The Luxury Travel Collection (LTC) has quietly launched a new advisor level option for high-yielding independent travel specialists to join the luxury business. Called The Club by LTC, the division aims to offer a solution for independent contractors and mobile advisors who want to be part of FCTG’s flourishing specialist high-end travel arm. 

Details of The Club by LTC, along with LTC’s planned entry into the New Zealand market were confirmed this week at the group’s Global Business Owners Harbour Soirée in Hong Kong. 

Speaking with LATTE at the three-night conference, Nikki Glading, General Manager of LTC said since launching two years ago the intention was to expand across ‘the ditch’, with soaring demand meaning the time was right, now. 

LTC expansion to New Zealand builds on demand

“We were always going to launch New Zealand because the markets are so closely aligned, and so similar in a lot of ways, but also so different. I think the LTC has some good ‘friends’ already in the luxury community in New Zealand,” Glading said. 

LTC’s plan for New Zealand will be to grow “as large as the number of right people for our community requires,” she said. “Our criteria is not changing. It’s been there since day one.

“They need to be entrepreneurs, they need to embrace our core values, be known for a strong focus on service, a high reputation for luxury business, and suppliers need to feel that they are relationship-based.” 

Danielle Galloway, Global MD Luxury & Independent, Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) admits LTC’s entry into New Zealand is “probably before we necessarily would have wanted, but it’s fantastic to see and we’re being bold in terms of taking on those other pathways to get more of the right members that are asking to be part of the community.” 

Galloway indicated there will be announcements of new members imminently. 

“We think our investment of being on the ground in a market that has different nuances to the Australian market, and recognising those differences, and having somebody on the ground is also an advancement in terms of the focus on New Zealand, and it recognises that there is a lot of growth that’s happening in the luxury space there”. 

“We’re hearing that from our partners, and also, many of our customer interactions,” Galloway told LATTE. 

Since launching in 2023, LTC has increased its membership from seven to 25 members, with a 100% retention rate. Since Q1 2025, LTC has welcomed five newcomers, with the latest being Bespoke Journeys and Why Travel who came online this month.

“Everybody is happy. Everybody is staying. They have great, strong relationships with our partners. Shannon [Fogarty, Head of Product for LTC] and her team are procuring a really refined range for the Galleries De Luxe collection, which is putting amazing product on the shelf for our members to choose from.” 

LTC’s 25 members represent 86 locations across Australia and have more than 500 advisors. Last FY, the Luxury Travel Collection witnessed 84% growth in TTV, and the brand is forecasting to double that figure this financial year. Touring and cruising are both strong sellers, along with – somewhat surprisingly, notes Glading – are air sales. 

“Since launching in 2023, the influence of the members of LTC have made a big noise in the luxury travel industry in Australia and New Zealand,” Glading said. 

Where The Club by LTC fits in

The Club by LTC is the new, word-of-mouth exclusive group of luxury advisors who are joining LTC for the same reason that member agencies have done, which is “to become part of a very special luxury community,” the head of LTC remarked. 

“A reimagined luxury advisor model that is there to cater for a need for people who want to be a part of what we are doing,” Glading explains. 

The new advisor level means LTC has three options for potential members to join. The Classic model which was rolled out from the outset to the initial seven members, an Affiliate membership whereby members of other consortia can purchase luxury products through LTC’s ‘House of Luxury’ offering, and now at the Advisor level. 

“We are meeting the demands of advisors who have been asking us for two years, ‘how do I become part of LTC?’” 

“Some of our members are host agencies for brokers. We are now going to be a host agency for these independent advisors. They may be part of another high-profile agency group who are looking for something unique and different, with a lot more support.” 

“We are being quite careful. We have an amazing advisor network in-market already, which is Envoyage, a sister-brand to us, and we’ve also got amazing members in Link and LTC that also host. We don’t want to come in and try and steal from our family, but there is demand.” 

Glading adds, “the joining criteria has not, and will not change. High performance and profitable results.” 

Galloway adds, “In such a short time, LTC is really influencing the market in terms of people wanting to go beyond the model that we’re offering to be part of the community.” 

“People are actually asking to be part of it. We’ve been saying no since the launch of LTC.”

