RETAIL ROUND-UP: TLN, TTAND, Virtuoso, and Direct Travel

In this week’s round-up, Travel Leaders Network announced the dates of its annual Fall Regional conferences; The Travel Agent Next Door rewarded top performers with a high Arctic expedition with Adventure Canada; Tourism Australia scored top marks with Virtuoso; and Direct Travel made the most of Virtuoso conference.

Travel Leaders Network

Travel Leaders Network will be hosting three complimentary in-person regional events this fall. A mix of innovative training sessions, networking, leadership advice, trade show, and dinner, the event will also feature agency-enhancing programs and new technology benefits designed to directly improve clients’ overall travel experience. The events will take place as follows: Edmonton – Oct. 17 – Renaissance Edmonton- Airport Hotel; Vancouver – Oct. 19 – Sheraton Hotel – Richmond; Toronto West – Oct. 25 – Hilton Mississauga/ Meadowvale. Featured this year will be speaker Carlo Trinidad, BDM, Western Canada at Inclusive Collection, part of World of Hyatt Inclusive Collection. Trinidad will lead the Power Speaker Session by focusing on the evolution of all-inclusive vacations and how to help members elevate a typical vacation package, which will increase overall commission earnings. All attendees will be eligible to win one of many travel prizes.

The Travel Agent Next Door

Last month, the Travel Agent Next Door rewarded its top performers with a 12-day High Arctic Explorer Expedition on the Ocean Endeavour, hosted by Adventure Canada (banner photo).

TTAND’s top performers trip rewards the top agencies as well as top individual advisors.

“We have different annual targets for our individual advisors and for our agencies who have multiple affiliate agents,” said TTAND Founder and CEO, Flemming Friisdahl. “This way an individual advisor gets recognized for their hard work and achievement during the year and they are not competing against an agency which has multiple advisors.”

The voyage departed from Resolute Bay and called at Beechey Island, Lancaster Sound and Devon Island, Pond Inlet as well as Ilulissat, Sisimiut Coast and Kengerlussuaq in Greenland.

The group included 13 of TTAND’s top performers as well as supplier partners Mitchell Merucci, Royal Caribbean; Neil Dudley, AMA Waterways; Leslie Ann Schaff and Stephanie Bishop, Globus; and Cindy Girard, Norwegian Caribbean Lines – as well as TTAND executives.

Virtuoso

Virtuoso awarded Tourism Australia with its prestigious ‘Luminary Award’ during the network’s recent 35th annual Virtuoso Travel Week at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The event celebrated the network’s to travel agencies, advisors, and preferred partners.

The ‘Luminary Award’ is awarded to a Virtuoso partner that upholds the highest professional standards, serves as a leader in its industry, and embodies the spirit of the Virtuoso network through its dedication and engagement. The recipient of this award exudes brilliance and sets a standard for others to follow.

“It is an honour for Tourism Australia to be recognized by Virtuoso for this accolade,” stated Chris Allison, the National Tourism Office’s VP for North America. “Virtuoso is a valued partner that plays an important role in bringing more targeted High Yield Travelers to Australia, not just from the US and Canada, but globally as well…This award is a strong testament to all of the preferred Australian partners of Virtuoso.”

Direct Travel

There was a strong showing of Direct Travel advisors at the recent Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, with 107 advisors and members of the executive team from across North America.

Commenting on the conference, Direct’s Sr. VP. of leisure strategy & marketing, Toronto-based Stephen Smith said, “Virtuoso Travel Week is an annual event that allows us to continue to build relationships with the best luxury partners and peers from around the world.”

Pictured at a Virtuoso gala dinner were (l-r) Direct Travel advisors Margaret Pagliarulo, Vinny Desousa, Paul Chin-Aleong, and Lucy Catalanotto (all of the downtown Toronto location); Stephen Smith; JoAnne Patterson from Ancaster, Ont.; Robin Dunn from Waterloo, Ont.; and Renata Grant of Direct Travel’s Toronto head office

Smith says he was particularly impressed with this year’s spotlight on the impact of AI and the importance of integrating it into the travel planning process. “We’re very focused on incorporating these advances while maintaining human connection – which has now become even more critical.”