On Location: “A synergy that works”: Canadian travel pros sound off on TLN’s “Edge” in Vegas

Despite some economic jitters and cross-border tensions, Canadian travel advisors are charging ahead—and Travel Leaders Network’s (TLN) recent “Edge” conference at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas proves it.

Of the more than 2,000 attendees who registered for this year’s event – a week that was filled with workshops, training sessions, supplier presentation and celebrity guests, from Sir Richard Branson to Carson Kressley of RuPaul’s Drag Race – 154 were from Canada.

“Which is a really good number,” said Christine James, vice-president for Canada at TLN, speaking to PAX at the conference. 

While travel to the U.S. has seen a downturn in recent months due to geopolitical reasons and a weak Canadian loonie: “The final count still exceeds our usual average of about 100,” James said. 

The value of humans 

With a 25 per cent spike in 2026 Canadian sales, according to James, along with the Canadian debut of SNAP air bookings (this is TLN’s user-friendly booking tool), the consortium is riding a wave of growth, innovation, and advisor enthusiasm.

And advisors want the “Edge-ucation.” Michelle Branco, general manager of marketing and HR and co-owner of Ellison Travel and Tours, is returning from Edge this week with fresh insights and bold ideas.

Representing the Ontario and B.C.-based agency and tour operator, Branco found the event “fantastic”—a rare opportunity to connect face-to-face with supplier partners and peers across the industry.

VIDEO: Travel Leaders’ “Edge” kicks off in Vegas, Christine James “blown away” by 2026 sales

“I really enjoyed chatting with other agency owners and travel advisors about what’s working for them,” Branco told PAX. “There’s so much focus on AI and new technology right now, and we’re already using a lot of it—but this conference really challenged us to think about the human value we bring to travel.”

She pointed to keynote speaker, technologist Nilesh Ashra, founder of OK Tomorrow, as particularly inspiring. “He reframed how we think about AI. It wasn’t just about tools, but the role of the travel advisor in this new landscape.”

Back at Ellison, which specializes in customized tours and student travel, Branco plans to regroup with her 25-person leisure team and larger groups division. Now it’s about finding ways to apply what was learned

“We have a lot of marketing takeaways,” she said.

All about the leads

Edge highlights TLN’s newest tools, programs, services and technologies.

What came up time and time again were the benefits of using Agent Profiler, a lead generation solution that TLN says will generate more than 300,000 leads for its members this year.

The platform, which connects travellers with travel advisors by allowing advisors to create profiles highlighting their expertise and experience, has a 25 per cent close rate and generates sales that, on average, cost about $11,000, TLN says. 

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TLN’s “SuperAgent” program, meanwhile, highlights the most engaged members, increasing their visibility on TravelLeaders.com.

With the addition of Gold and Diamond tiers, advisors who fully use the platform and consistently follow up with leads now gain access to more opportunities, such as being featured more prominently in search results.

Appearing on a panel with Lindsay Pearlman, chief operating officer and senior vice president at TLN, U.S.-based Angela Hughes, owner and president of Trips and Ships Luxury Travel, spoke about the benefits of using Agent Profiler.

In fact, just after landing in Las Vegas for Edge, she received an inquiry, through the platform, from a potential customer who wanted to book a cruise in Greece.

She called the client immediately, and after a brief consultation, she secured the sale: a luxury cruise with Explora Journeys, along with an opportunity to book four future cruises – and hotels stays.   

Active participants on Agent Profile report an average booking value of $10,655 through the site, says TLN.

The trick to securing the lead, and locking in the sale?  

“You have to respond within 30 minutes or people buy elsewhere,” Hughes told the audience, urging attendees to update their profile weekly with new content so the algorithm works in their favour.

Speaking of cruises, TLN is expanding its cruise space programs to over 8,000 sailings through 2027 in response to rising cruise demand across all segments.

These programs help travel advisors attract and retain clients by offering high-value, exclusive experiences not available through direct booking.

There are three programs: Distinctive Voyages, which feature an onboard host, exclusive shore event and an invitation to a private welcome reception, and special amenities like a private car and driver; Amenity Departure Dates: voyages with perks like shipboard credits, specialty dining and prepaid gratuities, enhancing the overall cruise experience; and the Culinary Collection: unique food and wine-focused experiences, both onboard and ashore.

