TMP Calgary Opens with a Challenge to Advisors: ‘Be Curious’

From advisors with less than a year in the business to three-decade plus industry veterans, Travel Market Place Calgary 2026 opened with a celebration of the travel trade’s collective experience — and a challenge to attendees to make the most of two days of networking and knowledge acquisition.

It’s the third year for the Calgary event, and more than 300 advisors are in attendance, along with 70 suppliers eager to help build advisor businesses and their own. 

“What is so incredible about the travel industry is that it gets in your blood,” emcee Geraldine Ree told attendees. It becomes your pastime, your work time, your profession. In the last five years, we have completely reinvented ourselves, and I just think you’re all so incredible.”

Brian Israel, SVP and Publisher of Travel Market Report, urged attendees to seize the opportunities presented by the conference.

“Don’t just attend, participate. Ask questions, take notes. Think about what you can bring back to your business.”

Israel followed up with a strong practical message:

“The goal is, what can I do tomorrow when I get back, to be a little bit better and to help my business?”

With so many suppliers in attendance, participating in the pre-conference Ambassador Program and today’s trade show, Israel offered the following advice to advisors:

“Be curious. Stop by a company that you’ve never heard of before. Talk to them. Who knows? That could be your next great sale.”

Both Ree and Israel specifically acknowledged the new advisors among the audience and encouraged them to pick the brains of the more experienced. 

“What I love about this industry is that it is so peer driven, and you all do such an amazing job of helping each other and really rising the tide and floating all the boats higher,” Israel said.

Post-COVID, not only has the travel industry changed significantly, but so has what advisor clients are asking for, Ree said.

“Sixty-five per cent of travellers are picking their experience first. They’re saying ‘I want to see the cherry blossoms in Japan. I want to do the sailboat race in St. Thomas.’ They’re picking the experiences.”

That’s where opportunity lies, Ree said. “What are the experiences that are going to light my clients up? And what are the products that are best suited to them?”

in an uncertain and often negative environment, Ree said consumers continue to value travel because of the human experiences and connections it provides.

She emphasized that what sets Travel Market Place apart is that it uses working travel professionals as speakers rather than relying exclusively on professional presenters:

“The passion that this industry has for sharing their experiences to help their neighbour grow — that’s why I’m here.”