“We’ve held out, but now it would be silly to continue to do so. There’s way too many and they are the right members to be part of LTC. Demand has created expansion.” 

Glading and Galloway say the potential for The Club by LTC within the first 12 months would sit around 10 independent advisors. 

“We’re keeping it quite exclusive,” Galloway said. 

“When the right people come along, we’ll know,” added Glading. 

Lead image: Rachel Kingswell, General Manager, Travel Associates; Danielle Galloway, Global MD Luxury & Independent, FCTG and Nikki Glading, General Manager, Luxury Travel Collection.

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Joint venture agency group, Link Travel Group, has confirmed its inaugural conference event, Link Live is fully subscribed. To be held at the W Hotel in Brisbane, Link Live 2025 will be held 20-21 November. It’s the first major conference for Link since launching in May 2022.

Capped at 180 delegates, Scott Darlow, General Manager of Link Travel Group says the consortia, led by Flight Centre Travel Group, Spencer Travel and Goldman Travel Corporation are “absolutely delighted with the uptake for Link Live and we are in the position where we have had to turn away additional delegates and sponsors who have shown interest.”

“This is a really exciting time for Link, our first full conference style event and after a year of planning, I can’t wait for it to start,” Darlow said.

“The response from our invited sponsor partners has been exceptional and we are truly humbled. We are also delighted with the response from our members and multiple have actually arranged to move their office to Brisbane for the Friday in order for all their staff to attend Link Live”.

The keynote speaker for Link Live is former Wallabies Captain and sitting Non-Executive member of the Board of Directors for FCTG, John Eales.

Delegates will also have learning opportunities from workshops focussing on AI and Wellbeing, a Supplier Showcase and there will be other interviews and a panel discussion with selected Link Owners moderated by ATIA CEO, Dean Long. In addition, Link will hold a Celebration Dinner where selected awards will be presented to members and supplier partners.

“We have picked John to be our inaugural keynote speaker due to his proven leadership credentials on the field and in business, and we are all looking forward to learning from him,” Darlow said.

“The whole agenda has been designed for learning and Link’s four core values of Integrity, Prosperity, Transparency and Connection & Collaboration will be front and centre during the whole event. The Link Advisory Board has played a major part in shaping the topics and we’re genuinely excited for this event,” Darlow added.

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CT Partners concluded its 2025 Annual Conference in Singapore with a gala celebration at Gardens by the Bay, recognising outstanding supplier partnership and revealing that the 2026 event would take place onboard Luminara, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s newest superyacht.

More than 100 delegates gathered in Singapore for two days of strategy-sharing and industry collaboration. The network achieved another strong financial year, reporting $2.2B in TTV (up 10%), an 8% increase in airline expenditure to $1.13B, a 22% increase in leisure expenditure to $140M, a 13% increase in override payments to members, while reducing membership fees.

“The growth we’re seeing overall and specifically in premium leisure and MICE demonstrates the power of independence backed by aligned strategy,” said Matt Masson, CEO of CT Partners.

The closing event last night brought together CT Partners members, supplier partners and invited guests for a night of celebration at the stunning Flower Dome. Delegates were treated to an orchestral performance, a tenor showcase with Four Seasons-inspired catering, delivered against the backdrop of one of Singapore’s most iconic venues.

The final day of the event also featured team building with a twist at the chic Tanjong Beach Club hosted by NCL brands with Lisa Pile (Regent Seven Seas), James Sitters (Oceania) and Damian Borg (NCL) entertaining guests with a surprise DJ set, unveiling hidden talents.

The Ian Edwards Award – the network’s highest acknowledgement of supplier partnership -was presented to Cathy Favaloro from Four Seasons. Voted on by members, Favaloro was recognised as a great advocate for members, consistently going above and beyond to ensure great outcomes for members and their clients.

Greg McJarrow, Singapore Airlines’ General Manager Agency Sales, shared his delight the conference had been hosted in Singapore and announced that Singapore Airlines had committed to Diamond Sponsorship in 2026, their 5th year of partnership.

Joe Araullo, CT Partners Chair, recognised one of their founding members, Alan Wolf of Bay Travel, commenting on his significant contribution to the group over the past 21 years and his outstanding character.

