TMR Canada Talks Trends, Tools & What’s Ahead with TravelBrands’ Nathalie Tanious

It’s an exciting week for TravelBrands – the company is holding a series of Travel Advisor Appreciation Events that kicked off Monday in Vancouver. Travel Market Report Canada sat down with President & CEO  (H.I.S. Canada Travel Inc., parent company of TravelBrands) Nathalie Tanious talk about what’s new, what’s changing and how travel advisors are being supported in 2025 and beyond.

TMRCA – Let’s start at the beginning—why are you doing these events, and what can advisors expect?

Tanious – We host our major shows every 18 months, and this year we’re thrilled to be heading back to Vancouver for the first time since COVID. It’s really special for us. We’ll kick off in Vancouver on Monday, October 6, where we’re expecting around 300 attendees, followed by events in Toronto and Montreal.

You mentioned COVID—if anything good came from it, it’s that people seem to appreciate travel advisors more than ever. Would you agree?

Absolutely. The pandemic really highlighted the value of travel professionals. People needed help navigating cancellations, restrictions, rebooking—it was overwhelming, and they turned to agents for guidance. That trust and appreciation has only grown. And with travellers seeking out more unique or complex destinations now, that expertise is more crucial than ever. Not everyone can visit every destination they sell, which is where we come in as a tour operator and wholesaler, to provide the tools and information they need to do their jobs confidently.

Speaking of destinations, are you seeing any changes or new trends in or where Canadians are travelling?

Definitely. Canadians are natural explorers, they will always travel. But we’re seeing shifts in both how much they’re willing to spend and where they’re choosing to go. There’s been a big resurgence in destinations like Spain and Portugal, especially for longer winter stays. People are looking for alternatives to the traditional U.S. sun destinations.

And then there are places like Japan, there’s a huge interest there right now. One of the biggest factors, of course, is airlift. If we can get travellers there easily, that opens up a lot of opportunity. And Japan is really trending.

That’s great to hear. Tell us about the theme for the events this year—Change and Create.

The travel industry is in a constant state of evolution. There’s always something new to explore, something new to offer. “Change and Create” speaks to that spirit. As part of a global company, HIS, we have a major advantage. We have offices all over the world, so when a travel advisor books through us, they know their client is in good hands from start to finish. It’s seamless support, globally.

Let’s talk about Canadian advisors. Are you seeing a shift in how they define success, or how they work now versus a few years ago?

Yes, and technology is a huge part of that. Tools that make booking easier and faster free up agents to serve more clients or spend more time personalizing experiences. We’ve put a lot of focus into technology over the last year.

For example, we’ve enhanced our NDC (New Distribution Capability) offering, giving agents access to more airline content. We’ve launched a new hotel switch that gives agents access to more promotions and better search results. And we’ve also added a new multi-destination booking feature, agents can now book up to nine cities in one transaction, including hotels, flights, transfers, tours, and more.

That must be incredibly helpful, especially for newer agents.

Exactly. Simplicity is key, especially when it comes to more exotic or customized travel. Historically, a lot of those bookings had to be done by phone or email. We’ve changed that, we’ve launched Exotik Journeys’ products online now, whether it’s instant confirmation or via request.

You can now book destinations like Italy, Saudi Arabia, Japan, French Polynesia, France, Zimbabwe, and Kenya all online. It’s a huge time saver and makes those products much more accessible.

What kind of support are you offering new agents just starting out?

We have a dedicated business development team that works closely with agencies, consortiums, and individual advisors. Whether it’s tech training, product knowledge, or step-by-step booking guidance—we’re there to help. It’s so important to us that agents feel supported from day one.

Looking ahead, what else is on the horizon for your team this year?

We’re very excited about October 14; we’re launching new AI features including a chat assistant and “Emma,” our AI tool. This will allow agents to retrieve invoices, documents, and other information instantly without needing to call in, unless they prefer to.

Of course, our support team is still available, but this is about helping agents work faster, smarter, and more efficiently.

There’s a lot of buzz – and concern – around AI. Some fear it could replace advisors altogether. What’s your take?

It’s a tool, not a replacement. AI allows advisors to access information faster, answer client questions more thoroughly, and complete bookings more efficiently. It empowers agents, rather than threatens them. Think of it the same way we all viewed the shift to online bookings years ago—those who adapt thrive.

Let’s circle back to this week. What can attendees expect at your events?

We’ll have over 80 suppliers present, and our sales team will be giving presentations covering everything we’ve discussed today. We’re also putting a spotlight on HIS and the destinations we support through our global offices. In fact, we’ll have over 11 HIS team members flying in from around the world to connect with agents and showcase what we offer.

And any final message you want to share with travel advisors?

Just that we truly value the work they do, and we’re committed to supporting them however we can. Compensation is also key, and we’ve just enhanced our loyalty program—lower redemption thresholds, no group caps, new tiers, more savings. We want to be the one-stop shop they can trust, and rely on, every step of the way.

And before we wrap up—tell us about your upcoming cruise event.

Yes! Our SeaU event is happening November 9–14 aboard Virgin’s Scarlet Lady. It’s our 10th anniversary, so this one is going to be extra special. Virgin is doing incredible things, and we’re excited to bring everyone together on board.