Latest news with #TravelLeadersNetwork
Travel Weekly
4 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Canadians bypassing the U.S.? Not the case at Travel Leaders Network event
LAS VEGAS -- Despite many Canadians boycotting travel to the U.S. as a response to the tariffs implemented by the Trump administration, Canadian members of Travel Leaders Network (TLN) had a strong showing at its annual Edge conference, ongoing this week at Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. According to Christine James, vice president of Canada for TLN, about 100 Canadians usually attend Edge. This year, 154 are in attendance. "When the tariff situation came into play, we did see some fall off, but at the same time we had a lot of members that were still on a waitlist that we were able to backfill," James said. She added that those who did choose to come reported seeing the value of the investment in their business and the learning opportunities presented to them. Where Canadians are vacationing Travel Leaders Network members in Canada are still seeing growth this year, James said. While they do have clients unwilling to come to the U.S., they aren't canceling trips. Instead, they are shifting. Canadian members have been selling a lot of Europe, Mexico and the Caribbean. "At this point, anyway, we're not seeing loss of revenue," she said. "We're seeing a shift."
Travel Weekly
4 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Travel Leaders Network enjoying double-digit revenue growth
LAS VEGAS — Travel Leaders Network (TLN) revenue is up double digits so far this year, president John Lovell said during the group's Edge conference here, with luxury and river cruising particular bright spots. Theme park revenue is also up, thanks to a bump from the Universal Orlando Resort's newest theme park, Epic Universe, which opened in May. TLN is part of Internova Travel Group. The Edge conference is ongoing this week at Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Revenue boost from cruise As of the end of April, TLN's cruise and land revenue was up 12% compared to the same period in 2024, Lovell said during a media briefing. That number will "bump up a little bit" once May revenue has been calculated, he said, based on figures that have already been reported by suppliers. Breaking that number down, cruise revenue is up 14.5%, and land revenue is up 6.5%, Lovell said. He attributed the cruise increase to advisors selling high-quality cabins as well as gaining a bigger share of the market. By segment, luxury cruise revenue is up 20% compared to the same time last year, while premium cruise revenue is up 16%, contemporary cruise revenue is up 8% and river cruise revenue is up 29%. "We just wish they would dredge more river somewhere," Lovell said. "The growth there is just absolutely phenomenal." Solid gains in land revenue Though it's a smaller increase than cruise revenue, a 6.5% increase in land "is a really strong number," Lovell said. At the same time last year, comparing 2024 to 2023, land sales were only up around 2.3%, indicating land sales are growing. By segment, land FIT and touring revenue is up 13% compared to the same time last year, fun and sun revenue is up 3.7% and theme park revenue is up 12%. Lovell attributed a lot of the bump in theme park revenue to Epic Universe. "Had you asked me these numbers in February for theme parks, it would have been vastly different," Lovell said. "But as soon as that date came out, the May launch of Epic, we just saw bookings flying in for the Orlando market." Lovell said those bookings aren't just for Universal, as Epic's opening has driven a bump in business for the whole market. In the past four years, TLN has grown its base by 1,175 members, representing $1.5 billion in preferred supplier sales, said COO Lindsay Pearlman. To ensure all member needs are met, TLN has been expanding its field team that supports members, recently adding nine new employees, he said. Business tips from Richard Branson During the conference, Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, stopped by for an on-stage chat with Lovell. He shared stories about his famed companies as well as his advice on how to operate a solid business. "I think the key to running a good company is to experience it yourself," Branson said. It's a practice that Branson preaches. For instance, if he's on a Virgin Atlantic plane, he'll talk to each guest and employee, notebook in hand, seeking pain points and advice for improvement. "On an average flight, I write down anything from five to 25 different items," he said. Then he gets to work fixing problems and putting suggestions in place. He behaves similarly on Virgin Voyages ships. "If you talk to your customers and you talk to your staff, they know what needs to be done," Branson said. "I think what makes an average company exceptional is getting those little things right."