Masson said the final day captured the essence of this year’s “Resilience & Reinvention” theme in action.

“What makes this week special isn’t just sharing our strategy or the results – it’s the people. When we’re in the room together or on the dancefloor, you can feel the energy levels soaring, the trust and the belief in where we’re heading as a group. We don’t just talk about partnership, we live it.”

Masson said the momentum from this year’s conference sets the stage for an elevated format in 2026, aligning with CT Partners’ accelerated growth across luxury leisure and MICE.

The closing moments of the gala featured a visual preview of the 2026 CT Partners Conference, which will take place aboard The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Luminara, sailing from Shanghai to Hong Kong 17-20 November 2026.

“We are thrilled to host the 2026 CT Partners Conference aboard Luminara,” said Anastasia Kotanidis, Director Travel Partnerships, Australia and New Zealand and Seb Seward, VP Asia Pacific, in a joint statement.

“This will be a remarkable opportunity for the members to experience firsthand the legendary service of The Ritz-Carlton onboard our newest superyacht. A big thank you to the CT Partners team, as well as the TRIBE team for coordinating this fantastic opportunity.”

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Luxury Travel Collection (LTC) members from across Australia will converge in Hong Kong next week for the first overseas Global Luxury Business Owners Harbour Soirée. 

Key partners of the event include Regent Hong Kong, Scenic Group (Platinum Partner) and Hong Kong Tourism Board (Destination Partner). 

105 members across Travel Associates’ Business Leaders and LTC Independent agencies will unite at the five-star Regent Hong Kong for the four-day conference, which commences this Sunday.  

A dozen LTC Member agencies will be represented from Luxury Cruise Escapes, Chirn Park Travel, Why Travel , Destination HQ, Travel Experts, The Travel Notebook, Playford Travel Group, Tailored Journeys, Take Off Go, Bicton Travel & Claremont Travel, Complex Travel and Emma Whiting Travel, along with members from FCTG’s luxury retail network, Travel Associates. 

Representatives from some 20 LTC partner/suppliers are also making their way to Hong Kong, including Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Tauck, Viking, Ponant Explorations, AmaWaterways, Adventure World, The Armstrong Collective, Intrepid, HX Expeditions and others. 

The theme of the conference is ‘The Power of Influence’, with LTC members and partners playing a significant role in influencing not only their clients but in shaping the industry as well, the luxury arm of Flight Centre Travel Group said. 

The Leadership Program will bring together visionaries, innovators, and our member changemakers shaping the future of luxury travel.

Danielle Galloway, Global MD Luxury & Independent, FCTG will lead the narrative on ‘The Influence of Luxury Psychology,’ exploring what drives people to desire extraordinary experiences.

Simon Kriss, Chief AI Officer & Author will discuss the ‘Emerging Influence of Technology’, while Rachel Kingswell, General Manager of Travel Associates, will moderate a fireside chat with Ivona Siniarska of Take Off Go and Christine Botterall of Ashmore, Harris & James Travel Associates, to shed light on approaches to leadership and brand influence.

A focus of this Soirée is for LTC members to rediscover Hong Kong, which has seen a resurgence as a destination for luxury travellers, some years after the covid pandemic.  

The multi-day Harbour Soirée includes destination experiences, a scenic Dim Sum Cruise on Hong Kong Harbour with LTC’s executive team and multiple networking opportunities. 

More from The Global Luxury Business Owners Harbour Soirée in LATTE next week.

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Travel advisors are being encouraged to better leverage AI in their everyday workflow to improve efficiency, while honing their own knowledge. Speaking in Sydney earlier this month, Nolan Burris, Training & Development Consultant for Signature Travel Network, called on frontline sellers to embrace AI, citing proven examples of how other some advisors have built their business around the technology. 

In Australia from Canada to speak at Luxperience 2025 about professional fees (learn more here), Burris discussed some of his expert finds on artificial intelligence with a break-out group of Signature’s Australia–based members at the Shangri-La Sydney, also exclusively attended by LATTE. 

Burris recounted one AI-savvy independent member of Signature Travel Network, affiliated with a host agency, has based her business around a detailed discussion with ChatGPT. 

“Before she even started her one-person business, she used ChatGPT to define who is her ‘dream’ client and what their characteristics are.” 

