A conversation with Nexion Travel Group’s Jackie Friedman
Story: Bob Mowat
What are some of the issues that are of concern to Nexion’s members these days? How concerned are they about the aviation fuel shortage and the impact that it could have (or is having) on airfares, capacity reductions, etc.?
There’s a lot going on in the world, and there’s no doubt that we are all holding our breath a bit. As of right now, travel agents seem to be in a watch and wait mode. The aviation fuel issue is probably the biggest “what if,” and it’s hard to tell what will happen next. But I have faith that one way or another, between agents and our air partners, that we will figure this out.
You recently hosted your CanEx Conference in Toronto at the end of April. There was a panel on Growing & Managing Your Business in an Ever-Evolving Industry and I’m wondering what the advisors on that panel had to say?
A strong showing at the inaugural CanEx Conference in Toronto
So, how is the Nexion Travel Group helping its members negotiate their way through some of these challenges?
The word I would use is community – and history. Are there challenges now? Absolutely. But there were during Covid, and Zika. And when the airlines cut commissions. And the start of the internet. But what travel agents have always done is survive and adapt.
How we do that is by banding together in community — and I don’t just mean Nexion. I mean the industry through organizations like ACTA. We all do better when we all do better, and we need organizations like ACTA to advocate on our behalf. Consider this my plug for every single Canadian travel agent to join ACTA today.
How Nexion helps specifically is through a blend of education and peer support. We let people know the major happenings, how they might affect travel agents, and what they should tell their clients. And our tool NexionTown lets them talk to each other. One of the best things any agent can do is ask another for their opinions.
I believe that during the CanEx Conference, there was a lot of discussion about SNAP – the group’s air booking tool. Can you talk a little bit about that? What’s SNAP all about? What are the benefits for the advisor? How does it help them become more efficient?
The great thing about SNAP is that it is completely intuitive. It is the anti-GDS in many ways. If a travel agent knows how to use the internet, they can use SNAP.
It’s not just for air — agents can book car rentals and hotels with SNAP as well.
Of course, air is one of the top reasons that our members use SNAP. It always surprises me when an agent decides air is too scary to book. If you as a travel professional aren’t booking air, how do you expect your clients to do that? SNAP takes that fear away so an agent can serve their clients’ trips from end to end.
Nexion Travel Group’s Jackie Friedman + Air Canada Vacations held a post-event training session for attendees.
So, maybe you can give me a bit of an overview of how the market is performing so far in 2026. Is business slowing? How would you describe it?
There’s certainly a lot going on in the world right now. And recent events have affected travel. But here’s the important thing: travel has not stopped. Travel agents are having to rearrange things for clients if they were going to the Middle East or Cuba, but people want to travel and are changing where they travel, not if they travel.
Business has been excellent in North America. We’re having a great year so far.
One thing that has been really interesting for booking trends is that people want to lock in travel. Our members are making sales that are 12 to 18 months out. And here’s the really interesting part: trips leaving in less than three months are also selling well. To me, this points to travellers wanting to really plan ahead and deal with changes as they come, or wanting to deal with things as they currently stand. It’s that middle timing where traditionally the largest percentage of Canadians have booked that is lagging a bit behind.
I also wanted to ask you about trends – where are advisors sending their clients – is domestic Canada strong? How about Europe? Cruising? What are Nexion’s members seeing?
It won’t surprise you to learn that a soft spot is travel to the United States. Canadians are traveling however. They’re rediscovering the wonders of their own country.
River cruising and ocean cruising continues to perform well. Canadians appreciate the ability to see lots of places in one trip and unpack once. One area of cruising that is really shining is upper premium and luxury.
Europe is perennially popular, but we are seeing people wanting to explore some of the less tourist-friendly places and see something new.
When it comes to sun and fun, the Canadian appetite is insatiable, especially during the winter. Cuba’s recent issues have affected where people are going in the Caribbean, but the region is able to absorb the different choices Canadians need to make.
After an informative day of learning, travel advisors cheered on the Blue Jays, who came out on top vs. Red Sox.
Last question – what was Nexion’s message to its members during the conference – what did they want advisors to take away from the event?
The number one message: Nexion is committed to the Canadian market. We are a North American company with dual operations and are deeply proud of our Canadian members. They are integral to our success.
