Travel agents reacted with anger over Marriott International’s new YouTube campaign urging consumers to book direct, but several said the go-direct message comes as no surprise and will not affect their business with the hotel chain.

The recent Travel MarketPlace lived up to its billing as the premier conference for Canada’s travel professionals, offering two days of highly-focused education and networking. The packed agenda dealt with a far-ranging set of subjects from sales and marketing to destination weddings, technology to controversial issues, specialization to social media.