From record growth to roaring parties, Envoyage Worldwide 2025 was equal parts business and buzz. Over three days in Sun City, more than 400 delegates dived into big themes – AI, social media, cruising, touring and the unstoppable rise of independents – while celebrating Envoyage’s leap to $2.3 billion in TTV and 3,500 members across five markets (and counting). Add in entrepreneurial flair, moving community moments and a fireworks finale, and this year’s Worldwide proved why it truly went Beyond Every Journey. Karryon’s Mark Harada reports exclusively from South Africa.
#1 Envoyage growing
At Worldwide 2025, Envoyage celebrated some serious milestones – and not just the fact that more than 400 delegates were in South Africa for the event.
From some $30 million in 2018, Envoyage – a Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) brand – has skyrocketed into a multi-billion-dollar business, hitting $2.3 billion in total transaction value in FY25.
Global Managing Director Danielle Galloway called it “a very incredible, powerful growth story”.
Membership has also surged, now sitting at around 3,500 across five markets – a 17% rise year-on-year (10% up in Australia). That’s well ahead of the industry’s 2–3% growth rate, highlighting Envoyage’s momentum.
#2. Independent going mainstream
The way travel advisors enter the industry is shifting fast, and independence is leading the charge.
According to Galloway, “68 per cent of new agents are starting as independent.”
She describes it as “the independent revolution,” fuelled by technology that makes it easier than ever to set up solo.
With independents retaining 70 to 90 per cent of commission compared to employee models, Envoyage sees fresh talent to scale – and the momentum shows no signs of slowing.
Shopfronts not a priority
Although Envoyage opened five stores within the space of five months in late 2024-early 2025, Envoyage Global General Manager Astrid Richardson told Karryon that the branded shopfront model for the business “is not a major part” of its growth strategy.
“It was in response to those agencies looking for a new home, and a new home with a bit more flexibility than the franchise offering that exists in the Australian market,” she remarked.
“So it was really in response to that rather than a ‘let’s go out and grow shopfronts’. It was certainly not part of our intentional strategy.”
But that doesn’t mean the group isn’t open to more physical stores.
“As we go forward, it’ll be the right agencies at the right time. So I’m not looking to go on a Flight Centre trajectory,” Envoyage General Manager Australia Nick Queale told Karryon at Worldwide.
New market coming
Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, South Africa… is the UK about to be added to the list of Envoyage member countries?
Along with a wealth of new, independent agents, Galloway says Envoyage could welcome a sixth market to its fold “very soon”.
Richardson believes the move would represent a significant step forward for the group.
“We’re looking at the UK market. Obviously, there’s a good opportunity there in terms of the independent space,” she said.
Focus on AI and social media
Worldwide 2025’s attention was on innovation, transformation and building businesses ready for the future.
AI played a big role in that messaging. Keynote speaker, marketing technologist Kha Ly, discussed the pivotal role of content creation in business growth, emphasising the importance of original, creative content. Notably, he stressed the significance of professional mode on Facebook for increased reach and engagement, saying that four in five (78%) millennial travellers rely on Facebook groups for destination recommendations.
Ly also highlighted the rise of AI-driven recommendations and the necessity for advisors to adapt and create compelling content to remain competitive and visible online. With nearly half (42%) of all AI recommendations travel-related, “either a product or destination or something [else]”, Kha reckons there’s a lot for travel advisors to capitalise on. Just remember, original content.
Later in the day, FCTG Global Leisure CEO James Kavanagh discussed market trends, innovation and AI strategies in travel, predicting 4-6% growth in air travel and 16% in cruising and touring.
He said the industry must adapt to AI and recommended an AI plan that includes setting a vision, choosing markets, finding an edge, building skills and strong management.
Elsewhere, tech talks focused on Envoyage’s most exciting development, Beacon (a business analysis dashboard) along with updates on TP Connects and NDC.
Cruising growing; touring shrinking (in group size)
Ok, so we already knew that cruising is booming. But the numbers are still staggering.
Caroline Hitchen, General Manager of FCTG cruise wholesaler CruiseHQ, told guests “the global cruise industry is projected to exceed 37 million passengers by the end of 2025”. Hitchen also lauded the sector’s “very high satisfaction rate”, with four in five (82%) cruisers doing so again. Regional trends show North America leading with 20 million travellers, Europe recovering and Asia-Pacific growing 30%. The Caribbean and Mediterranean remain popular, with a shift towards longer itineraries. Expedition and luxury cruising are booming, and solo travel is a significant segment.
Meanwhile, a touring panel – consisting of Intrepid Travel, Chimu Adventures, Global Touring, The Travel Corporation, Globus Family of Brands and G Adventures – discussed trends and the outlook for the sector, with predictions of double-digit growth in the coming year. The expert panel emphasised the importance of authenticity, comfort and flexibility in guided tours, with personalisation and sustainability becoming base expectations.
One of the most interesting observations concerns group size. Anna Fawcett, General Manager APAC for Global Touring, told Karryon that the size and makeup of a group are now the number one consideration for customers, based on recent research.
