A $327,000 yacht charter wasn't what Nick Pena expected to walk away with after attending Global Travel Marketplace West (GTM). But for the Cruise Planners travel advisor, a conversation at the event with luxury tour operator Kensington Tours ultimately turned into one of the most successful supplier relationships of his career.
“It’s the best event I’ve ever attended in terms of being a catalyst for my growth professionally,” Pena said. “After my first GTM, it was like a springboard. I made it here, now let’s take it to the next level.”
Hosted by Northstar Travel Group, parent company of TravelAge West, GTM West is an elite invite-only event that brings together top-producing travel advisors and global travel suppliers for relationship-building and networking.
Designed specifically for top-producing advisors and suppliers, GTM West focuses on quality over quantity. To maintain the event’s exclusive theme, advisors must meet strict qualifications to attend, including annual individual sales of at least $1 million or ownership of a multimillion dollar agency. Advisors must also reside in the Western United States or Canada, have a global book of business or plans to expand their portfolio, demonstrate a desire to work with a wide range of suppliers and provide three travel industry references.
While GTM West focuses on advisors and suppliers from the Western United States and Canada, Northstar also hosts GTM North America and GTM Luxury, expanding networking opportunities across additional markets.
The event consists of intimate one-on-one meetings, boardrooms and networking events.
Credit: 2026 Generikal DesignFor advisors, GTM offers opportunities to maximize their time, expand their supplier portfolio, deepen product knowledge and build meaningful relationships through intimate one-on-one meetings, boardrooms and networking events with an esteemed group of peers.
For Pena, what began as a one-on-one appointment evolved into ongoing networking conversations throughout the event and ultimately into a long-term partnership.
“I think what makes GTM different is the quality networking time,” Pena said. “The appointments ignite the conversation, but then there are so many opportunities to continue it in a relaxed setting. You sit together at dinner, meet at the lobby bar, attend hosted events together and you’re not competing with 400 other advisors for someone’s attention.”
That relationship eventually led to six-figure luxury bookings, including the yacht charter, as well as Pena becoming one of Kensington’s top-producing advisors.
For many advisors, GTM’s value extends beyond immediate sales and into long-term confidence and professional growth.
“The first thing that I got out of GTM was confidence,” said Christen Perry, founder of Classic Travel Connection. “It gave me confidence in myself as a travel advisor and confidence communicating with suppliers.”
Perry said the event helped her build relationships with suppliers she otherwise may never have encountered while also surrounding her with “like-minded advisors and agency owners."
One of Perry’s most valuable partnerships came from an unexpected breakfast conversation with Travel Insured International. Today, Perry is one of the company’s top producers and serves on its advisory council.
GTM West is where meaningful friendships and lasting partnerships begin.
Credit: 2026 Generikal DesignJustin Murphy, manager of VIP Travel Experience, said one of GTM’s greatest strengths is the community it creates among advisors and suppliers.
“That is what makes GTM different,” Murphy said. “The people selected for these events truly value community over competition. There is a spirit of generosity in these boardrooms that cannot be forced. It is carefully cultivated. It is powerful.”
Murphy also said his greatest success story from GTM has been the network he built through the event.
“These are people I can text when a client has an unusual request, when a destination throws a curveball or when I need honest insight from someone who has been there before,” he said. “Having this caliber of advisors and travel partners at my fingertips has made our business stronger, sharper and more resilient.”
Jennifer Kellum, a destination specialist and owner of Neverland & Main Travel, described GTM as “the turning point” in her career.
“It emphasized the value of industry relationships, thoughtful connection and collaboration,” Kellum said.
Through GTM, Kellum cultivated partnerships with suppliers including Anzcro, Live Life African Safari Getaways and Titanium Tours — relationships that helped her create highly customized client experiences and close the largest booking of her career.
Kellum echoed Perry’s sentiment about the confidence GTM helped build.
“The biggest success has been the confidence that comes from a stronger, more intentional portfolio,” Kellum said. “I’m no longer just offering options — I’m offering vetted experiences backed by relationships.”
For suppliers, the event delivers equally meaningful results.
“GTM has allowed us not only to get in front of new high-producing vetted advisors year after year, but more importantly it has created a platform for us to know exactly what advisors need from our type of supplier,” said Jesus Repetto, co-founder and CEO of Titanium Tours. “The result is a company that advisors love and $1.5 million in revenue from GTM alone."
For Tim Sawhook, owner of Exclusive Travel Partners, one of GTM’s most important business relationships started completely by chance.
During a GTM West outing at White Stallion Ranch, Sawhook struck up a conversation with David Chairez from Hoteles Buenaventura.
“By the end of that night, we had become fast friends,” Sawhook said. “The next day, we sat down for our scheduled meetings, and it was immediately clear: We were going to do business together.”
That relationship led to hosted site visits, increased bookings and eventually Exclusive Travel Partners becoming the top seller of the resort.
"Thanks to GTM West, we found our most productive account,” Chairez said. “ROI is the guiding principle for our annual participation in this event, but we have seen a tangible benefit every year."
Sawhook says that their friendship is even more meaningful than their shared business success.
“That’s something you can’t plan for — it only happens through genuine connection," Sawhook said.
As GTM West prepares for its 2026 event in Palm Springs, stories like these continue to reinforce the event’s core values of curating relationships and creating meaningful networking and business growth.
GTM West is currently accepting applications here.
