This week: Sandals hosted Canadian home-based agents in Jamaica; Quark Expeditions took a group of travel advisor sweepstakes winners in a different direction – to the Arctic; and TRAVELSAVERS Canada elite agents were off to Greece and Turkey.
Sandals Resorts
Unique Vacations Canada Inc, (representative of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts) recently staged the second edition of its Canadian home-based travel advisor conference in Jamaica last month. Held at Sandals South Coast, 20 home-based Canadian travel advisors came together over four days to enhance their success selling Sandals and Beaches Resorts.
Hosted by Maureen Barnes-Smith, VP, Sales and Marketing, Canada and Lorna Richards, National Training Manager, the group took part in keynote presentations, Q+A sessions, resort tours of host property Sandals South Coast, Sandals Negril and Beaches Negril, as well as the exploring beyond the resort with a tour of YS Falls, courtesy of the Jamaica Tourist Board and Island Routes.
And just in time for the start of the school year, the Canadian home-based advisors made a donation of much-needed (and much-appreciated) school supplies to the Sandals Foundation for distribution across local schools in Jamaica.
According to Maureen Barnes-Smith, the conference underscored the importance of the home-based travel advisor community to Sandals Resorts, especially in the Canadian market.
“We’ve witnessed the shift to the home-based/host agency model for several years now, even pre-pandemic. In fact, many of our top-producing advisors in Canada for Sandals and Beaches Resorts are home-based,” she said. “We had such an incredible group of passionate, eager-to-learn advisors at this year’s conference that I know this list will grow even longer in the near future.”
During the conference’s farewell dinner, Unique Vacations VP Gary Sadler, reminded advisors of Sandals Resorts commitment to the Canadian market, having established and maintained a strong presence for over 30 years with its Toronto-based office and team across the country.
TRAVELSAVERS Canada
With authentic travel rising as a trend, the top agencies affiliated with TRAVELSAVERS Canada experienced the culture of two in-demand countries – Greece and Turkey – during their recent Elite Retreat. The agency owners cruised from Istanbul to Athens Aug. 23-29 on Explora Journeys to celebrate their sales success.
“The Elite Retreat is such a special event,” said Jane Clementino, Sr. VP and GM of TRAVELSAVERS Canada. “It’s about recognizing the incredible success of our Canadian travel advisors while also investing in their continued growth. We’re immersing them in unique, high-value travel experiences and emerging opportunities so they can return home inspired, informed, and ready to deliver even greater value to their clients.”
“This exclusive journey is a true testament to the hard work, passion, and exceptional sales performance of these Elite advisors,” added Chris Austin, President – North America, Explora Journeys.
Travelling on EXPLORA I, the group visited such ports as Syros; Paros; Rhodes, where the advisors met Georgios Chatzimarkos, governor of the South Aegean region of Greece; and Bodrum.
Advisors and preferred partners also took full advantage of the journey to deepen their connections during 1:1 meetings, breakout sessions, tours, cocktail parties, private performances with guest entertainers, and evening dining rotations.
Quark Expeditions
Quark Expeditions reached new latitudes on its travel advisor FAM voyage, hosted by Chris Catanzariti, BDM alongside the winners of the 2024 Arctic Sweepstakes. Ten winners from across the globe and their guests sailed as far north as 82° latitude on the Ultimate Arctic Voyage, the furthest north Ultramarine has ever ventured, marking yet another milestone in Quark’s 30-year history of polar-only achievements.
Throughout the voyage, advisors experienced the Quark Expeditions brand from every angle: its ship, its people, and its polar obsession. A pre-voyage inspection highlighted Ultramarine’s state-of-the-art design, while an exclusive meet-and-greet with the Expedition Team provided valuable one-on-one time with the experts who bring each journey to life.
Onboard, advisors participated in a seminar at sea focused on Antarctica, expanding their knowledge across both poles, and enjoyed onboard credit at the Tundra Spa and wellness facilities to experience the voyage through the eyes of future guests.
In addition to reaching 82° North, advisors visited two world-class birdwatching havens, Alkefjellet and the remote, enigmatic island of Jan Mayen. They observed a polar bear feeding on a whale carcass, which Quark Expedition’s marine biologist Mikolaj Golachowski described as “best sighting of its kind” in his 18-year career in the polar regions. The group also shared in the polar rite of passage by plunging into Arctic waters together.
“Our FAM voyages are designed to expand horizons, both literally and professionally,” says Catanzariti. “Standing on the deck at 82° North or witnessing wildlife few ever encounter gives advisors a perspective no brochure can capture. They return with a depth of understanding that allows them to guide clients with authenticity and passion, shaped by their own firsthand polar experiences.”
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