With its new Sun brochure now out there in the ether and product launches pending in five Canadian cities in September, Air Canada Vacations says it is also implementing a new commission policy designed to offer agents enhanced financial protection and stability.
Delivered in a letter to travel agency partners, ACV VP Nino Montagnese stated: “To further solidify our dedication to building stronger partnerships and ensuring shared success within the travel agent community, we are implementing concrete steps to support and empower our trusted travel agent partners with the tools they need to thrive in the dynamic travel industry.”
They include:
- Effective immediately, travel agents will now be entitled to receive standard commission on any cancelled individual bookings made 45 days or more prior to departure (Cancelled with Deposit), with the exception of cruise and group bookings.
- In addition, Air Canada Vacations will protect full commission on any schedule change that provides no option of reprotection and results in a cancelled booking. Unforeseen schedule changes are an occasional reality, and we understand the challenges that travel agents face when cancellations arise due to schedule modifications beyond their control.
* In the event of unforeseeable and unavoidable Force Majeure situations that result in cancelled bookings, or a situation where customer voluntarily cancels the reservation due to their refusal to accept the tour operator’s offered alternatives, commission protection will not be applicable.
The tour operator adds that this fall, it will introduce new Flex Travel Tool functionality that gives agencies greater visibility and control over their commissions payout, making it easier than ever to track and manage their earnings. Agencies will have clear visibility of all commissions paid and pending on their bookings, providing a comprehensive overview of their earnings.
Further, more details on a new optional function to request auto-collection of the final payment on the customer’s credit card, similar to the initial deposit process, will be soon be available.
Product launches
Meanwhile, ACV has announced dates for its annual Dream Makers product launches this fall, with events set to take place in five Canadian cities, starting Sept. 6 at the Cedar Event Centre in Halifax. The shows will highlight the tour company’s just-released ACV’s 2023/24 “Dream of Sun” digital brochure.
Travel agents are invited to attend the trade show galas, which will also take place as follows:
Tour dates and locations are:
Sept. 6: Halifax – Cedar Event Centre
Sept. 12: Edmonton – Marriott Hotel
Sept. 14: Vancouver – Marriott Hotel
Sept. 19: Montreal – Congress Montreal
Sept. 21: Toronto – Universal Events
All events will take place from 5:30 to 9 p.m. and feature an evening of cocktails, great prizes, and live entertainment, as well as a presentation from Air Canada Vacations’ senior executives highlighting the just-released 2023/2024 collection.
Brochure
The digital brochure – available at https://agents.dreamofsun.aircanadavacations.com/ – features a curated collection of sun destinations and hotels, offers over 1,000, primarily all-inclusive, hotels across 45 destinations. This year’s brochure adds 63 additional hotels to its roster and 25 semi-exclusive resorts.
“Curated under the theme of ‘a vacation for every traveller,’ we’re proud to present this new collection via digital brochure, offering more choices, more programs and of course, more vacation inspiration for your customers,” says Montagnese.
“Air Canada Vacations has the largest selection of hotels, making us the largest vacation wholesaler in Canada,” he adds.
The digital brochure also reinforces Air Canada Vacations’ commitment to the environment by allowing travellers to search for hotels and resorts that declare their commitment to one or more ecolabels (endorsed by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council).
Additionally, Dream of Sun highlights LGBTQ2+ vacation spots and hotels that proudly welcome “everyone under the sun and guarantee an inclusive environment for all.”
There are also more than 100 cruise itineraries from which to choose, and families will find almost 100 Play Collection resorts and 25 Play hotels in the US.
Travel agent toolkit
The second edition of Air Canada Vacations’ Travel Agent Toolkit will be made available as of Sept. 6 during the #ACVDreamMakers Tour. The toolkit includes a step-by-step guide to using the digital brochure, the most recent flight schedule for winter, an overview of available hotels and cruises, as well as ACV promotions and offers.
EBBs
Early planners who book their 2023/24 winter vacation package to Mexico and the Caribbean, and Flight & Hotel packages to Hawaii at least four months in advance, will enjoy significant savings with Air Canada Vacations’ Early Booking Bonus. Families can save $400 (for a family of four or $100 p.p.).
Protection plan
Agents can earn up to 20% commission when adding a peace of mind plan to bookings, with CareFree and CareFlex plans starting at $69 (Canada & U.S.) and $99 (Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America & Europe) p.p.
ACV&ME
With the ACV&ME loyalty program, travel agents who book hotels and groups will receive 500 points per room for packages of seven nights or more; 500 points per room for packages of three to six nights; 500 points per cabin when you book a Flight & Cruise package; 200 points per cabin when booking a cruise only, and on every three- to seven-night hotel-only booking, and 300 points per passenger for Group bookings. ACV&ME loyalty points can be redeemed for Aeroplan points, travel vouchers or Visa and instant gift cards.