A new study commissioned by Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) — and conducted by Ipsos — confirms a clear reality: technology has not replaced travel advisors, it has fundamentally transformed and elevated their value.
This key insight was unveiled during Forum 2026, TDC’s biennial strategic gathering for franchise and affiliate agency owners and managers, held April 7 to 10 in Banff, Alberta.
Designed as a high-level leadership forum, the event brought together members from Western Canada, Ontario and Atlantic Canada to reflect, exchange and leave with concrete, actionable strategies grounded in data and real-world experience.
Karine Gagnon, General Manager of TDC, said: “This year, for Forum, we wanted to deliver even more tangible value to our owners and managers, going well beyond a simple review of trends. And that is what we delivered with this exclusive TDC-Ipsos data.”
Based on a nationally representative survey of 1,209 Canadian leisure travellers conducted in February 2026, complemented by in depth consultations with TDC agency owners, affiliates, industry partners and internal stakeholders, the Ipsos study highlights a shift in how travellers define value in travel planning.
Titled The Future of the Travel Distribution Industry, it was presented in part by Diane Ridgway-Cross, Associate Partner at Ipsos Strategy3, and then explored in depth during a Q&A session, allowing owners and managers to fully absorb its findings and be able to put them into practice.
Those findings confirm that travellers increasingly turn to travel advisors for deeply human strengths that technology alone cannot replicate, including:
- Sound judgment and accountability;
- Reassurance and error prevention;
- Real world experience and destination expertise;
- The ability to navigate growing complexity in travel planning.
As personalization increases, destinations diversify and geopolitical and operational variables multiply, complexity is a catalyst that reinforces the role of trusted human experts in the travel journey.
Gagnon pointed out that: “This study sends a very strong and timely signal. Yes, technology and artificial intelligence are introducing new forms of competition across the travel ecosystem. But what our data clearly shows is that, in a more complex environment, the perceived value of expertise, judgment and human accountability is only increasing. That’s a powerful advantage for our agency owners who are well supported and well positioned.”
Gagnon said that: “Access to proprietary research of this depth and scale — including national consumer data and qualitative industry insight — represents a meaningful competitive advantage for TDC members, reinforcing the network’s role not only as a distributor, but as a strategic partner in agency growth and long-term sustainability.”
Beyond the exclusive Ipsos research, Forum 2026 was structured to help agency leaders translate insight into practice. The program also offered:
- A dedicated peer to peer session enabling candid exchanges among experienced owners and manager, facilitated by Transat’s Senior Director of Organizational development and Talent Management, Julie Bilodeau.
- One-on-one business reviews, as well as small-group business‑focused discussions with nearly a dozen of TDC’s preferred partners, including its own Family Partner, Transat.
This integrated approach ensured participants left not only informed, but equipped with clear, practical actions tailored to their local realities.
Dianne Jackson, Director, Franchise and Affiliate Members, observed that: “What truly distinguishes Forum is the quality of the dialogue and the relevance of the takeaways.”
And Jackson added: “Our owners and managers value having a space where best practices are shared openly, where data meets experience, and where they can prepare for what’s next with concrete tools that make a difference at the agency level.”
The Quebec edition of Forum 2026, for franchise and affiliate agencies, will take place in Saint Sauveur from April 20 to 22, 2026.
