Highlights From the 2026 ASTA Travel Advisor Conference

by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 9:00 AM ET, Tue June 2, 2026

The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) wrapped up its 2026 Travel Advisor Conference in San Diego, California by revealing the location of next year's conference.

The 2027 gathering is set to take place in Orlando, Florida from May 4 - 6 at the Signia by Hilton. Like past years, the 2027 conference will offer a variety of practical education, industry insights, advocacy updates, and networking to help advisors grow their businesses. There will also be sessions focused on premium and experience-driven travel, personalization and the expanding high-end travel market.

Advisors will also have the opportunity to participate in exclusive pre- and post-conference FAMs with ASTA's cruise line partners, providing firsthand product experience.

The final few days of the 2026 conference, meanwhile, included a variety of news and takeaways. Here's a closer look.

Annual Honors Recipients

At the final general session of the 2026 ASTA conference, several awards were announced, including Travel Advisor of the Year. The 2026 recipient of the honor is Dr. Shenika Baisley-Woodley of Divine Dream Destinations Travel.

Baisley-Woodley, whose company specializes in cruises, destination weddings, honeymoons, wellness retreats and curated group travel, was recognized for "delivering exceptional client experiences and mentoring travel professionals across the industry."

A lieutenant colonel and deputy commander in the U.S. Army, Baisley-Woodley has successfully maintained dual careers in both the military and as a travel advisor. In making the award, ASTA said Baisley-Woodley brings the same commitment to leadership, service and excellence to both her military and travel careers.

Gabriel Gatete and Matthew Wade, co-founders of Toggle Travel App, were also recognized during Friday's general session at the ASTA conference. The pair were named 2026 Entrepreneurs of the Year, an award presented in partnership with the Dan and Gloria Bohan Foundation in recognition of innovation and entrepreneurial leadership in the travel industry.

Both University of Michigan computer science graduates, Gatete and Wade were honored for their work building Toggle, a travel technology platform that ASTA said "reflects the creativity, adaptability and forward-thinking spirit" that the award was created to celebrate.

The ASTA Community Compass Award was also announced on Friday. It was presented to Steve Cates, co-founder of The Hoist. A San Diego-based nonprofit, The Hoist brings veterans and civilians together through community events and provides financial assistance to military families in times of hardship.

Cates, a Navy veteran who served as a radioman on fast-attack submarines during the Cold War and Vietnam War, helped found The Hoist to ensure veterans have a place to share their stories and be recognized for their service.

"The honorees recognized today represent the service, leadership and entrepreneurial spirit that define this profession. We look forward to building on this momentum next year in Orlando," said Zane Kerby, president and CEO of ASTA.

Supplier Highlights From General Sessions

Carnival Cruise Line

Numerous cruise industry executives were in San Diego for the ASTA conference, and a few took to the stage during general sessions to share tips and updates for travel advisors.

Carnival Cruise Line's Regional Vice President of Sales, Caribbean & Eastern Region, Sheila LeBlanc, told conference attendees during Thursday's general session that the cruise line is continuing to invest heavily in travel advisors' success through a variety of efforts, including education, business development support and relationship building.

"We're investing in you. And that's first and foremost and most important," LeBlanc said.

"Back in 1972, when Ted Arison started Carnival Cruise Line with the first ship, the Mardi Gras, he knew at that time to fill that ship with travel advisors for that first sailing, knowing that would be the true success of our brand," LeBlanc continued. "And here we are 54 years later and we have 29 ships currently. And all of that success comes from the travel advisors."

Carnival is expanding its business development team into new territories, said LeBlanc, who encouraged advisors to reach out to BDMs for support whenever needed. Carnival also maintains a full inside sales team that's available to support travel advisors.

In 2026, the brand also introduced new ship tours and Seminars at Sea as part of the next wave of its Funnel Faves campaign. The offerings are designed to give travel advisors an up-close look at the onboard experience, helping them level-up their businesses with first-hand knowledge.

When asked to share what she believes sets travel advisors apart with regard to effectively selling Carnival cruises, LeBlanc offered this tip: "Experiencing it themselves. Because the best thing is having that passion and understanding of the product."

Understanding client preferences and travel styles, asking them questions and booking them on the right ship is also critical, said LeBlanc. Carnival has 29 ships and offers sailings ranging from 3 to 31 nights. The sheer diversity of options means there are many different choices for travelers. "So, you have to experience the different Carnival products and the different destinations to be able to be the professional and help the clients," explained LeBlanc explained, who said it's important for advisors to understand that Carnival is a brand that offers "something for everyone."

"The brand itself has broad appeal. People know Carnival," said LeBlanc, calling Carnival "America's cruise line."

"People know the products to some degree. And we really lean on all of you to give them the rest [of the information]," she said.

The cruise line also has a 98 percent satisfaction rate, according to LeBlanc. It's a statistic that means travel advisors can confidently put clients on Carnival ships knowing "that they're coming back to you and that they are coming back to cruising," said LeBlanc.

Also noteworthy: Carnival sails from 14 home ports across the United States, which is no small detail. Maintaining more than one dozen ports means more than 50 percent of the country can get to a Carnival ship in five hours or less, LeBlanc emphasized.

AmaWaterways

Ann Chamberlin, senior director of key accounts from AmaWaterways, also took to the ASTA conference stage to discuss what's on tap for the river cruise line. Most noteworthy, the company will have 50 ships in the water by 2032.

But for a brand that's built a reputation on personalized, high-touch customer service, that growth will not come at the cost of quality, Chamberlin stressed.

"We're doing this carefully, thoughtfully, and we think about it all the time, the guest experience onboard, what does that look like," she said. "That [level of quality] will never change. That 1 to 1 attention to detail, knowing a guest's drink, their preferences. We call it excellent service. But it's really Ama care that goes into that."

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