Future Leaders in Travel Retreat Shows Strength and Commitment of Next Generation

SECAUCUS, NJ - Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, powered by TravelAge West, made its’ Mexico debut at the Hilton Playa del Carmen, August 29 – September 1, 2021. Future Leaders, in its fourth year, is dedicated to connecting the next generation of travel buyers and sellers to create relationships and partnership among the industry’s future leaders.

"The promising future of the travel industry was so evident at Future Leaders,” said Emma Weissmann, Digital Managing Editor, TravelAge West. “These young professionals experienced a once-in-a-lifetime crisis early on in their careers but have not lost momentum because of it. They’re poised to take our industry to the next level in many ways.”

Future Leaders is unique in that it is designed for travel professionals between the ages of 22 and 37 and is an intimate business and networking opportunity. “When you bring together the young professionals of the tourism industry as Future Leaders has you are curating a place for some of the newest and most passionate industry professionals to work and grow together,” said Eva Damato, The Palm Beaches. “We are hungry for knowledge about the industry and it shows.”

The event included 40 travel advisors and 18 supplier companies participating in the four-day conference. Travel advisors in attendance were selected through an application process requiring advisors to demonstrate their personal brand, share thoughts on the current state of the industry, and provide professional references.

Conference programming included educational general sessions, discussion-based workshops, destination-immersive activities, and lively networking receptions. New to the program for 2021 were one-on-one meetings between advisors and suppliers.

“The appointments were a great opportunity for ALG to get in front of the future of the travel industry, to introduce ourselves to advisors who hadn’t heard of us before, and find out how we can meet their needs,” said Alina Romero, ALG Vacations.

Collaborative content sessions were a highlight for many attendees. “I absolutely LOVED the Solution Room workshop that the TravelAge West editorial team designed,” said Justin Murphy, VIP Travel Experience. “We leveraged each other’s different perspectives to brainstorm, initiate plans, and form solutions to our individual needs. These conversations were both inspiring and reassuring that we have a community that will always support us.”

The event’s format allows for strong bonds to be formed among attendees. “I have made so many connections and long-term relationships this week,” said Morgan Raley, Classic Travel Connection. By growing my support system I can become a stronger advisor in this industry. I met so many people that have already extended their hands to offer me assistance, as well as to come speak with my team about their service, product or experience.”

The final day of the conference included an immersive excursion, sponsored by Discova. Future Leaders attendees toured Mayan ruins in Tulum, swam in a cenote and learned to make tortillas while visiting a Mayan village.

Future Leaders will continue to be hosted by Playa Hotels & Resorts. It will move to the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos in Los Cabos, Mexico, taking place August 28-31, 2022. For more information, and to be notified when advisor applications open, please visit www.futureleadersintravel.com. For supplier inquiries, contact Audrey Wood at awood@travelagewest.com or 310-954-2522.

ABOUT TRAVELAGE WEST:
For over 50 years, TravelAge West has been the trusted voice of the travel industry in the Western U.S. With award-winning writing and design, the publication brings the best of travel to life for readers. The magazine's first-hand, on-site reports and fresh destination coverage is a valued resource for travel advisors. TravelAge West is a division of Secaucus, New Jersey-based Northstar Travel Group, the largest business-to-business travel publisher in the world. www.travelagewest.com

ABOUT NORTHSTAR TRAVEL GROUP:
Northstar Travel Group is the leading B-to-B information and marketing solutions company serving all segments of the travel industry including leisure/retail, corporate/business travel, business and sports meetings, incentives, hospitality, and travel technology.

Northstar is the owner of well-known brands including Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, Travel Weekly China, Business Travel News, Successful Meetings, Meetings & Conventions, Incentive, M&C China, Travel42, Axus Travel App, and Web in Travel. The company produces more than 80 face-to-face events in 13 countries in retail travel, hospitality, corporate travel, travel technology, sports travel, and the meetings & incentive industry. In addition, 

Northstar owns Phocuswright, the leading research, business intelligence, and event producer serving the travel technology industry. Northstar Travel Group owns the Burba Hotel Network, the leading producer of hotel investment events globally, including ALIS, the largest hotel investment conference in the world produced with the American Hotel & Lodging Association in Los Angeles each year. 

Northstar is also the majority shareholder in Inntopia, the leading SaaS e-commerce software, CRM database marketing and predictive analytics business serving the mountain destination, golf, activities, hospitality, and specialty destination travel markets.

Northstar Travel Group is owned by funds managed by EagleTree Capital.