Applications close on September 30, 2026.

Every year the same thing happens. We open the call for speakers, and the proposals that stop us cold aren't from people with a speaking reel. They're from advisors who figured something out the hard way and want to save everyone else the trouble.

That's who we're looking for again. Host Week 2027 runs January 25–29, 2027, and we're taking EduSpot proposals now.

What Host Week is

Host Week is HAR's annual get-together, held the last week of January, to celebrate hosted advisors and the industry that supports them. It's fully virtual and free, and it runs a full week.

Not everyone shows up looking for a new host. Plenty come for the daily keynotes, the educational sessions we call EduSpots, and the Luminary Awards, where we recognize the best host agencies of the year. We also run Meet the Hosts and Meet the Consortia sessions every day, where advisors who are shopping can hear directly from companies through a HAR interview. Those end with the important questions. Things like: if your company were a dance move, what would it be?

More than 4,000 travel advisors have joined us for Host Week. An EduSpot puts you in front of them.

Who should apply

You, probably.

Speaking is open to anyone with an idea that will help travel advisors grow their business or sharpen a skill. You don't need a speaking history. You don't need to have done this before.

One firm rule: EduSpots are educational only. We don't allow you to promote your services, products, or yourself during a session. If you sell something and you're selected, your final slide can include your contact information and a call to action related to what you presented— say, a freebie that goes deeper on your topic. That's the extent of it.

And if you're new to this, apply anyway. Public speaking is a real fear and a virtual room is a gentle place to get past it.

What gets picked

Unique takes. Specific ones.

Maybe you're an advisor who built a system for multi-generational bookings that works no matter how tech-savvy the traveler is. Maybe you love tech and want to walk through the five tools that actually earned their place in your agency. Maybe you've bent Trello into a trip-planning tool and want to show your work. Maybe you went from selling $3,000 vacations to refusing anything under $10,000, and you can explain how.

Any of those. The more specific and useful your proposal, the better your odds. Vague pitches are the ones that lose.

The logistics

EduSpots are 20 minutes total. Plan for a little less if you want time for Q&A at the end. Your session may have a sponsor, who'll give a short intro before handing it to you.

Sessions run between 2–5pm CT during Host Week. You'll get your specific slot as we get closer.

Live or pre-recorded, your call. We recommend live. The audience is friendly and asks good questions, and you'll want to be there. If you do pre-record, you or someone from your team has to be in the audience during the live session to field questions.

Format is up to you. A PowerPoint, other documents, or just you talking to the camera. Some combination. Panels work too, capped at three panelists plus a moderator.

Dates to know

• September 30, 2026 — applications close
• Early October 2026 — we notify selected speakers, about a week after the call closes
• Mid-December 2026 — presentation slides due, so the HAR team has time to review
• 2–3 weeks before Host Week — recordings due, if you're pre-recording
• January 25–29, 2027 — Host Week

Questions we get a lot

Can there be more than one presenter? Yes, though we'd keep it to two.

Can I promote or sell something during my session? No. See above.

Can I submit more than one topic? Yes. Submit a separate application for each one.

Is there an honorarium? No. Host Week is free to attend, so the budget doesn't stretch to speaker fees. You get a room of thousands of advisors and a real credential as a subject matter expert.

Anything else? The material has to be your own.

Are pets allowed? Yes. The HAR pets make the occasional Host Week cameo when their schedules allow, so we'd be hypocrites to say otherwise. Do try to avoid other interruptions, though — silence your phone, shut the door, and warn your household you'll be in a meeting.

What if I'm not selected? We'll add you to the waitlist. You can also put a Host Week offering on our Specials page in the meantime.

How to submit

Head to the Host Week speaker application and tell us your idea. Write a brief abstract and what people will walk away knowing.

Applications close September 30, 2026.

Not presenting this year?

Come anyway. Register for Host Week 2027 — it's free, virtual, and includes replays.

Press contact: Jenn Myers, Marketing + Partnerships Manager, Host Agency Reviews

jenn@hostagencyreviews.com

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Host Agency Reviews® is an independent website connecting travel agents to leading industry resources. With over 230+ combined host, franchise, and consortium profiles and 4,400+ reviews, it's the largest directory for agents on the web. Founder and former host agency director Steph Lee started Host Agency Reviews in 2012 to support travel professionals as they start and grow their agencies. Since then, the HAR team has expanded the site to include a robust industry blog, a free weeklong travel agency startup program, the Travel Agent Chatter quarterly podcast, Friday 15 weekly Q&A live stream, HAR*Wired®, and Host Week, an annual virtual industry event to recognize and amplify independent agents and the hosts, franchises, and consortia that support them.