“They had a back-and-forth conversation about the places that client travels, how long, their age group and how do they feel about fees. That sort of thing. And once she had defined who they were, she then used ChatGPT to help create a mission statement that aligns with her clientele. Then she created a marketing plan to attract that ideal client. 

“She then used ChatGPT to work out how much it was going to cost to deliver what she wanted to deliver to that kind of client, and to come up with the right kind of fee, and then a name for the fee, and how to communicate that fee in a positive way.” 

“That is a brilliant use of AI,” Burris said. “Her image was managed from top to bottom, and she had no conflicts.” 

The visiting Vancouverite suggested that AI might also be “more helpful in travel marketing than anything,” discussing the four biggest players in the artificial intelligence space, namely ChatGP, Gemini, Claude and LLaMA  – and how they differ. 

Burris discussed three key areas where advisors can utilise AI, including basic enquiries to begin the sales process; trip planning and the ‘human’ elements, such as food and dining; and, what he believes is the most “untapped” area of AI – “using it to help you with your selling and consulting skills”. 

New, or even experienced travel advisors, unfamiliar with a destination a client is interested in can use AI to ask questions such as, what they should expect to be asked? and what are the top things to do in said destination?, with one AI platform going so far as offering talking points and suggested itineraries for the consultation. 

He said use AI to learn about talking points such as dining options for vegetarians in the destination, and if the client has family roots to the destination, find out anything special that may link them.

“Now we’re starting to really get into the human stuff. The kind of thing that makes a trip truly personal.” 

Burris said be specific with the information being sought, and to ask AI to display results in a table format that makes it easier to compare discussion points. Including a specific website URL in your search alsl enables the AI platform to use “real, known information.”  

“You could just give it the website, but they don’t trawl through whole websites, yet.” 

He suggests using the URLs of two different hotels to ask AI to compare their amenities, stand out features, proximity to local sites, primary clientele, etc. 

AI can also be used as another set of eyes to review a proposal to a client, with Burris saying to ask the platform “Did I miss anything important?” before sending it on. 

As a side note, Burris also told the Signature advisors, never to call a proposal a “quote”. 

“Call it anything but a quote because you know you spent hours preparing it. They think you might have just looked at Expedia to come up with a number when you call it a quote. Call it the results of your research.” 

His expert comparative analysis of the four main AI systems, in short, determined; 

• OpenAI’s ChatGPT is the most diverse, however inaccuracy is an issue 

• Google’s Gemini is the most current, but influenced by advertising 

• Anthrop\c’s Claude is best for long-form writing, but has limited we access, and; 

• Meta’s LLaMA is good for trends, while being trained on social posts. 

But, what is it that a travel advisor can do that artificial intelligence is completely incapable of?, he questioned his Signature Travel Network audience?

“Care. Humanity.” 

“When you think about how you would articulate your value. How you would sell yourself? That should be the absolute focus, because AI is going to get better and better and better… and it will get to the point when the consumer won’t know that they’re not talking to a human. It’s a little scary.”

“We must focus on our humanity, make it every single enquiry, even with repeat clients, maybe even especially with repeat clients, because they forget.

“They forget that when they spoke to you a year ago, how great you were.” 

“Integrate [humanity] throughout your whole sales process with your clients, and always be mindful that even if they’re not saying it out loud, somewhere they are thinking why should I use you? So answer it before they even ask, because they’re probably not going to ask. Be proactive about it. And be eloquent about it.” 

Burris used the analogy of an ultra-luxury cruise brand with its heavy and glossy brochure with strong visuals but not having a cruise expert to discuss the brand and brand. 

He quipped, “If the only thing in the brochure was, Yeah, we have some great cruises and some nice food, come on, it’s only $25,000, you’ll have a great time! – then they’d be out of business tomorrow!” 

“You, as travel advisors, lead the discussion with the client about the product, and you make it personal. What is service. What is being attentive.

“Share your stories of how you rescued a client during their travels. You’ve all got those stories. And make it human.” 

“My smartphone. My watch, can actually book a cruise. Only another human can actually care.” 

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Link Travel Group has officially welcomed Main Beach Travel, operated by Mike and Mandy Dwyer, to its membership ranks this week.

