This week: Transat Distribution Canada says ‘Bravo’ to agency owners; ACTA has a new board; Travel Leaders Network celebrates POP winners; Tully Travel is tops with Crystal; First in Service (F1S) introduces a hotel program; and Aurora Expeditions gives agents a chance to win a trip
Transat Distribution Canada (TDC)
Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) honoured 30 franchise and affiliated agency owners from across Canada (along with a guest of their choice) during the latest edition of the Bravo Excellence Club trip (banner photo). This year, TDC treated recipients to an eight‑night Mediterranean immersion, with ports of call in Portugal and Spain, in collaboration with Norwegian Cruise Line and Air Transat. For more than 20 years, this trip has recognized outstanding sales performance by TDC owners.
“There are corporate events. And then there are moments like the Bravo Excellence Club trip,” says Karine Gagnon, General Manager of TDC. “I truly believe this is much more than a recognition trip. It’s a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations, to get to know one another on a human level, to discuss business realities and, above all, to create lasting memories together,” she adds.
Dianne Jackson, Director, Franchise and Affiliate Members, and a member of TDC’s leadership team, echoes this sentiment. “Although these trips are 100% about enjoyment – with no training or professional development component – they are so much more than a simple reward. They bring us back to what truly unites us: the joy of travel and discovery.”
ACTA
The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors (ACTA) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 26 announced its 2026-27 Board of Directors:
- Gary Gaudry, Atlantic Region – Treasurer
- Serge H. Malaison, Québec – Secretary
- Monica Johnstone, CTC, Ontario – Chair
- Melanie Carter, CTM, Manitoba and Nunavut – Vice-Chair
- Heather Calvert, Saskatchewan
- Peter Keyter, Alberta and Northwest Territories
- Mark Greenwood, British Columbia and Yukon
- Brian Robertson, Director at Large
- Zeina Gedeon, Director at Large
- Rocky Racco, ACTA Appointed Director
- Michael Johnson, ACTA Appointed Director
- Lyne Côté, ACTA Appointed Director
The Board also elected its Executive Committee for the 2026-27 term, consisting of Monica Johnstone, Chair; Melanie Carter, Vice-Chair; Gary Gaudry, Treasurer; and Serge H. Malaison, Secretary.
The new board will meet in June for strategic planning discussions focused on establishing ACTA’s 2027-29 priorities, organizational objectives, and future initiatives in support of ACTA members and the Canadian travel industry.
Travel Leaders Network
At its closing gala for EDGE 2026, Travel Leaders celebrated its top members agencies and advisors with the Power of Partnership (POP) Awards, honouring excellence in sales growth, client service, community impact and overall excellence across its Associate, U.S. Affiliate and Canadian Affiliate member agencies.
This year’s POP winners reflected several of the travel industry’s fastest-growing segments, including luxury travel, hosted advisor networks, social-driven advisor brands and customized experiential itineraries. The Network also celebrated its Canadian Affiliate members, with the following awards:
- President Award-Small Agency:Glow with Me Adventures
- President Award-Midsize Agency:Vacations Yorkton
- President Award- Large Agency:Voyages en Direct
- New Member of the Year:1-2-1 Travel Connections Inc.
- Host Agency of the Year:TTAND
- Influencer of the Year:KVI Travel
- Philanthropy Award:Centre Holidays
- Chairman’s Elite (largest percentage of growth): Travel Best Bets
- Chairman’s Pinnacle (high sales growth and consistent support of TLN’s partners): TTAND
- Member of the Year: Northstar Travel
“The Power of Partnership isn’t just a name, it’s what drives all our decisions,” said Lindsay Pearlman, President of Travel Leaders Network. “This year’s winners reflect how rapidly the advisor landscape is evolving, with agencies growing through specialization, luxury expertise, hosted advisor networks and stronger use of technology and marketing tools. The collaboration between our members and supplier partners continues to raise the bar for what modern travel agencies can achieve. Congratulations to all our winners.”
Tully Luxury Travel
Crystal has named Tully Luxury Travel as its top producing agency – globally – for the 29th consecutive year.
The recognition comes Crystal prepares for the launch of Crystal Grace, its first new ocean ship in 25 years and the first developed under the ownership of Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group.
“For 29 consecutive years, our relationship with Crystal has been built on trust, shared values, and a mutual commitment to delivering exceptional experiences for our clients,” said Mary Jean Tully, Founder and CEO of Tully Luxury Travel. “This recognition is incredibly meaningful to us, and as Crystal enters this exciting new chapter with Crystal Grace, we are proud to continue leading the way in introducing our clients to the very best in luxury cruising.”
First in Service (F1S)
First in Service Travel has unveiled F1S OR1GINALS, a new global hotel program designed to showcase a curated collection of small, independently owned boutique properties that offer distinctive character, immersive experiences, and meaningful connections to place. The program, available for advisors to book through the GDS, complements the Virtuoso luxury hotel program by expanding access to exceptional properties in more off-the-beaten-path locales that may fall outside conventional luxury portfolios.
“F1S OR1GINALS represents a natural evolution of how our clients travel today,” said Fernando Gonzalez, CEO and Co-Founder of First in Service. “While traditional luxury remains crucial, our clientele has expressed a growing desire for experiences that feel even more personal, more unexpected, and more connected to local culture. This program allows us to bring forward a collection of extraordinary hotels that truly stand apart.”
INCENTIVES
Aurora Expeditions
To thank travel advisors for their support, Aurora Expeditions is giving agents a chance to win a voyage aboard the company’s newest purpose-built small ship, the Douglas Mawson. Through June 30 all new bookings on select 2026 or 2027 Europe, Panama Canal and Costa Rica small ship cruises, in conjunction with Aurora Expeditions’ Companion Travels Free offer, will automatically be entered into a random draw.
The incentive is designed to support travel advisors as they introduce clients to Aurora Expeditions’ growing small ship cruise program, which brings the company’s immersive, expert-led style of travel to culturally rich destinations beyond the polar regions.
Under the incentive, travel advisors will receive one entry for every eligible booking made during the promotional period. There is no limit to the number of entries a travel advisor can earn, meaning the more eligible bookings made, the greater the chance to win.
Travel advisors can learn more about eligible voyages and the Companion Travels Free offer by contacting their Aurora Expeditions sales rep or visiting aurora-expeditions.com/travel-advisors.
Smithsonian Journeys
The Smithsonian’s travel program and a leader in enriching small-group exploration has a special booking incentive for travel advisors to promote its limited-availability 2026 Solar Eclipse programs in Spain. For each new booking made by June 19, agents will receive a US$500 Visa gift card in addition to their standard commission.
“Solar eclipse travel has become one of the fastest‑growing and most lucrative segments in experiential travel,” says Walter Littlejohn, Sr. VP of Smithsonian Journeys. “With demand surging and space limited, this is an opportunity to offer an extraordinary, once‑in‑a‑lifetime experience, and we want to reward our valued travel partners for introducing these trips to their clients.”
The path of totality for this year’s solar eclipse sweeps down from the Arctic and across northern Spain
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