that today’s affluent travellers increasingly want meaningful, transformative experiences rather than traditional sightseeing itineraries.

Neil Bateman, Kensington’s head of expeditions, said many expedition clients are multi-generational travellers looking for “legacy trips” they can share with family.

“These are grandparents and parents who have travelled extensively, and they want to go on a legacy trip,” Bateman said. 

“They want a story to tell. They want a unique experience to share with their nearest and dearest”

The panel also touched on the growing demand for travel tied to sustainability and conservation.

Natalie Cash of the Wildlife Conservation Society said that thoughtfully planned tourism can directly support wildlife protection and local communities.

“Travel done thoughtfully, purpose driven — that is conservation in action,” Cash said. 

“You see that the funds and the revenue from sustainable and responsible tourism get reinvested into the communities.”

Canadian advisors reflect on Horizons 2026 and travel trends

For Canadian advisors attending Horizons, the conference reinforced both the opportunities and pressures shaping the industry right now.

Darci Murray, founder of Hooked, said one of the biggest benefits of the conference was the ability to connect directly with suppliers and hear about emerging trends.

“It’s always great to sit down with suppliers and just learn what’s new,” Murray told PAX.

Murray said one session that stood out for her focused on solo female travel.

“It was really interesting to hear the statistics on that and how it’s a rising area,” she said.

Speaking to broader travel trends, she also said booking patterns continue to shift as travellers remain cautious amid ongoing disruption across the industry.

“People are booking way later. They’re so last-minute,” Murray said. 

“A trip that you would expect people to book six to nine months in advance is now three months. People just want to feel that they’re actually going to go, because there have been so many disruptions.”

Murray added that Canadian demand patterns are continuing to evolve.

“Most Canadians still aren’t going into the States, but a lot more are going to Europe,” she said.

She also said the conference’s recurring conversations around purposeful travel mirrored what she’s seeing with clients.

“They’ve been talking a lot about meaningful travel at this conference, and I’m seeing that too,” Murray said.

Chris Rollinson, co-president and general manager of Escapes.ca, said his agency continues to see strong demand for all-inclusive vacations, particularly in Mexico.

“Cuba was very popular for us,” Rollinson told PAX. 

“We get messages from our Cuba regulars asking when things are going to be open for us. Mexico has always been our top seller, but even more so for this fall and winter.”

“There’s definitely an overall increase in the all-inclusive market as well,” he added.

Rollinson also said cruise demand is growing, even for agencies that don’t heavily focus on the category.

“We focus more on all-inclusives, but we do have a cruise section and we’ve seen an increase in cruise inquiries and bookings, even though we don’t particularly promote it,” he said.

Awards ceremony closes out conference

Wednesday night’s “Cosmic Glow” closing awards party at Zouk Nightclub & Ayu Dayclub wrapped up Horizons 2026 with an awards ceremony recognizing top-performing members and partners, followed by food stations, cocktails and a dance party.

This year’s recipients included:

Overall Award 

• Overall Partner of the Year: AmaWaterways 

Partner of the Year Awards 

• Hotel Collections: The Cove and The Reef at Atlantis Paradise Island 
• Hotel Chains: Hyatt Hotels & Resorts 
• Ocean Cruise: Viking 
• River Cruise: AmaWaterways 
• Expedition Cruise: Silversea 
• Luxury Cruise: Explora Journeys 
• Family Cruise: Norwegian Cruise Line 
• Sun & Sand Canada: WestJet Vacations 
• Sun & Sand USA: ALG Vacations 
• Luxury Tour Operator North America: Kensington 
• Escorted Tour Operator North America: Globus 
• Adventure Tour Operator North America: G Adventures 
• FIT Tour Operator North America: Bedsonline 
• New Tour Operator North America: Exodus Travels 
• Travel Insurance USA: Travel Guard 
• Travel Insurance Canada: Manulife 
• DMC Europe & UK: Travelive 
• DMC Rest of World: Metropolitan Touring 
• Individual Hotel: One Aldwych 
• Tourism Board: Nassau & Paradise Island 
• Air: Delta Air Lines 

Member Awards 

• Innovation Award (Canada): Travel Gurus 
• Innovation Award (USA): Rainbow Getaways 
• Rising Star Award: Misha Kostiuchenko, Crown Cruise Vacations and Shaila Sedani, Paull Travel 
• Outstanding Contribution to the Travel Community: Millbrook World Travel 

Overall Member Awards 

• Member Excellence Award (Canada): Personal Travel Management 
• Member Excellence Award (USA): Ambassador Tours 

Ensemble also revealed plans for Horizons 2027, which will be held at sea for the first time aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Joy from April 5-9, 2027.

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