A New Year and a New President for USTIA

Brandon Bates talks to ITIJ about his new role, the importance of collaboration, and what’s coming up in 2026 for the Association

 

Congratulations on your appointment as President of the US Travel Insurance Association (USTIA). What are your primary objectives for 2026?

With the start of a new year comes excitement, opportunity, as well as change. I want to start by saying thank you to our outgoing President, Robert Gallagher, as he transitions into this new role as Immediate Past President. Robert led the association through Covid-19 and some regulatory challenges in the beginning of his tenure and did an amazing job of setting us up for a path to success in the coming years.

I feel humbled by the opportunity to serve USTIA in the capacity as President and will work to foster an environment for continued collaboration among our members. Our shared vision as we enter 2026 will be for USTIA to be recognised as the leading voice for travel protection and assistance services in the US, shaping a resilient, sustainable, and innovative industry, while seeking to safeguard every journey for US travellers. USTIA will remain focused on our three key pillars of Advocacy, Connection, and Education as we look to provide value to our members and policyholders.

 

Coming from a medical transport background rather than pure insurance, what different viewpoints do you have about insurance that you think could help to broaden the horizons of the organisation?

For me, a lot of listening will be important as I look to learn more about the needs of our members. I am excited for the opportunity to reach, engage, and activate our vibrant network of volunteers, innovators, and thought leaders to diversify and expand USTIA membership. We have so many subject-matter experts (SMEs) across our association and what I hope to do in my tenure as President is tap into those resources in collaborative ways that allow all voices to be heard. The entire value chain is important when it comes to serving our members, so ensuring that all sectors are represented will be critical to driving value for our members and policyholders.

 

When it comes to the wider travel insurance ecosystem, what more can be done to encourage better understanding and collaboration between providers of services and insurance payers?

Having served on the board for many years leading into my current role, I have observed that the best way to broaden collaboration and understanding is through listening to one another. The board has agreed that we must work to foster a continuous learning culture that enhances capability and competitiveness, while building widespread public understanding and trust in travel protection.

I feel humbled by the opportunity to serve USTIA in the capacity as President and will work to foster an environment for continued collaboration among our members

The board makeup allows for this with voices from insurance companies, service providers, as well as the President of THIA, our counterpart association out of Canada. We also work closely with our conference committee to ensure we are offering opportunities at our annual conference for this type of discussion and collaboration as there is no better time to have discussions than when we are in-person with our key decision-makers.

 

USTIA events are well known for their insightful agendas and great networking opportunities – where is the event in 2026, and what’s coming up in terms of speakers and topics?

Our 2026 Annual Conference is set to take place in Orlando, Florida, at the Omni ChampionsGate from 12–14 April. Additional details about the conference can be found at the conference page (2026.ustia.org) and we encourage anyone who is not already involved to also look at opportunities to engage with one or our many committees. Committees are a great place to get engaged and learn more about the USTIA, and those groups will be having their annual meetings at the conference on Sunday 12 April.

The board has agreed that we must work to foster a continuous learning culture that enhances capability and competitiveness

In addition, we will be hosting our second annual Young Professionals Lounge as well as a New Members Reception on 12 April in advance of the conference Welcome Reception, so there are ample opportunities for new individuals to engage at the event. We have some great keynote speakers lined up and a slate of informative sessions planned. And you don’t want to miss the annual golf tournament on Monday afternoon or the Closing Dinner Celebration on Tuesday night. There is something for everyone at the annual conference and it is a wonderful time to reconnect with colleagues across the industry.

 

What are you most looking forward to this year from a professional development perspective?

I am most looking forward to learning more about our members and what we as an association can do to support them and bring value. I feel I have great support from industry peers and a board that is as solid as ever. While there is much for me to still learn in some of the space around the law and regulatory environment, I know that we have great SMEs in those areas and my goal is to not get in their way. I want to focus on how we can grow our association as well as consumer awareness for travel protection as I feel we are poised to make an impact in those areas in the years to come.

 

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