Friday, November 6, 2026

All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time. Program is tentative and subject to change.

7:30am Registration opens

8:15am – 10:15am Breakfast, sponsored by Travel Insured International, & General Session

TravelPulse’s Travia

Presented by Eric Bowman, Editor-in-Chief, TravelPulse

Coffee Chat with Mary Pat, presented by Majestic Resorts

Beyond the Ocean: Exploring the River & Small Ship Market

Set sail beyond the ocean and dive into the expanding world of river and small ship cruising. In this panel, industry leaders will share insights on unique itineraries, guest experiences, and opportunities in this growing market. Learn how to position these intimate journeys to your clients and expand your sales potential.

Moderated by Ken Shapiro, Group Vice President and Editorial Director, Northstar Travel Group
With:
Amadeus River Cruises
Amawaterways
Antara Cruises
Century Cruises
Trafalgar River Cruises

TW Talks, presented by AmaWaterways

Presented by Jenn Lee, President & Chief Marketing Officer, Travel Planners International and Vacation Planners

Peer-to-Peer Introduction

10:30am – 11:00am Peer-to-Peer Sessions

Be the Brand: How to Stand Out, Build Trust and Attract the Right Clients 

Your personal brand is what makes a traveler remember you, trust you and choose you over countless other options. In this session, Angela Hughes shares how travel advisors can define what they want to be known for, communicate their expertise and create a consistent presence that attracts the right clients. Learn how to turn your experience, personality and point of view into compelling content across social media, video and professional platforms. You will leave with practical strategies for strengthening your visibility, establishing authority and building a personal brand that generates relationships, referrals and sales.

Presented by Angela Hughes, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Trips & Ships Luxury Travel

Crisis Management: Managing Hurricanes, Supplier Failures, World Events, and Difficult Client Situations

Anyone can lead when everything is going according to plan. Leadership is tested when flights are canceled, hurricanes are approaching, suppliers fail, or clients are stranded halfway around the world. I’ll share lessons I’ve learned from navigating real travel crises and how our agency communicates, prioritizes, and supports both clients and advisors when everything seems to be happening at once. The goal isn’t to eliminate problems. It’s to become the calm voice your clients remember when things don’t go according to plan.

• Building crisis plans before you need them.

• Communicating facts without creating panic.

• Prioritizing when everyone needs you at once.

• Leading advisors through emotionally charged situations.

• Turning difficult travel experiences into long-term client loyalty.

• Supporting your team during stressful situations.

• Lessons learned from real-world travel emergencies.

Presented by Jennifer Kellum, Owner, Neverland & Main Travel | Aire Luxury Travel

What I wish I Knew When I Became a Travel Advisor

Are you new to the industry? Join this session where former travel trade writer turned travel advisor Kerry Tice walks you through what she wished she knew when she joined the profession almost five years ago. Kerry will cover why you need a business plan, where to find new clients, the importance of relationships both inside and outside the industry, and what you don’t need to know to succeed! Also, learn how to recognize the shoppers, why it’s important to qualify your clients, and why knowing your value is key.

Presented by Kerry Tice, President & Owner, Enticing Vacations

11:15am – 11:45am Peer-to-Peer Sessions

The Legal Issues Confronted by Agency Owners: Your People, Your Customers, and Your Future!

In this session, Attorney Jeff Ment will give agency owners (whether you’re a 1-person agency or have 100 ICs!) good practical advice on reducing risk, managing your team, and successfully create a succession plan. Bring your questions and get clear answers on legal topics that interest you!

Presented by Jeffrey Ment, Managing Partner, The Ment Law Group

Side Gig to Serious Business: How to Take Your Travel Agency to the Next Level

Many travel advisors start their business as a side gig, passion project, or flexible income opportunity. But at some point, growth requires more than loving travel, posting on social media, and answering client emails quickly. To move from side gig to serious business, advisors need to shift from simply working in the business every day to intentionally working on the business. In this session, Jesse Morris, Brand Ambassador for Travel Professional NEWS and Owner of We Book Travel LLC, will share practical lessons from building a part-time travel business into a multi-million-dollar agency. Attendees will explore how to think more strategically about growth, client experience, visibility, systems, time management, and business planning so they can build an agency that is more profitable, more professional, and less dependent on constant reaction mode.

Presented by Jesse Morris, Brand Ambassador, Travel Professional NEWS

The Client Experience: Every Touchpoint from Inquiry Through Post-Travel

Exceptional client experiences don’t happen by accident. They’re intentional. Every email, every phone call, every recommendation, and every follow-up shapes how clients see us. I’ll walk through the client journey from the very first inquiry to the welcome-home email and share simple ways to create an experience that clients remember and tell their friends about.

• Creating great first impressions.

• Setting expectations from the beginning.

• Communicating throughout the planning process.

• Small touches that leave lasting impressions.

• Preparing clients before they travel.

• Following up after they return.

• Turning feedback into repeat business.

Presented by Jennifer Kellum, Owner, Neverland & Main Travel | Aire Luxury Travel

Grow Your Groups Business: Relationships, Referrals & Revenue

Groups don’t have to be complicated, and they definitely don’t have to be scary! Let’s talk about how to turn the clients and relationships you already have into group opportunities and additional revenue. We’ll cover how genuine client relationships can blossom into groups, why learning resort and cruise line group policies matters, and how knowing the product gives you the confidence to recognize opportunities you may already be missing. Group business doesn’t always come looking for you, but you can intentionally build it around your niche and turn the business you’re already booking into even more revenue. Let's discuss how to plant the seed, grow the group, and turn those relationships into revenue.

Presented by Katie Lynn Reynolds, Destination Weddings Lead/Travel Advisor, Travelmation

12:00pm – 12:30pm Peer-to-Peer Sessions

What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

How do I turn what I’ve created into something bigger, stronger, and sustainable? You’ve proven you can sell. You’ve built a client base and created momentum. But doing more of what got you here won’t get you where you want to go next. The hustle that fueled your success can become exhausting, the personal touch that sets you apart can become difficult to scale, and being involved in everything can become the thing holding you back. In this energetic session, Tim Sawhook, Owner of Exclusive Travel Partners™, LLC and GTM Advisory Board Member, will use humor, personal stories, hard-earned lessons, and practical takeaways to explore what must change as your business grows. This isn’t about working harder. It’s about evolving how you think, lead, and operate to build a business capable of handling the success you’re chasing.

Presented by Tim Sawhook, Owner, Exclusive Travel Partners

Luxury Is a Strategy, Not a Price Point

Luxury travel is not simply about selling the most expensive product. It is about understanding what a client values and creating an experience that feels personal, seamless and worth the investment. In this session, Angela Hughes will teach advisors how to identify luxury clients, ask better qualifying questions and recommend experiences based on value rather than price. Advisors will also learn how to elevate their positioning, communicate their expertise and transition an existing business toward higher-value sales. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for attracting the right clients, presenting luxury with confidence and building a more profitable travel business.

Presented by Angela Hughes, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Trips & Ships Luxury Travel