Cruise Pirate.
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What ASTA's registration page won't tell you — how to work the Marketplace floor, which sessions actually matter, where to eat near a brand-new resort with nothing around it, and why the Advocacy Dinner is worth packing a suit for.
Marketplace game plan, restaurant map, packing list, networking cheat sheet, and a surprise from the crew — free.
TAC is ASTA's main event — three days of education, a trade show with 200+ suppliers, and the kind of networking that keeps the travel industry running. The 2026 edition moves to the brand-new Gaylord Pacific Resort in Chula Vista (just south of San Diego), the largest hotel in California. It sold out two years in a row, so if you're reading this and haven't registered, do that first and come back.
Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center, 1000 H Street, Chula Vista, CA. Brand new — opened May 2025. 1,600 rooms, 477,000 sq ft of event space, 12 restaurants on-site, and a 4-acre water park. The resort IS the conference hotel.
ASTA membership required to register. Non-member registration bundles in a year of membership. Early bird saves $190 — grab it before the deadline. Register through PheedLoop at site.pheedloop.com/event/TAC2026.
Business casual for daytime sessions. The Advocacy Dinner on Thursday evening is black-tie — pack a suit or formal dress. Bring a jacket for the meeting rooms; Gaylord properties are notorious for aggressive AC.
Breakfast and lunch are included during general sessions — sponsored by travel suppliers. Dinner is on your own, which is actually a feature: the best networking at TAC happens over dinner, not during panels.
Attending TAC earns CEU credits toward ASTA's Verified Travel Advisor (VTA) certification. You can also add the VTA Fast Track ($399) for on-site courses that accelerate the process. Four CEUs required every two years.
Fly into San Diego International (SAN), about 11 miles north. It's a 15-minute Uber to the Gaylord Pacific. No shuttle from the airport — plan on rideshare or rental car. The resort has its own parking if you're driving.
Three days, three educational tracks, one Marketplace afternoon, and a black-tie dinner. The full session schedule drops closer to the event on the PheedLoop app, but this is the shape of the week so you can plan flights, dinners, and meetings.
| Day | Date | What's Happening |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Con | Tue, May 26 | VTA Fast Track early access courses for advisors pursuing certification. If you added the $399 Fast Track, this is when the pre-conference workshop runs. Good excuse to arrive a day early and settle into the resort. |
| Day 1 | Wed, May 27 | Opening General Session with Rachel Hollis keynote. Education breakouts begin across three tracks: LEARN (newcomers), BUILD (growth strategies), and LEAD (agency owners/managers). Marketplace opens. Evening: opening night networking event — historically hosted by a major sponsor with a themed party. |
| Day 2 | Thu, May 28 | Full day of breakout sessions and workshops. Dale Carnegie Institute runs professional development content. The Marketplace continues — this is your last full day on the trade show floor. Evening: the ASTA Advocacy Dinner (black-tie). This is the signature evening event of the conference. |
| Day 3 | Fri, May 29 | Final education sessions. Closing General Session. Conference wraps by mid-afternoon. If you're staying through the weekend, San Diego has plenty to offer — Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park, and Coronado Beach are all within 20 minutes. |
The three tracks — LEARN, BUILD, and LEAD — aren't just labels. They're designed for different stages of your career. LEARN is genuinely for people in their first few years. BUILD targets advisors who are past the basics and want to scale. LEAD is for agency owners and managers dealing with hiring, operations, and strategy. Pick the one that matches where you are, not where you want to be. You'll get more out of it.
That said, you can mix and match. If there's a BUILD session on marketing that catches your eye but you're mostly in LEAD, go for it. Nobody's checking badges at the door.
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The Marketplace is ASTA's trade show floor — 200+ suppliers in one room, covering everything from ocean cruise lines and river operators to tour companies, hotels, airlines, destination tourism boards, and host agencies. It's the largest trade show ASTA runs all year. And unlike some conferences where the exhibit hall is open for days, TAC concentrates it into a tighter window, which means the floor is packed and the energy is high.
200+ booths is too many to visit casually. Before you walk in, pick your top 8-10 suppliers. Check the exhibitor list on the TAC site and map out your route. The first 45 minutes are the best — less crowded, reps are fresh.
"Tell me about your product" wastes everyone's time. Lead with something specific: "What's your 2027 group pricing structure?" or "Do you offer co-op marketing for advisors?" You'll get better answers and be remembered.
Brochures end up in your suitcase and then your recycling bin. Get the rep's direct email or cell. A personal contact at a supplier is worth more than any flyer. Photograph their card immediately.
TAC's Marketplace isn't cruise-only. Tour operators, DMCs, hotel chains, tech providers, insurance companies, and host agencies all exhibit. If you're evaluating your business setup, this is where you do it.
Here's the thing about the Gaylord Pacific: it's brand new, it's gorgeous, and it's in Chula Vista, not downtown San Diego. The surrounding Bayfront area is still developing, so your walkable options are mostly on-resort. That's not a bad thing — the Gaylord has 12 dining concepts. But if you want to get out, San Diego's best restaurants are a 15-minute Uber away.