Main Beach Travel is a highly awarded travel agency, focusing on high end leisure with a strong focus on cruise. The agency also has a focus on Groups and MICE business. MBT was the recipient of the 2018 and 2019 NTIA Awards for Best Retail Agency.

The agency was recently acquired by Goldman Travel Corporation, founding members of the Link consortia, alongside Flight Centre Travel Group and Spencer Group of Companies. Goldman will assume full ownership of MBT after three years.

Scott Darlow, General Manager of Link Travel Group, said Mike and Mandy’s decision to partner with the Goldman Group “was based on the admiration, respect and trust they feel and the partnership is a testament to the calibre and reputation of both businesses.”

“We are thrilled to have their knowledge and expertise and almost 100 years of combined industry experience (yes they both started in the industry as teenagers!) and we are eager to learn from their wealth of experience,” Darlow remarked.

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Italy has been bumped as the top overseas destination for Australian and New Zealand luxury travellers for the first time in 20 years, relegated to number two behind Japan, Virtuoso’s 2026 Luxe Report has revealed.

Findings of the study were revealed today in Sydney by Misty Belles, VP Global Public Relations for Virtuoso. The annual survey of Virtuoso travel advisors this year involved a solid 42% increase in feedback compared to last year, with more than 300 frontline ANZ-based luxury sellers getting involved.

A boom in travel and tourism to Japan has elevated the destination as Virtuoso’s most popular country, a move Belles referred to as “really significant”. Japan also ranked first for solo travel.

“Italy has always been our number one destination. This is the first time that Japan has knocked Italy into number two,” the Maryland-based luxury travel expert said.

Belles has previously referred to Japan as the “Italy of Asia” due to its popularity, quipping that “I feel like every person I know has either just come back from Japan or they’re on their way to Japan.” Those comments ring true based on this new data, which for the first time ever was released in Australia first. Other localised versions of the report will be rolled out in other regions of the world this month.

Following Italy in the Top 10 Destinations that ANZ travellers are heading to next year, in order of popularity, are Greece, Croatia, Fiji, Canada, France, Bali, Portugal and Spain. Belles highlighted that Portugal has made its way into the top destinations from this market. That increased demand is likely driven by the popularity of river cruising on the Douro.

Supporting the Top Destination result, the 2026 Luxe Report also found Tokyo as the Top City that Aussies and Kiwis are heading to, followed by Kyoto. Then Paris, Barcelona and London.

Luxury travellers are also very conscious of over-tourism and “crowd control”, with Belles noting that if clients can travel when the weather is more moderate “and escape crowds and explore more freely, that is the ultimate luxury for them. That’s what they are really after.”

“So we’re seeing the tendency towards more serene destinations, more tucked away, out of the way, and then also very authentic destinations like Bhutan, where there is a high value, low volume concept” that’s not going to overwhelming with tourists.

Destinations on the Rise for 2026 for Virtuosos include Antarctica, Sri Lanka, Norway, Vietnam, Egypt, Morocco, Iceland, the Arctic & Malta, and India, with Bhutan also in the mix. Fittingly, the Top Cruise Itinerary for 2026 for high-end travellers was Antarctica, then the Mediterranean, the Danube, Alaska and the Greek Isles.

Among the Top Traveller Motivations are celebrating milestones, eagerness to explore new destinations, spending time with loved ones, rest and relaxation and “escaping foul weather”.

For Family Travel in 2026, the survey identified the most popular destinations were Fiji, Bali, Japan, Vietnam and Italy.

Virtuoso’s study also found advisors in Australia and New Zealand has witnessed a 40% increase in demand for ultra-luxury holidays, think exclusive use, private or exceptionally high-end experiences.

In summary, the 2026 Luxe Report for Australia and New Zealand found:

• travellers are motivated by a desire for new experiences, adventure, wellness and meaningful connections
• trends include multi-generational travel, expedition cruising and longer, slower journeys
• social media, word of mouth and change global conditions are influencing choices

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Members and partners of Signature Travel Network raised over three-quarters of a million dollars at the network’s Owners’ Meeting last week in San Diego. Through silent and live auctions and other donation methods, the nearly 500 attendees raised about US$763,000, with all proceeds going to the Global Impact Grant Program operated by Signature’s nonprofit arm, Travel Elevates.

