On Location: TRAVELSAVERS Canada talks growth, strong bonds at Travel Market 2026

TRAVELSAVERS' Travel Market is a bit of a family reunion, with more than 1,000 American and Canadian members from over 150 agencies getting together.

And the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa was the spot where they gathered Thursday (Sept. 24) to share stories and strategies for success.

This year's conference opened up with a garden party on the sprawling resort property followed by a raucous no-holds barred Canada-themed karaoke after-party sponsored by WestJet and Manulife where the family love flowed profusely. 

That family connection at TRAVELSAVERS isn’t only based around community, but it’s also a family-owned business founded in 1970 in New York by Rick Mazza, an entrepreneurial engineer by training who bought an agency.

"56 years later, TRAVELSAVERS still flies their team in for the annual holiday party in New York where every guest goes home with two jars of tomato sauce, pasta and biscotti from one of Rick’s favourite Italian restaurants,” said Betsy Goldberg, senior communications lead at TRAVELSAVERS.

“There’s a lot of loyalty and longevity and relationship. There’s also a lot of value in being part of a face-to-face community. And it’s not just from the agent side, we’ve had suppliers in our network for the last 30, 40 years.”

Big goals

The conference puts a spotlight on the advantages of consortium membership.

One is how members have access to hands-on guidance from a team of business analysts, who provide monthly reports with tailored insights.

“They do a business review every year and tell you where you’re doing well, where you’re not, and create an action plan so you have a bit of accountability” explained Jane Clementino, senior vice president and general manager, Canada at TRAVELSAVERS. “A lot of agencies are family businesses and no one pushes them. It’s subtle, yet persuasive and it seems to work really well." 

TRAVELSAVERS Canada currently has 348 agencies on its roster with 2,100 advisors with largest pockets of density in Ontario and Quebec, and roughly 400 ICs.

Clementino boasts $100 million in sales a year. “Our aspirational number is to hit $1 billion in 2028. It’s a big goal but it’s good.”

The four-day conference features a packed schedule of keynote speakers, breakout sessions and workshops designed to improve sales, spark fresh ideas and inspire.

“We want people to leave being fired up to make a difference,” Goldberg told PAX.

Unpacking the agenda

For example, the Follow-Up That Earns Clients For Life session.

“A lot of advisors will consult with their client and book the trip,” said Goldberg. “But the client goes on the trip and then the advisor doesn’t follow up, or doesn’t know how to follow up after. There’s an art to that. It’s a real skill for solidifying more business and planting seeds for the future through the debrief.”

Or the keynote, Crossing the Generational Divide in Travel: Unexpected insights and New Strategies to Connect Across Generations with Jason Dorsey, a generational and behavioural researcher who has been featured on shows like 60 Minutes and The Today Show.

AI is of course a hot topic in the travel world but speakers like Kha Ly want to empower advisors to build authentic experiences that build trust and connection. 

“AI for us, it speeds up the process of planning trips and tours for clients, that’s a good thing, but we sell personal experiences,” said Alfiero Cavallo of Bradford, ON-based Verona Travel.

“AI is good for speeding up the process, you want to put something in here or there but if you haven’t been to Duluth, then it doesn’t know the experience,” chimed in Rocco Panza, also of Verona Travel.  

“If you haven’t been to the Vatican then it can’t tell them the experience. AI will never replace an advisor because you have to experience product in order to sell it, that’s the key,” added Leo Sgovio president of Markham Cruise & Travel and a newly-elected TICO board member.

“The real value of Travel Market is the networking and brainstorming. If I can spend five to 10 minutes with a few colleagues and takeaway one good idea from everybody, then I become a better agent. And not only from the agent perspective but even the suppliers. Everything is a learning curve for me.”

For Sgovio, the trends are clear: more luxury clients, more business-class bookings and growing demand for yacht travel. 

And on the topic of yachts and luxury, the recent Sandals–Royal Caribbean deal has emerged as a hot topic at this year’s event.“

That was news to us while sitting at the pool. We listened in on a town hall chat. I can’t tell you why I think they made the deal, but when you combine luxury land with cruising, you get the best of both worlds," he said. 

Strength in family

That feeling of connection, however, came through repeatedly.

“I think the common denominator, for everything that we do and represent, is this feeling of being in a community and being connected,” said Clementino.

“Having this network that you can rely on, like if you’re having a bad day and can’t figure out a solution and you’re fighting with a supplier, you can call us every time but you can also talk to the community about it and find out what they’re doing to get around it or win with that supplier.  People are in it not to compete but to support.”  

What does 2027 look like?

“2027 is looking very healthy. People are booking well in advance. Those that have the desire to travel, a definition of where, when and what room they want to stay in on a cruise ship, are booked well in advance,” said Clementino.

Stay tuned for more of PAX's coverage from TRAVELSAVERS' conference in San Antonio, Texas. 

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