The Gaylord's most versatile restaurant. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with locally sourced ingredients and bay views. Your best bet for a quick working breakfast or a business lunch between sessions.
The resort's signature dining room. Indoor and outdoor seating overlooking San Diego Bay. Baja-influenced seafood that's a step above everything else on property. Reserve ahead for dinner — it fills up during events.
Dry-aged steaks and American Wagyu from Snake River Farms. The Gaylord Hotels' flagship restaurant brand. If you need to close a deal or celebrate over dinner, this is the room. Reservations strongly recommended.
The one real off-resort option within walking distance. Casual waterfront spot at the Chula Vista Marina with outdoor seating, full bar, and live music on weekends. A Chula Vista staple since 1995. Good for escaping the conference bubble.
San Diego's most impressive dinner spot, full stop. Theatrical interior, white-tuxedoed waiters, Michelin-listed. Private dining for groups. This is where you take VIP clients or celebrate a big win. Book well in advance.
Refined but not stuffy. Michelin Bib Gourmand for quality at a fair price. Creative seasonal menu in a converted warehouse. The lounge works for pre-dinner drinks. On Kettner Blvd's "Top Chef Alley" with a dozen other great spots nearby.
On Coronado Island with panoramic views of the San Diego skyline across the bay. The sunset here is iconic. Banquet space for groups up to 700, so it handles large parties well. A 12-minute drive from the Gaylord.
The Gaylord Pacific IS the conference hotel. 1,600 rooms, which is enormous, but TAC sold out two years running at smaller venues — book the room block the moment registration opens. The resort is self-contained: spa, water park, restaurants, bars, and 477,000 sq ft of event space. You won't need to leave the property unless you want to.
The only place to stay. Marriott property, so Bonvoy members earn points. Overlooks San Diego Bay and the Chula Vista Marina. The lobby bar (Oeste Bar — tequila and mezcal focused) and Cask & Crown speakeasy are where advisors will gather after hours.
If the room block is sold out or you want to save, the Hyatt Place Cruise Port and Hampton Inn Downtown are both in the area. You'll need a car or rideshare to get to the Gaylord, but you'll save $100+ per night.
San Diego in late May is about as good as weather gets. If you can swing an extra day, Coronado Beach, Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo, and the Gaslamp Quarter are all within 20 minutes. It's worth the extra night.
TAC attracts about 1,300 people — big enough to meet interesting new contacts, small enough that you'll keep running into them. That repeat exposure is your advantage. Use it.
1. Dinners are the real event. Breakfast and lunch are included, but dinner is unstructured. Organize a group of 6-8 and pick a restaurant. Mix people you know with people you just met. The conversations that happen over a shared meal at Marzul or Born & Raised will stick longer than any panel.
2. The lobby bar after 9 PM. After the day's programming wraps, the Gaylord's bars become the unofficial conference. Oeste Bar in the lobby and Cask & Crown are where the evening conversations happen. Just show up.
3. Work the Marketplace with intention. Don't wander — have a list. But also leave room for the booth you walk past and think "huh, I didn't know they existed." Some of the best supplier relationships start with an accidental conversation.
4. The Advocacy Dinner is mandatory. Yes, it's formal. Yes, you need to pack a suit. Do it anyway. This is where ASTA's leadership, top advisors, and senior supplier executives gather in one room. The cocktail hour before dinner is the single best networking window of the entire conference.
5. Follow up on the flight home. Don't wait until Monday. Text or email every meaningful contact before you land. "Great talking at the Marketplace about [specific topic]. Let's connect next week." Specificity proves you were actually paying attention.
Thursday evening is the Advocacy Dinner — ASTA's signature black-tie event and the centerpiece of the conference. It's part fundraiser, part celebration, part industry gathering. ASTA uses the proceeds to fund its legislative advocacy work in Washington, which is one of the main reasons the organization exists. When ASTA fights for travel advisor protections on Capitol Hill, this dinner helps pay for it.
The format: cocktail reception first (arrive early — this is the networking hour), followed by a seated dinner with remarks from ASTA leadership. It's not an awards show — the ASTA Globes awards gala is now a separate January event in Chicago — but there may be recognition moments during the evening.
What to wear: Black-tie. Suit and tie or a formal dress. This is the one event where people genuinely dress up, and you'll feel it if you don't. If you only pack one extra outfit beyond business casual, make it this one.
ASTA is different from CLIA. Where CLIA is a cruise industry trade group, ASTA represents travel advisors across the entire industry — land, air, cruise, tours, corporate, leisure, all of it. Membership starts at $219/year for individual advisors. Beyond TAC access, you get legislative advocacy, the VTA certification program, access to ASTA's supplier network, chapter events, and a seat at the table when policy decisions affecting your business are being made.
If you're at TAC, you're already a member. But understanding what ASTA actually does beyond the conference — especially the advocacy work — gives you context for why the Thursday dinner matters. It's not just a party.
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