13 NOV 2019: One of Canada’s best-known online travel agencies (OTA) has opened its first storefront in Toronto. Located in a prominent spot in the Sheraton Centre Hotel at Bay and Queen – across from city hall and around the corner from the Eaton Centre – the bricks and mortar agency is a first for itravel2000.
On Tuesday, executives from itravel parent company Red Label Vacations (RLV), corporate owners Japanese travel giant H.I.S Co. Ltd., and special guest Japanese consul-general Takako Ito, took part in a good old fashioned ribbon-cutting ceremony, which not only officially opened the shop but seemed to symbolize the move from cyberspace to the physical world.
“It’s like we’re going against the grain; we’re going the other way,” RLV Label CEO Frank acknowledged to a gathering of industry types representing destinations and partners like Orlando, Jamaica, Barcelo, Iberostar, Softvoyage, Disney, Air Canada and Celebrity Cruises.
It’s the latest chapter in the colourful and sometimes tormented history of itravel2000, which was co-founded 25 years ago by soon-to-be prominent frontman Jonathan Carroll and later endured some well-documented litigious years, family infighting and foreign ownership by British-based TravelZest – and eventual return to Canadian hands with its 2016 purchase by Red Label (also owners of TravelBrands), which was in turn officially purchased by H.I.S earlier this year.
It was the H.I.S connection that sparked the idea for a storefront location, DeMarinis said, noting that the company has offices in the Sheraton and had the ground level space to spare. And with Dianne Jackson joining the Red Label ranks as VP in June, the pair jumped at the chance to take the space to pursue “untapped markets” and had “the blessing of H.I.S to run with it.” A decision was then made to select itravel2000 from amongst Red Labels’ retail brands to fill the space.
Jackson noted that itravel remains extremely successful online, but DeMarinis said the move is designed to stay in tune with the next generation of travellers and changing travel patterns, specifically the developing Canadian FIT market that is seeking more elaborate exotic and experiential vacations, and the requisite service levels to facilitate them. Service will also be available in Japanese, and the store will be a General Sales Agent for Japan Rail Passes.
“We’ll still offer sun and beach, but also unique vacations that you can’t buy online,” DeMarinis said.
He added that the shop would be a pilot project, and likely would not be the last itravel2000 storefront location.
“It’s a good location. It’s small. So, we’ll start off small and see where we go,” said Jackson.