Since 2019, Travel Elevates has given 20 global grants worth US$1.5 million, along with US$645,000 in emergency relief. The Global Impact Grant Program has helped more than 25,000 students and teachers, built four technology centres, and assisted in the start-up of seven small businesses, mainly by women entrepreneurs.

An Updated Mission

This ambition to serve and better the communities in which it sends travellers has led Signature to update its mission statement, CEO Alex Sharpe announced to Owners’ Meeting attendees.

Previously comprising “to serve our members by creating industry-leading technology, marketing and training programs, while building strong preferred partnerships that deliver a differentiated travel experience,” the statement has been amended with an additional sentence:

“Though our nonprofit, Travel Elevates, we further this mission by serving global communities with positive impact travel.”

Vicky Gallion, Communications & Development Manager for Travel Elevates, told LATTE that Signature will fully integrate Travel Elevates into its DNA “100%.”

Sharpe noted that the mission is beneficial twofold: one, it’s the right thing to do for these destinations and their community and, two, it’s simply good for business. He explained that Travel Elevates is a big reason why many employees of Signature enjoy working at the company so much.

Gallion said this is even more important to Signature’s younger employees. She explained that the mindset of the network’s Gen Z employees—when it comes to programs that give back—is: “do you walk the walk or not?” They don’t want to hear about “someday;” it’s a requirement.

And, as Sharpe added, “If people are joining our team because they want to make an impact, would it be easier for you to recruit advisors if you had something that was meaningful [to offer them]? Would it make it easier for you to recruit customers because you have something meaningful?”

A Positive Impact—for Communities and Travellers

The launch of Travel Elevates and the subsequent integration into Signature’s operations has been a long time coming, said Nina Patel, Founder and Meaningful Travel Specialist with Vacations That Matter.

Patel said her family’s past trips stood out most for the impact they created. “The immersion was so impactful that when we came back from a trip, that was the highlight,” she told LATTE. “It wasn’t the sites, it wasn’t the hotel, it wasn’t the beaches—although all of that mattered. Long after, when we look back, it was the impact that we made that was the most memorable part of the trip.”

Since launching her agency in 2011, Patel has noticed a serious shift in the way clients have considered positive impact travel. Back then, at best, it was only about “voluntourism”—travellers in search of a free trip. Now, “clients are gaining more knowledge and are asking for more sustainable and eco-conscious” experiences.

Pack for a Purpose—founded in 2009 and acquired by Signature in 2024—first changed how Patel’s clients traveled by encouraging them to get more financially and emotionally involved. “It’s about education, it’s about the journey and it’s clearly about evolving—and in a very positive way,” said Patel.

Connecting the Dots

A major focus of Gallion’s, Travel Elevates’ and Signature’s is making sure these grants are not a one-and-done-type of situation. They want to ensure that the money is continually reinvested into the community, focusing more on improving and less on sustaining. Hence the network’s focus on “positive impact” travel versus “sustainable” travel.

“At Regionals, I was able to unveil that we are going back to all our grantees and we’re asking them to step up—and they all are,” said Gallion. What does this mean? “They are going to make themselves available as a point person—almost a concierge” for travel advisors who are (or whose clients are) traveling to their destination to assist in booking on-the-ground tours and volunteer experiences.

The reaction from advisors at those Regionals? Gallion said, “They just got so excited.” They must all know what Patel knows: these types of experiences make the most lasting impact for travellers (as well as those in the destination).

An integration into SigNet will allow Travel Elevates to offer these types of experiences the way Pack for a Purpose works within the network. When a Signature advisor goes to log an itinerary for a client, they will be able to see what grant recipients are located in the destination and how their clients can give back in a meaningful way.

“We’re going to connect the dots for them and make positive impact travel even easier,” said Gallion.

Patel added: “I think it’s the perfect resource. I used to have to do this research on my own,” vetting each individual foundation, which she said “was the most critical thing, because you don’t know what you don’t know.” This takes the guesswork out of it and provides confidence that she isn’t sending her clients to something that looks “great on the outside, but then you show up and it’s something completely different.”

