This week: Air Canada Vacations’ advisory board convened at Sandals Montego Bay; TTAND introduces TripBuilder; MSC Cruises’ booking platform is launched in French; Rocky Mountaineer is helping agents get social; and special recognition for Mary Jean Tully.
Air Canada Vacations
Air Canada Vacations recently hosted its annual Travel Advisory Board (TAAB) Retreat at Sandals Montego Bay in Jamaica, in collaboration with Sandals Resorts. The event brought together a select group of travel partners from across the country, including representatives from retail chains, consortia, and independent agencies, for a dynamic exchange of insights and strategy.
The four-day retreat combined strategic business discussions, dedicated training, and in-site hotel inspections, giving participants valuable firsthand insight into Air Canada Vacations’ key product offerings. Attendees also had time to enjoy and explore the resort experience for themselves.
“This retreat is an important opportunity to deepen our relationships with our valued travel partners and work collaboratively toward shared success,” said Nino Montagnese, VP of Air Canada Vacations. “Our Travel Advisory Board’s goal is to enhance services and simplify travel planning for our trade partners and their customers. The valuable feedback we receive helps us make real progress, and we appreciate our partners’ input in shaping our future.”
TTAND
The Travel Agent Next Door has introduced an itinerary builder tool for members. Fully integrated with TTAND’s CRM, TripBuilder eliminates the need for manual data entry and instantly pulls in client and booking information, turning a once time-consuming task into a seamless, professional experience.
Highlights of TripBuilder include CRM-Integrated Automation; AI-Powered Content Generation; Google Maps Integration; 250+ Curated City Guides; Mobile-Optimized & Client-Friendly; Fully Branded to Each Agent; Live Flight Alert Integration; and Attach Documents & Collect Approvals.
“The powerful tool our agent partners to create smart, fully branded, and shareable itineraries in minutes,” said Jeff Element, TTAND COO. “This is more than just an itinerary tool, it’s a strategic advantage for our agent partners. We’ve taken everything a modern travel advisor needs and built it into one elegant solution that enhances both efficiency and client satisfaction.”
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises Canada has announced that MSC Book, its dedicated online booking platform for travel agents, is now fully available in both French and English, thereby better supporting French-speaking advisors across Canada.
In addition to the bilingual platform, MSC Cruises Canada provides fully bilingual support through its call centre, as well as dedicated sales and group support teams tailored to both English and French-speaking travel professionals.
“The launch of MSC Book in French underscores our ongoing commitment to supporting our travel partners in both of Canada’s official languages,” said Ian Patterson, Country Manager, MSC Cruises Canada. “This milestone is particularly meaningful for our valued partners in Quebec, who continue to play a pivotal role in our growth and success. As the only major cruise line with a dedicated office in Canada, we are proud to invest in innovative tools that empower our partners to expand their business and better serve their clients.”
The French version of MSC Book is available now at https://www.mscbook.com/ca-fr/welcome .
Rocky Mountaineer, Canyon Spirit
Armstrong Collective, parent company to Rocky Mountaineer and Canyon Spirit, is making it easier than ever for travel advisors to promote their luxury rail journey experiences online through a new partnership with a leading social media management platform Rallio.
Agents now have free access to professionally curated, brand-approved social content via an intuitive, AI-powered platform and can take advantage of Rallio’s centralized dashboard to:
- Manage all their social media accounts: Schedule posts, publish content, and monitor engagement across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, all in one place and at no cost.
- Access professionally curated content: A rich library of compelling, brand-aligned images, videos, and captions developed by Rocky Mountaineer and Canyon Spirit’s trade marketing teams, saving valuable time on content creation.
- Customize posts: Personalize content to include unique calls to action that resonate with their specific client base.
- Maintain a consistent social presence: Cross-platform integration, with social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, means agents no longer have to juggle multiple tools or logins.
- Benefit from broad availability: The platform is accessible to travel advisors across all regions, ensuring the entire partner network can boost their digital marketing efforts and increase online visibility.
The Rallio platform is now live and available for Armstrong Collective’s trade partners to start using immediately.
Tully Luxury Travel
Mary Jean Tully, Founder & CEO of Mississauga-based Tully Luxury Travel, has been recognized as a Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist for the 26th consecutive year. TLT is a respected names in bespoke travel, known for its high-touch service, deep destination knowledge, and exceptional access to the world’s top cruise lines, safari lodges, and private experiences.
“I truly believe I have the greatest job in the world,” says Tully. “To be recognized again by Condé Nast Traveler is an incredible honour.”
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