Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has announced the appointment of travel industry veteran Anita Emilio as the Vice President and General Manager, Independent and Luxury pillars in Canada, effective immediately.

The travel industry veteran will join FCTG’s Global Independent and Luxury taskforces, which have contributed to strong growth results for the company

Both pillars are seen by the group as major market opportunities and will see strong investment in their pursuit of market domination.

In recent years, Canada and the US have been jointly managed, but Danielle Galloway, Global Managing Director of FCTG’s Independent and Luxury businesses, says, “We understand the clear differences and opportunities in these two markets, and with that comes the need to invest in a team devoted to Canada with a deep understanding of Canadian culture, travellers, and the travel industry landscape.

“We have a fantastic network of 480 independent agents across Canada, as well as our Laurier du Vallon stores. We’re excited to build a dedicated Canadian team who can focus on this valuable market and ensure our offering is perfectly suited to Canadian travel advisors and their customers.”

With a strong history of senior roles in Flight Centre, The Travel Corporation, Travel Counsellors, and most recently with Fresh Tracks Canada, Emilio has a wealth of experience across the industry including leisure, independent, luxury FIT and touring.

After 19 years away, Emilio says she is returning to FCTG with great enthusiasm. “I am thrilled that FCTG has chosen me to lead the independent and luxury businesses in Canada. The team clearly has faith in both pillars and the potential of them in the Canadian market. The foundation has been set with plans to invest in this business and I am ready to drive tremendous growth in Canada.

“I have a deep understanding of the industry, strong supplier connections and proven success in delivering exceptional value to agents, agencies, and customers,” she continues, adding that her first priority is building an expert Canada-based team to support Flight Centre’s independent and luxury agents in running successful travel businesses.