When I joined the travel industry in 2011, I was almost always the youngest person in the room. If I happened to spot a fellow young blood at a conference or event, I would make a beeline for them. Soon enough, I got to know most of the under-40 set in the industry. But a few years ago, something strange happened: I could not keep track of all the fresh faces I was seeing.

Fellow 20- and 30-somethings were joining the industry in droves, and I — along with my fellow editors at TravelAge West — were very excited. We quickly realized that these newer-to-the-industry advisors were different than their predecessors, and we were inspired by how innovative, entrepreneurial and social media-savvy they were. But we also saw that these advisors shared growing pains and had different educational and supplier needs than their older counterparts.

This inspired us to create new content specifically directed to meeting the needs of newer and/or younger travel advisors. And we realized that none of the events in our industry were geared to these advisors and how they prefer to connect with suppliers. And that’s how Future Leaders in Travel Retreat was born. 

Everything about Future Leaders has been handpicked by our team with you — the next generation of leading advisors and suppliers — in mind. We traded out conference mainstays for a very different kind of event, where networking happens organically outdoors; where education sessions are collaborative and specific to your needs; and where social events make the most of the local culture and beauty of our retreat destination. 

And just like at all Northstar events, Future Leaders strives to create an environment of inclusion. We embrace, value and champion our attendees’ diverse backgrounds and the experiences that make them unique.

We look forward to getting to know you, whether that’s during a conversation about industry challenges, during an outdoor excursion, or at one of our evening receptions.

The business connections made at our past Future Leaders in Travel Retreat events have been unlike any other. We can’t wait to welcome you to our special community. 

Mindy Poder
Executive Editor at TravelAge West