If there was one word I kept hearing throughout this weekend’s Travel Market conference, it was family. For the travel advisors who are part of TRAVELSAVERS and NEST, that sense of family seems to be at the heart of the network’s appeal—something that can’t necessarily be measured in sales figures.
“It truly is a homecoming and it’s a family feel,” said Sarah Bonsall, Founder & Travel Advisor, Latitude 21 Travel and a NEST member, during a panel discussion at the Travel Market conference, which took place at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. “I think a lot of people are looking for that. They’re tired of being just a number.”
That sense of connection was echoed by other member advisors during the conference, who pointed to the personal relationships they’ve developed within the network, the guidance they’ve received on marketing and running an agency and to the doors those relationships have opened, including introductions to supplier executives.
And while that family feel may be difficult to quantify, the network’s growth isn’t. TRAVELSAVERS, which encompasses more than 2,000 agencies, added five new U.S. agencies representing $79 million in preferred-supplier business this year. NEST, which serves independent home-based travel advisors, now counts 504 agencies, with 36 new agencies representing $91 million in preferred business joining this year.
Kathryn Mazza-Burney, CEO of TRAVELSAVERS and President of NEST, pointed to the organization’s selectivity when it comes to bringing agencies into the network. “We don’t open the network to everyone. We’re looking for those who are looking to be engaged within the network, those who are going to take advantage of what we’re bringing to the table—on the marketing side, on the technology side, on the service side. We’re very high touch.” To be invited into NEST, she added, “you must be doing at least a half-million dollars’ worth of preferred business. We are not taking on those who are new to industry; we’re not looking for the hobbyists. We’re looking for the true independent agents who have a strong book.”
That selective approach is translating into strong sales numbers across the network.
Sales in 2026 are already outpacing last year, with FIT land sales up 7 percent, guided sales up 8 percent, cruise sales up 14 percent, river cruise sales up 14 percent and hotel room nights up 8 percent. And luxury travelers are spending even more, with those same categories seeing double-digit increases—31 percent for FIT and cruise; 16 percent for guided; and 35 percent for river. The hotel increase, 44 percent, is especially interesting given the high hotel rates we’re seeing across the globe.
The growth comes as more than $84 trillion is expected to transfer from Baby Boomers to younger generations, noted the organization’s CMO Nicole Mazza. And what do these new customers want? “They want personal, meaningful experiences—is it worth it to me? And ‘worth it’ is more than a financial calculation—it’s an emotional calculator,” pointed out Mazza. “Consumers want to feel recognized, respected throughout their journeys. They are traveling for bucket list experiences, family time, ease and seamless execution, and emotional meaning or connection. Travel fulfills something profoundly human.”
And yes, they might be sourcing their information from AI, she noted, but they are still relying on the expertise a travel advisor can provide.
“AI does not convey confidence—that’s where you come in. They need the advisor to cut through it all,” adding, “it’s not [about] choosing between innovation and human connection but embracing both of them. Combine the best of tech and the best of humanity.”
Advisors Remain Bullish on Sales
And advisors appear to be feeling pretty confident as well. The numbers back that up: An August survey of TRAVELSAVERS and NEST advisors in the U.S. and Canada found that about two-thirds expect their sales to increase this year over last year. Betsy Goldberg, Sr. Corporate Communications Director, walked us through the findings.
About 4 in 10 advisors expect their shoulder-season business to increase this year versus last year. Twenty-three percent expect it to decline, while 10 percent say there essentially is no shoulder season anymore because they’re busy all the time. “That’s a pretty significant chunk,” said Goldberg.
And what about those stubborn booking windows? Goldberg noted that the most common booking window seems to be six months to one year, cited by 38 percent of advisors. “We’re also getting anecdotal reports from people who took the survey that some clients are booking for 2028 already.” That said, compared with a year ago, there’s also movement toward last-minute travel: 40 percent say clients are booking closer to departure, versus 22 percent who say clients are booking further in advance. “We also had people who said, ‘I’m seeing everything—I’m seeing close in and far out,’” noted Goldberg.
Whether booking close in or far out, when it comes to spending on travel, 32 percent of advisors say clients are more willing to spend on travel generally, while another 12 percent say clients are more willing to spend specifically on premium travel. Meanwhile, 21 percent say clients are looking for better value and are willing to compromise.
For those more value-conscious clients, however, compromise doesn’t necessarily mean traveling less—it’s about traveling differently. Noted Goldberg, “And those clients who do want to make these compromises, what are they doing?” They’re “going to less expensive destinations, they’re being more flexible with their travel timing, they’re booking further in advance to lock in that value, they’re traveling during less busy times and they’re exploring emerging destinations that are not going to be the crowded premium luxury-style destinations.”
And the Winners Are…
Travel Market wrapped up with a glittering awards gala, where recognitions were handed out throughout the evening. Winning partners of the year in their respective categories were Celebrity Cruises, Amawaterways, Hyatt, Destination Puerto Rico, Delta Air Lines, Collette and Abercrombie & Kent Global DMCs. Throughout the evening, awards were given out to various other suppliers, and, of course, an array of travel advisors and agencies were applauded for their work, their sales and their commitment to the network.
The evening’s most touching moment came during the brand-new Lifetime Achievement Award, which Kathryn Mazza-Burney presented to Pat Cinfici after delivering a moving tribute to the recipient. Cinfici, Mazz-Burney told the gala attendees, has been in the business for 52 years—22 of those with TRAVELSAVERS—and now oversees 14 agency locations across several states. “[She] couldn’t be more deserving,” noted Mazza-Burney.
More Than a Network
The gala may have brought Travel Market to a close, but it also underscored a theme that came up again and again throughout the weekend: For many of the advisors here, being part of TRAVELSAVERS and NEST is about far more than business.
Michelle Gammond, Owner, Travel Potions, noted, “More doors have been opened to me in these last two months than with my previous consortium [even] being among the top 20 producers….”
Added travel advisor Sarah Bonsall, “It’s nice to have somebody who’s genuinely invested in your business and wants to see you succeed.”