Member advisors can also stack programs with the cruise lines’ national offers, adding more value for clients and opportunities for advisors to close sales.

“Always something new to learn”

For Claire Banman, co-owner of South East Travel and a travel advisor of 15 years, attending Edge was an essential part of staying sharp in a fast-changing industry.

“I love coming to this conference because you learn so much. Even if you think you know something, there’s always something new to learn. I always go in with an open mind and a learning attitude,” she said.

As an agency owner, Banman focused on high-level sessions tailored to leadership. A key insight from this year’s event? “There’s a shift that’s happened since COVID around having employees in an office versus home-based. I heard that 73 per cent of agents are now home-based and under a host agency. That shift is really significant.”

South East Travel represents both sides of that shift. With a traditional, storefront in Steinbach, MB — the only travel agency in town to survive COVID — and a hybrid model in Chilliwack, BC, where independent contractors enjoy flexibility and office access, Banman’s team reflects the evolving landscape.

What keeps her returning to Edge? “Connecting to our business development managers, our suppliers, the Travel Leaders network, and using all the resources that we have at our disposal,” she said. “Travel Leaders is friendly, approachable. They have great learning tools. Probably some of the best in the industry – at your fingertips.”

TTAND on the scene

Flemming Friisdahl, founder of The Travel Agent Next Door (TTAND), the biggest Canadian member of TLN, brought a strong presence to Edge this year.  

“TTAND represents 10 per cent of all Canadian travel advisors here. We’re pretty happy about that,” he told PAX.

For Friisdahl, TLN’s support for self-branded advisors was a deciding factor in joining the consortium back in 2021. “Travel Leaders embraces independent branding, which is critical for us—half our agents operate that way,” he said.

He highlighted key benefits like competitive air contracts, a robust luxury hotel program, and Agent Profiler, which he says delivers thousands of leads to TTAND advisors.

“It’s a synergy that works—plus, we’re TLN’s largest user of their client magazines,” he added.

Despite economic headwinds around U.S. tariffs, Friisdahl spoke of solid year-over-year growth: “We’ve seen a slight slowdown, but we’re still up—some months, in double digits,” he said.

“The consumer still wants to get away. There’s no question that people are being affected by the tariffs, but not every person,” he said.

At Edge, the tech-focused sessions about AI stood out. “AI isn’t a replacement—it’s a tool,” Friisdahl said. “No technology can replace the expertise of a travel advisor. That was clear.”

SNAP now offering air  

The big news for Canada last week related to SNAP, a user-friendly booking tool that helps travel advisors book hotels, car rentals, and now, air.

Launched in April 2024, the tool provides an accessible option for independent contractors who may not have GDS experience.

“We have over 1,500 users registered and the feedback we’re getting from our beta testers has been positive,” James said, adding that there’s 106 airlines now loaded in the system.

“The feedback I’m hearing from some of our early users is that, ‘I’m earning commission on tickets I’ve never earned commission on before.’”

Marivic Cregan of New West Holiday Trips in New Westminster, BC, has seen the travel industry evolve over her 45-year career – and last March, her agency was picked as a beta tester for SNAP’s air option (which has been active in the U.S. for over a year now).  

“We really tested it and I’m very happy with it. It’s new to Canada, it has some growing pains, but it’s been amazing because I book a lot of business class tickets,” she said.

For Cregan, the biggest benefit is the 24/7 U.S.-based support. “You cannot get 24/7 support even with the best consolidator,” she says. “If you book something within 24 hours and make a mistake, they will try and fix it.”

She encourages other advisors to “keep on trying it and take the training first. It’s a very easy tool to use…for a beginner, it’s a good tool.”

A record year ahead

The event unfolded amid the team’s sustained confidence in travel.

Speaking to PAX earlier in the week, John Lovell, president of TLN, noted how the organization’s overall sales are up 13 to 14 per cent over last year.

“Through all the choppiness and noise we’ve heard about the cross-border situation, everybody’s doing very, very well,” he said. “We’re in a really good position. We still see 2025 finishing as a record year for us.”

To see more pictures from TLN’s Edge conference in Las Vegas, click and “like” PAX’s Facebook page here. 

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