Ascend is an event that advisors don’t want to miss, and ALG Vacations’ annual flagship conference just wrapped up another successful year. It was held October 15-18, 2025, in Cancun, Mexico, with a theme of A World of Adventure, meant to highlight the variety of destinations offered by ALGV.

This year, there were many updates unveiled, and the company focused on three main areas: product, progress and partnership.

“ALG Vacations is proud to showcase the ongoing initiatives that are driving advisor success through our core pillars of Progress, Product, and Partnership,” said Jacki Marks, global head of trade brands at ALG Vacations. “These focus areas guide how we innovate, expand globally, and strengthen the tools that make selling simpler and more rewarding for travel advisors.”

Key Takeaways From the Ascend Conference

Product

ALG Vacations’ expanded global portfolio is designed to help advisors meet their travelers’ growing interests in traveling to more destinations and experiencing new hotel brands. “The industry has proven its resilience, and ALG Vacations is proud to help lead that momentum by diversifying our product, investing in smarter technology, creating more ways for advisors to grow, and spreading kindness,” said Ray Snisky, group president at ALG Vacations.

• Global Product Expansion: The company added 200 new destinations, some of which include Australia, Thailand, Africa and the Middle East. The recent relaunch of Blue Sky Tours means the brand now extends beyond Hawaii to Japan, the Maldives and New Zealand.
• Hotel and Partner Growth: ALGV added nearly 1,000 new hotels this year, including properties under the Accor and Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection brands.
• Airline Enhancements: The number of airlines ALGV partners with now exceeds 100, with 16 new carriers being added this year.
• Luxury and Lifestyle: Luxe by ALGV now includes over 500 five-star properties, and advisors also have access to Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Under Canvas brands.
• Advisor Benefits and Booking Tools: Travel advisors earn full commission on European vacations as well as Exclusive Nonstop Vacation Flights, with deposits available from just under $200/person.

Progress

ALGV is making progress on several aspects of the business, including tools, service and technology that make advisors' lives easier, and the team shared a handful of updates with attendees and Ascend. “Progress for us means growing with care, building stability and innovation that empower advisors to succeed no matter how the marketplace evolves,” Snisky said.

• Smarter Technology: AI Copilot was introduced in contact centers, and a new travel advisor portal is launching in 2026.
• Tools for Advisors: Booking filters have been enhanced to simplify the planning process and include things like luxury, port cities and over 350 landmarks.
• Education and Learning: ALGV already has a ton of resources, but programs like Pro Power Hour webinars and Social Media Pro courses offer advisors even more.
• Tech Partnerships: Working with Travefy allows advisors to export bookings to create itineraries, and Amstar Connect is a new feature that delivers real-time updates.
• Group Travel Growth: Advisors can utilize helpful tools like the custom events pages, auto-drop features and the $750 Refer-a-Friend bonus.

Partnership

Partnership is the foundation of ALGV’s culture. “The future of travel is bright, and it’s being shaped by the partnership between suppliers and advisors,” said Snisky.

• Sales Team: As the largest team in the industry, ALGV’s Business Development Managers offer guidance, planning and personalized support to each advisor they work with.
• Partnership Through Purpose: The company partners with Fundación Creer in Cancún and MudLOVE in the Dominican Republic through its Kindness Movement.
• Community Through Connection: The Kindness Conference and Connection brings together 40 rising stars under the age of 40 and 40 industry veterans, allowing advisors to collaborate across generations.

“Ascend is our opportunity each year to bring those efforts to life, celebrate the progress we’ve made together, and share what’s ahead for the advisor community,” Marks said. “As we grow our reach, our mission remains the same: to support advisors as the heartbeat of this industry and ensure they have what they need to thrive.”

Save the date for next year's event: October 21-24, 2026, in Cancun, Mexico