On the panel, Fawcett told advisors that “understanding what your customer wants and matching [that] to the right size is fundamental for a great experience”.
Envoyagers are entrepreneurs
With Envoyage member agencies and advisors given flexibility and freedom to operate as they see fit, many bring an entrepreneurial spirit to their business.
“Part of the culture of this business is very entrepreneurial, in terms of ownership,” Richardson said.
“So we really understand the flexibility and choice piece really well, and we protect that fiercely. Our agencies have a lot of choice, our advisors have a lot of choice.
One of the unique features of Worldwide was the Lions’ Lair, where Envoyage members pitched ideas to a panel of discerning judges – Dani Galloway, James Kavanagh, Regent Seven Seas Cruises Managing Director Australia/New Zealand Lisa Pile and Room-Res Co-Founder and Co-CEO Nick Bryant – to win $5,000 towards growing their ideas. The winning entry was TravelTracker, a digital initiative that Co-Creator – and Founder of the Cruise & Travel Store – Belle Goldie basically calls a “never forget process”.
“When a client comes in and you take that initial inquiry, and you start putting their information into the AI bot, it starts to generate a personality for the client,” she tells Karryon.
“It reads their buying signals. It tells us where they’re at in the buying process by the language they’re using.
“It helps us narrow down and suggest some destinations for them.”
Additionally, the platform – which was co-created by business partner Chad Naylor – will prompt communications to potential clients.
“This will remind you and generate an email after 12 hours, if you haven’t communicated with the client. It’ll also link to your social media.”
And the Envys winners are…
At the second ‘Envys’ awards gala at Sun City’s Greenhouse, Envoyage recognised the achievements of the brightest stars in its group over the past 12 months. The Australian winners this year are:
- Top Advisor Member of the Year – Australia: Brad Thomas, Spotlight Entertainment Travel
- Top Agency Member of the Year – Australia: Sportslink
- Travel Entrepreneur of the Year: Belle Goldie, The Cruise & Travel Store, Australia
- Best Marketing Initiative: Sam & Clive Fillingham, Envoyage, Australia
Other winners include:
- Top Member of the Year – New Zealand: xtravel
- Leadership in Regenerative & Accessible Tourism: xtravel, New Zealand
- Customer Service Excellence: Ane Steyn, Flight Centre Independent, South Africa
- Destination or Product Specialist of the Year: Christine Wilson, Envoyage, Canada
- Community Impact Award: Adam Taylor, Altitude Travel, Canada
- Rising Star: Lisa Zilli, Concierge Boutique Travel, USA
One of the gala’s biggest stars wasn’t an advisor or agency, but the Ndlovu Youth Choir, which treated the audience to a stirring set of traditional songs and classics like Toto’s Africa. A rendition of Nessun Dorma moved many to tears.
Worldwide’s a hit
From rapid-fire presentations to networking in every form, plus standout parties, world-class entertainment and top-notch wining and dining, Worldwide delivered an experience that clearly hit the mark with attendees.
Sportslink Travel Founder and CEO Paul Kelly told Karryon thathis business, a successful sports travel operation, got a lot out of the conference. “As a sports travel business, there are a lot of things here that are probably not as relevant to us,” he said, referring to the event’s tradeshow component.
“But it also opened our eyes to think, ‘you know, this company does that, maybe we can do something there’.
Kelly uses a meeting with AmaWaterways as an example.
“Like AmaWaterways… river cruise is just not what we do at all. But I ended up having a really long chat with them, because we started talking about golf cruises, something that we’ve never really thought about, and it just sort of tweaks your mind.”
Kelly added that his team also learned a lot from the conference’s sessions on AI and social media – with a notepad full of plans to implement when he returns.
“AI is going to have a big impact… and we’ve never been scared of AI, and hopefully people start to think, ‘AI will help us, rather than take our job’.
Sun City’s hot
Few venues can boast a world-class convention centre with multiple accommodation options, next to two championship golf courses, and the real kicker, a safari game reserve (Pilanesberg National Park), on its doorstep. But Sun City can – and Envoyage made the most of it, from an opening safari-themed celebration around the Botsalanong boma, to the closing night party at the Valley of Waves (a giant wave pool). And did we mention a massive fireworks display?
They care a lot
On the final day of Worldwide, guests pivoted from business to community, with delegates building bikes and backing a donation drive for the SOS Children’s Village in Rustenburg – bringing a little extra joy and real local impact to the event. Most of the bikes even worked – and those that didn’t were fixed by local experts.
Nearly 250 travel agent members joined over 100 industry suppliers and partners, plus 45 Envoyage global and regional leaders, for Worldwide 2025. The main (‘Lion’) sponsor was Europ Assistance, with ‘Leopard’ partners including NCL, Intrepid, Expedia TAAP, Room-Res, GFOB and Cover-More.
The writer was a guest of Envoyage. For more information on the group, click here.
