TRAVELSAVERS’ Nicole Mazza: As AI Grows, So Does Advisor Value

Artificial intelligence is transforming how consumers research travel, but Nicole Mazza says the explosion of information is making trusted travel advisors more valuable, not less.

Opening Travel Market 2026, the annual conference of American Marketing Group, Mazza, Chief Marketing Officer for TRAVELSAVERS, NEST and the Affluent Traveler Collection, told attendees that the travel industry is entering yet another period of profound change, and advisors have an opportunity to capitalize on it.

“The more technology evolves, the more information, the more you become valuable to them,” Mazza told attendees at the JW Marriott Hill Country Resort in San Antonio.

She argued that travel has repeatedly adapted to technological disruption over AMG’s 56-year history, moving from brochures and fax machines to websites, mobile apps and increasingly integrated booking platforms.

“Every generation has faced transformational change in this industry,” she said. “But we’ve always found ways to turn them into opportunities.”

The question now, she said, isn’t whether change is coming, but how travel businesses use it to become more successful.

The $84-Trillion Opportunity

One of the biggest current shifts isn’t technological at all.

Mazza discussed the enormous intergenerational wealth transfer expected during the next two decades, citing an estimated $84 trillion moving from the massive bubble of baby boomers to younger generations.

That raises important questions for advisors about who their future clients will be, how they will research and book travel, and what they will value.

“The decisions we make today are going to shape our business for tomorrow,” she said.

Today’s consumers, Mazza argued, are increasingly looking beyond price when deciding whether a trip represents good value. “They want personal, meaningful, and they’re also saying, ‘Is it worth it? Is it worth it to me?’” she said.

“Worth it,” she added, is increasingly an emotional calculation rather than simply a financial one.

Travellers want bucket-list experiences, family time, emotional connections and seamless execution. And they want to feel recognized and cared for throughout the journey.

AI Can Provide Inspiration, Advisors Deliver Confidence

Consumers have never had more sources influencing their travel decisions, with artificial intelligence rapidly joining social media and traditional online research.

But Mazza drew a distinction between providing information and delivering assurance. “Information does not convey confidence,” she said. “That’s where you come in.”

Consumers don’t need more information, she argued. Just the opposite in fact: they need someone who can cut through it. “The more information becomes abundant, the more people want trust. They want confidence. They want you.”

Mazza cited research indicating 84% of travellers say a trusted travel advisor is more valuable than unlimited online research.

“Trust has become one of the most powerful currencies in our business today,” she said.

Clients value advisors for their expertise, access, taste, judgment and reassurance, Mazza said, adding a succinct description of the relationship between technology and the advisor: “AI and social media may introduce the idea, but you close the sale.”

Rather than choosing between technology and human interaction, she urged advisors to embrace both.

Combining Technology with Humanity

“The future of travel will not belong only to technology, nor belong to those that ignore it,” she said. “It will belong to those that combine the best of technology with the best of humanity.”

Mazza says that’s the key priority for AMG’s agency networks. “Our innovation strategy has always been laser-focused on helping advisors grow stronger, more profitable businesses while delivering exceptional value to travellers,” she said. 

“Throughout our history, we’ve developed solutions that help agencies sell more and operate more efficiently.  We’re building on that legacy today with powerful new tools, expanded partnerships, and advanced marketing capabilities that give our advisors a competitive advantage now and into the future.”

Mazza’s optimism was supported by the organization’s own numbers.

Sales Momentum Continues

The network’s investments are translating into strong sales performance, with 2026 results significantly outpacing last year:

• FIT land sales up 7%
• Guided sales up 8% 
• Cruise sales up 14% 
• River cruise sales up 14%
• Hotel room nights up 8%

The growth follows an exceptional 2025, when network revenue increased 15%. Looking ahead, 2027 bookings are already showing double-digit growth across most travel segments, underscoring continued demand for advisor expertise and personalized travel experiences.

Encouragingly, those gains have come despite economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, rising costs and repeated disruptions.

“People still want to travel,” Mazza said. “They are choosing travel.”

It’s Still A Relationship Business

Mazza closed by encouraging attendees to use Travel Market not simply as an educational conference but as an opportunity to build relationships and find ideas outside their usual business circles.

“Be intentional in the conversations that you have,” she said, encouraging delegates to challenge their thinking, strengthen partnerships and speak with people operating different business models.

Some of Travel Market’s most valuable moments, she added, won’t happen during formal presentations.

“They’ll happen in the hallway. They’ll happen over coffee. They’ll happen at two seconds at night on a dance floor.”

And that human connection echoed Mazza’s larger message about the industry’s future.

“The future belongs to those who turn connections into strategy, opportunity and growth.”