A Lasting Impact

What Signature hopes is that this creates a ripple effect among travellers. Gallion explained that Signature hopes travelers will join a Travel Elevates experience once they learn how they can help on the ground—but she added the network would be just as happy if travelers find their own meaningful ways to support the community.

The goal, said Gallion, is to stay connected to these communities perhaps for years after Travel Elevates’ initial grant offering.

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One of the highlights from Signature’s recent Owners’ Meeting in San Diego, California, was the introduction of Storybook, a new AI-driven tool that will help the network’s luxury travel advisors find the right products for their clients, as well as the most efficient way to pitch the product to them.

“It’s—as you’d imagine—a storytelling platform for cruises and hotels,” Alex Sharpe, CEO of Signature Travel Network, told LATTE. The content aggregator, as Sharpe calls it, will house imagery and videos that can be converted into social media posts, links that can be sent to clients, ‘mini websites’ that can be shared live and more. “It becomes this viral marketing opportunity, where [clients] can forward it to their friends and family,” he explained.

How it Works

The platform will allow advisors to input information about the client (such as their travel history, preferences, demographics and psychographic information, etc.) and then Storybook will narrow down the diverse set of products available, helping the advisor choose the proper option for their client. It will also, however, tell the advisor how to pitch the product to the client—with what message and in what order.

Once the advisor has input the necessary information into Storybook, it will scour the internet for trusted sources’ client reviews and traveller. Storybook will filter the products based off the inputs and reviews, scoring the top options as a “human factor” percentage. Karen Yeates, EVP of Information Technologies, explained that Storybook will then say, ‘This product on this sailing is a 99% match. This one’s an 89% match.’ “And it will tell you why,” she added.

“The goal is to help you tell a story with rich multimedia, connected data [and] rich analytics that creates emotional connections, builds trust, fosters loyalty [and] is relatable, [to] connect with your clients on a deeper human level,” said Yeates.

Good to know: A video demo shared by Signature says Storybook is “designed to be incredibly easy to use. Even if you’re not tech-savvy, you will find the platform fast and intuitive.”

Launch Timeline

As of now, Storybook only has cruise integration and is in an active testing phase through the end of the year. Its soft launch will come in Q1 next year before entirely replacing the existing Cruise Finder. Storybook includes all of Signature’s preferred partners, pricing and promotions/exclusives and also links back to SIG Cruise Pro to complete the sale.

Tip: Signature agency owners who want to test the platform can email Yeates for access.

Behind the scenes—but not ready for testing—Signature is also adding its hotel partners to the platform. In time, land and multi-product content (including tourist boards and destination specialists) will be folded in, as well.

Further down the road, Signature’s client database will also be integrated into Storybook. This would enable advisors to type in the client’s name, select it from the dropdown and find their information be pre-populated into the platform. Advisors can then edit details—such as whether they’re traveling alone or with their kids—and then they can verify whether a product is right for them in this situation.  

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Just about every cruise segment this year is outperforming 2024 numbers, according to Signature Travel Network. At its recent Owners’ Meeting, newly minted president Karryn Christopher shared that the network is up 8% in same-store sales versus the same time last year.

Diving into those numbers, however, reveals that numbers are up nearly across the board. When looking at 2025 year-to-date sales (through July), deluxe and river cruises led the way with a 22% and 19% improvement, respectively, over 2024’s sales. Christopher also shared that river cruises within the U.S. are actually 28% up over 2024—higher than any other segment.

Luxury cruises (11%), expedition cruises (6%) and premium cruises (2%) were all up, as well. The only segment with lower sales versus 2024 is contemporary cruises (-2%). Overall, cruise sales mimics the network’s total sales, surpassing 2024’s numbers by 8.1%.

Things are looking even better for 2026, where expedition (28%), river (19%), premium (15%), luxury (14%) and deluxe (8%) are all outpacing 2025’s sales totals. Again, contemporary cruises is the only segment trailing (-10%).

Alex Sharpe, CEO of Signature Travel Network, isn’t worried, however. He explained the contemporary lines typically perform better with direct sales and have shifted their focus in recent years to shorter itineraries—targeting travellers with less time off. These types of sailings, Sharpe said, are less crucial for advisors and those travellers who book through one might still finalize their travel plans closer to the sailing date.

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