Travel Weekly
4 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Travel Leaders Network expands Super Agent designation
LAS VEGAS — Travel Leaders Network (TLN) is adding two new categories to its Super Agent designation on its Agent Profiler tool, among other technology updates discussed at its annual Edge conference this week at Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Agent Profiler is TLN's lead-generation tool for members. There are nearly 20,000 advisor profiles on today. In 2022, TLN added the "Super Agent" designation, awarded to advisors who fill out their profiles with a variety of content, like reviews, specialty bios, maps and photo albums. Now, two additional categories of Super Agent profiles are coming: Super Agent Gold and Super Agent Diamond. Advisors can reach those levels based on performance metrics using Agent Profiler, said Stephen McGillivray, chief partner marketing officer at parent company Internova Travel Group. That includes metrics like response rate within 24 hours and booking close rate. The basic Super Agent designation will remain in place. The new categories will likely go live in July, Lovell said. Having an elevated Agent Profiler designation puts an advisor higher in the search order, making it more likely a consumer will select their profile and send leads their way. Leads from the profiles are about flat compared to last year, which saw an all-time high of more than 300,000, McGillivray said. "We're happy about that, because a lot of the digital space, I've seen traffic numbers drive down," McGillivray said. "We were very happy that we're holding our own in lead flow to the members." The average cost of a booking that comes through Agent Profiler that an advisor can close is $10,665, according to McGillivray. The close rate, Lovell said, is a little over 25%. Continuing CRM integrations TLN continues its work to become CRM-agnostic, enabling members to work with whichever CRM they prefer and benefit from integration into TLN's systems. "CRMs are exploding all over the place in our industry," said Cory Voss, TLN's chief information officer. "When I say exploding, I mean lots more options than there ever was before. And we're sensitive to that. We acknowledge that, and we want to make sure that our membership base has the ability to make the choice and work with the CRM that fits their business best." Traditionally, TLN's systems were integrated with ClientBase and AgentMate, but the consortium has been making moves to be CRM-agnostic, enabling more CRMs to communicate with its systems. Integration of the VacationCRM is ongoing. Planiteasy, Tess and Tres are coming down the pipe, Voss said. "There's so many options in the CRM space," he said. "It's an important business decision for an agency to make, and we want to be as accommodating as we possibly can in supporting the decision that they're going to make. And we're going to do that by trying to get as many integrations as we possibly can." Simplified Sabre GDS rolling out for Canadian members Getting more advisors to sell air has been a focus of TLN in recent years. Last year, TLN began to roll out SNAP, its co-branded version of Sabre Red Launchpad designed to be a simpler-to-use version of the GDS. "Air has been ignored for a long time, and it's a huge opportunity," Lindsay Pearlman, TLN's COO, said. "When you think about it, it doesn't make sense that an advisor doesn't book air." It helps build relationships and loyalty by providing a more complete vacation product, he said. The proof is in the numbers: If an advisor books air for their customer, he said, the cancellation rate drops by 39%. "There's a stickiness factor," he said. "You're going beyond the transaction piece to providing full service for that customer." After a year of beta testing in the market, SNAP is now officially rolling out to TLN members in Canada.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Travel Leaders Network Celebrates Small Business Month
North America's largest travel agency network helps small agencies do big business NEW YORK, May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of Small Business Month, Travel Leaders Network is reaffirming its commitment to empowering small travel agencies with the tools, support and reach they need to thrive. With membership ranging from the many small businesses who choose to be part of the Network (defined as having fewer than 20 employees or under $2 million in annual revenue) to large mega-agencies, Travel Leaders Network is a key player in helping agencies of all sizes compete and succeed. "Small businesses are the linchpin of communities and travel agencies are no exception," said John Lovell, CTC, President of Travel Leaders Network. "We are proud to support these entrepreneurs with the resources they need to grow and deliver exceptional service." Travel Leaders Network offers small travel agency businesses access to a full suite of high-impact resources: Agent Profiler, an award-winning high-conversion lead generation platform SNAP, a user-friendly, point-and-click booking tool for non-GDS users Toby AI and Social Share Pro for automated, effective social media marketing Engagement Marketing, including customized content with agency branding and calls to action Travel Leaders Network also offers more live training than any other travel consortium, led by a dedicated in-house education team. Members have access to on-demand webinars, immersive workshops and expert-led certifications. Designed for flexibility, courses cover key specialties like luxury, romance and adventure travel, helping advisors learn and stay competitive on their own schedule. To serve agencies of all sizes, Travel Leaders Network offers Leaders Alliances, which are especially important for smaller agencies, as they offer a merit-based community of top performers. Leaders Alliances are exclusive communities of agency owners and advisors united by shared specialties or interests. These groups create a more personal, collaborative environment within the larger network, offering peer support, business insights and access to targeted FAM trips and events. For smaller agencies, they provide invaluable connection, mentorship and a path to sustainable growth. And finally, members benefit from powerful supplier partnerships that include exclusive amenities, elevated commission tiers and priority access to inventory. As part of Internova Travel Group, Travel Leaders Network offers access to premier luxury programs like SELECT, CURATED and WORLDWIDE Hotels & Resorts by Internova, along with exceptional cruise benefits through Distinctive Voyages and Culinary Collection, and private air travel options via ALTOUR Air. "By design, we are big so small travel agencies can punch above their weight," said Lovell. "Whether you're a large host agency or a solo advisor, we offer tools and flexibility to help your business grow on your terms." Travel Leaders Network has been recognized as one of Newsweek's Most Reliable Companies of 2025, earning praise for its ease of doing business, exceptional value, consistent delivery and strong reputation for dependability. Among the 300 companies on the list, Travel Leaders Network is the only travel network to receive this honor. For travel agencies interested in learning more about the award-winning programs and diverse offerings of Travel Leaders Network in leisure and luxury travel, business travel, honeymoon and destination weddings — as well as active and adventure travel — visit About Travel Leaders NetworkTravel Leaders Network ( an Internova Travel Group company, assists millions of leisure and business travelers annually and is one of the largest sellers of luxury travel, cruises and tours in the travel agency industry, with approximately 5,700 travel agency locations across the United States and Canada. CONTACT:Berit Griffinbgriffin@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Travel Leaders Network Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
