Travel Leaders Network (TLN)’s top leisure-selling agencies are heading into 2026 with confidence and momentum, buoyed by booming cruise demand, expanding marketing efforts and growing adoption of artificial intelligence to enhance operations.
At the annual Leisure Leaders Meeting, held October 6-8 at The Biltmore in Coral Gables, Fla,, TLN surveyed 20 of its highest-producing leisure agency owners—representing more than $2.5 billion in annual preferred partner travel sales alone—on their business outlook and investment priorities for the year ahead. The results reveal an industry segment that’s not just rebounding, but thriving.
Cruising and Luxury Travel Lead the Way
Every agency surveyed expects cruise growth in 2026, with 95 percent anticipating gains in premium and luxury segments and nearly half projecting increases of more than 10 percent. River cruising remains especially strong, with all respondents predicting growth. Land-based travel is also rising, particularly escorted tours and FIT, while all-inclusive and group travel are steady but slower-growing categories.
“Our top agencies are confident heading into 2026,” Lindsay Pearlman, president of Travel Leaders Network, said in a statement. “Luxury and cruising continue to deliver exceptional returns, and even slower categories remain stable. This is proof of a healthy leisure market overall.”
Smart Investments in People, Marketing and Tech
Top-performing agencies are putting their profits to work:
- Half plan to increase marketing budgets by 10 percent or more.
- 35 percent are investing in new technology, including AI-driven tools.
- 30 percent will recruit more independent contractors.
- 45 percent intend to raise employee wages.
The most effective marketing channels cited were social media, paid search and email, areas where TLN offers tailored programs like Social Share Pro, Engagement Marketing and exclusive agency-branded publications.
“It’s validating to see that the tools we’ve built align directly with how our members are growing their businesses,” Pearlman added.
AI Becomes a Business Essential
Artificial intelligence has firmly entered the travel agency mainstream. Only 5 percent of respondents said they have no plans to use AI, while most are integrating it into customer service (69 percent), marketing communications and advisor profile writing on TravelLeaders.com, TLN’s award-winning consumer lead-generation platform.
Confidence with Caution
While the overall outlook is positive, 45 percent of agency owners cited the domestic economy and 20 percent mentioned politics as their top concerns for 2026.
Partnerships That Pay Off
All survey respondents said they use TLN’s exclusive consumer offers—including onboard credits, value-added amenities and prepaid gratuities—to deliver more value to clients. Ninety percent also use TLN’s bonus commission programs to motivate advisors, and 60 percent said preferred-partner promotions are major profit drivers.
“These leaders show how partnership, innovation and scale translate into growth,” Pearlman said. “Their success underscores why being part of Travel Leaders Network is such a competitive advantage.”
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