It has been 28 months since Ensemble was acquired by Navigatr, and consortium execs say they are “thrilled with the partnership.” During a wide-ranging conversation with Open Jaw, the present and the future were discussed with enthusiasm and pride.
“The work is never done but we have executed the post-acquisition plan as we had articulated,” President Michael Johnson said. “Year one was to stabilize, year two to rebuild and three to pivot to growth. And I’d say we are ahead of the schedule, including the technology we are introducing.”
Although coy about disclosing the exact number of Ensemble agencies (last year the number was 500), Johnson was up front in disclosing the group’s total sales volume: “north of $4 billion”.
And there’s an exciting new partnership with Hello World, the second largest leisure retail travel group in Australia.
“We are working through how to maximize that relationship,” Johnson told Open Jaw. “International expansion was never our goal – they approached us – but this partnership represents opportunity and potential that we didn’t have on our radar. They have thousands of agents who need access and tools just the way we do in North America.”
But don’t underestimate the Canadian connection: as evidenced by the large number of Canadian attendees at this year’s Horizons, we comprise about half of Ensemble – “unique in the world of travel consortia.” Johnson himself is based in Toronto, although there are also Ensemble offices in New York and Seattle.
Senior management remains very bullish about ADX (Agent Digital Experience), which allows advisors to bundle multiple trip elements and service fees into a single invoice and itinerary, while supporting with commission reporting and CRM. Kristina Boyce, Ensemble’s SVP Member Services said cruise is in beta testing and they are working towards providing French language capabilities, but must remain mindful of legal requirements.
“We won’t take it live until it is perfect," she said. "Ease of use is the number one thing our members need.”
The Universe of Ensemble was launched last year and now features almost 500 learning modules. Every one has been evaluated and, according to Boyce, the approval rating from members is over 90%.
And while the exact number of agencies may remain a bit shrouded, the implication is that yes, Ensemble is growing. But what motivates an agency to switch?
“Each one has a different motivation. Our mission is to make operating an agency easier. Everything we have designed, from technology to marketing, is to make that easier," Johnson explained. "It’s clear that these agencies are looking for a group that’s large enough to impact their business but small enough that we can understand their individual needs and tailor their programs accordingly.”
At the end of the day, “You do business with the people you like and trust,” he added.
The next Horizons conference will be returning to LAS but in May of 2026, a switch made in response to member feedback that the fall is just too busy for them to be away from the office. A shorter format (just 3 days) will make for a more intense – but doubtless equally fun – event. And in the interim, there will be no shortage of Ensemble networking and learning events happening.
