Touting its ingrained “can-do” spirit in the face of the pandemic, Uniglobe Travel kicked off 40th anniversary celebrations this year with a vow to stay to true to its “foundational values” as it continues its role in a “reimagined travel future.”
“We reflect on the past and celebrate everyone involved in Uniglobe’s remarkable growth over the past 40 years,” said Uniglobe Founder, Chairman and CEO, U. Gary Charlwood, who launched the company in Vancouver in 1981.
German-born Charlwood says knew he wanted to be in the travel industry when he took a job as a tour guide to pay for his university education in England. In the mid-1960s, he moved his family to Canada and joined the airline industry as a passenger agent.
After working for Canada Pacific Air Lines, he followed his entrepreneurial instincts and purchased the Canadian master franchise rights to the Century 21 real estate brand. By 1981, he founded his own international franchise brand, Uniglobe Travel International.
Today, the travel management company boasts 3,800 travel counsellors in 60 countries across six continents and generated $5 billion in pre-pandemic sales. The company prides itself on “treating agency partners like family, who in turn treat their clients like family.”
“Our mission today is as clear as it was from the beginning: To drive client success through better travel,” Charlwood says. “We will always do everything we can to help our clients build their businesses and thrive… This is the hallmark of the Uniglobe family, and it will continue to set us apart for decades to come.”
Company president and COO Martin Charlwood adds, “We have seen many changes disrupt our industry – sometimes to the very core – from commission cuts to volcanic ash to a global pandemic. While we know the travel landscape is constantly changing, we also understand that a resilient, hands-on travel professional serves a vital role in helping travellers navigate all the uncertainties. A ‘can-do’ spirit is the Uniglobe DNA that will guide our company forward the next 40 years and beyond.”
To celebrate its milestone, Uniglobe is planning a series of events for its staff under the banner #Uniglobe40Strong. The first company-wide webinar will unveil the 40th anniversary marketing campaign, “Putting You First for 40 Years,” designed to showcase Uniglobe customer success stories throughout 2021 via its social media channels.
Additional events will be held throughout the year featuring guest speakers from across the travel industry. Currently, all events will be hosted for Uniglobe agencies and staff members exclusively, however, as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions subside, external (customer, supplier, and industry) audiences may be included.