Headquarter Happenings: TRAVELSAVERS and NEST Stay Connected at Annual Travel Market Conference

This week, members of TRAVELSAVERS and NEST gathered in Orlando for Travel Market, the biennial conference of the American Marketing Group (AMG) companies.

The theme of this year’s conference, held at the Hyatt Grand Cypress in Orlando, was “Connected,” focusing on the importance of relationships in the travel industry. The theme was fitting for a celebration that was delayed a year because of Hurricane Helene last October.

“It was one of our toughest decisions, standing there in Marco Island, with the excitement building up to it—our advisors truly want to be together,” said Nicole Mazza, chief marketing officer of TRAVELSAVERS and NEST. “They really enjoy seeing each other, so we’re thrilled to put this event on.”

This week’s conference marks a time of incredible optimism for group members, despite whatever headwinds have arisen since the beginning of the year.

Bullish Outlook for 2025 and Beyond

The general trend was strong coming into the New Year, though Q1 saw a brief slowdown as media cycles picked up and equity markets cooled. Some segments, like river cruising and the overall luxury market, remained steady. Those that dipped rebounded quickly as headlines subsided and consumers grew comfortable with volatility.

“Even with a slight slowdown at the end of Q1, bookings are strong,” Nicole Mazza said. “This last month, business is back, business is soaring. I’m extremely bullish for where 2025 is going to end and where we’re headed in 2026.”

“Looking at our projections for 2026, they’re off the charts right now,” added Kathryn Mazza-Burney, chief operating officer.

The rest of 2025 and 2026 could be boosted by a long-awaited dip in airfare, which has come down over the past six weeks, along with hotel prices in the more popular spots in Europe—two things that have deterred some consumers in recent years. But the groups are still expecting the unexpected.

“This isn’t the year of normalization; we’re still going to see some volatility,” Nicole Mazza said.

Top Destination Trends for 2025

In the guided market, Europe remains the top draw. Ireland, Italy/France, Greece/Croatia, and Spain/Portugal are the leading international destinations based on current bookings.

For FIT travel, Japan remains the top choice. “Japan has exploded in popularity since the pandemic, and you’re selling it really well,” Mazza told attendees.

In the sun-and-sand segment, Cancun remains the top seller for TRAVELSAVERS and NEST, followed by the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Aruba, which are gaining momentum.

In cruise, expedition cruising and Alaska remain hot segments for members, good news for advisors looking to book higher-yield products.

Technology and Marketing Updates

One of the significant additions to TRAVELSAVERS and NEST’s technology suite is AI Connect Powered by Toby, a tool designed to help members streamline their marketing. It uses AI to create and manage content quickly and professionally, taking some of the burden off advisors.

“The heart of our organization is you folks, and we’re making sure you have the tools and resources you need,” Nicole Mazza said.

The platform enables advisors to create polished marketing content—including blog and social media posts—and tap into exclusive promotions and partner deals. During the opening general session, Mazza promised “a lot more investment in our tech platforms over the next two years” while showcasing some of the other new tools already in place.

OnlineXpress, a website creation and hosting tool, continues to grow. In 2024, it generated 3,500 leads, 725,000 pageviews (an 82% increase over last year), and 1.7 million emails (up 20%).

Advisors can now deep-link to tripXpress from their websites, blogs, or social media—taking clients directly into the booking process and automatically crediting any bookings to them. There’s also a new dashboard within tripXpress that consolidates data and list management for direct mail, email, and OnlineXpress in one place.

The group also launched a lead-generation strategy two years ago, using video and social media ads to target consumers who aren’t yet working with an advisor. Since then, the campaign has delivered nearly 3.5 million impressions and more than 78,000 clicks for its network.

Finally, the KORE education program, launched in 2021, is being refreshed with a new curriculum, shorter modules, and more gamification. The relaunch is expected later this year.

Network Growth

TRAVELSAVERS and NEST continue to grow their agency networks—always with a selective, invitation-only approach designed to avoid overlap and maintain exclusivity. In 2024, they added 102 new affiliates—60 in NEST alone—representing $279 million in preferred partner sales. So far this year, they’ve already added another 47 affiliates and $196 million in sales.

For TRAVELSAVERS in the U.S., there are currently 1,600 agencies. In 2025 so far, they’ve added four new agencies representing $43.4 million in preferred sales. These are brick-and-mortar leisure agencies, carefully placed to avoid competition: only one agency per 50,000 people.

In Canada, TRAVELSAVERS added seven new agencies this year, contributing $18 million in preferred sales. The average Canadian agency does $2.5 million to $3 million in business, and the group remains exclusive in Canada, too—only one agency per 25,000 people.

On the NEST side, home-based agencies have seen explosive growth. NEST now has over 500 agencies, with 39 new agencies added so far in 2025—representing $137.6 million in preferred sales from these new additions.

Independent contractors are also carefully placed within existing agencies, ensuring they get the best support possible.

For both TRAVELSAVERS and NEST, the approach is about quality, not quantity. “Our goal is to never put our agencies in competition with each other,” Kathryn Mazza-Burney said.

A Focus on Community

At the end of the day, the event—and the group’s ongoing growth—was all about community and connection. “As travel advisors and agencies focus on what you do best, at TRAVELSAVERS and NEST, we’re making sure you have the resources to support your clients,” Mazza said. “We’re behind the scenes, making sure we’ve got your back.”