ACV has Europe covered from A to Z

Tour operator offers 15% commission on bookings

IAN STALKER

(Photo above: Seeing is believing! Air Canada Vacations’ Dianne Pedroso tries on virtual reality goggles that were giving people a look at Air Canada service during Air Canada Vacations’ recent Europe product launch. With Pedroso are ACV’s Carolina Suarez and members of Air Canada’s flight crews.)

Air Canada Vacations’ new Europe program covers Europe from A(msterdam) to Z(agreb).
The tour operator last week held a Europe product launch in Toronto that showcased a vast European region reaching from Iceland to Croatia, with the latter among new additions to its program.
The tour operator is offering more than 120 Europe vacation packages, 66 of them new, with agents told that seven-night European vacation packages that include air, hotels and transfers are priced comparably to Caribbean winter all-inclusive holidays of the same length.
Monique Lalonde, ACV’s general manager for Ontario and national accounts, labelled prices “truly incredible,” with a seven-night Irish stay, for instance, offered for $1,439.
George Patanitis, Air Canada Vacations’ vice-president, sales and partnerships, noted the tour operator is offering different types of packages, including cruise packages that include air travel. “You will not get a better deal anywhere for your air and cruise packages,” he said, adding the tour operator has “packages for every budget.”
ACV is also promoting “lifestyle themes for Europe.”
Lalonde noted they are “super excited” to be offering Uniworld sailings this year.
The tour operator is offering 15% commissions on Europe bookings through mid-February.
Platanitis also promised that agents will find many booking bonuses, and 10 clients now constitutes a group, with the 20th passenger in a group flying free. “It’s pretty easy to make a group,” Lalonde said.
Europe packages can now be booked through Galileo and SIREV.
ACV sends people to Europe with Air Canada, and Lalonde reported that Air Canada’s European service has risen 15% this year.
Agents were also reminded that Air Canada Vacations is partnering with Contiki and Trafalgar on some Europe programs.
Ontario travel agent Sheila Aue praised Air Canada Vacations’ new lineup.
“ACV’s Europe program looks great this year,” the TPI agent said. “A couple of the Greece packages look exciting and feature some different areas that may not be familiar to the Canadian market. ACV’s Europe program has a lot to offer, and it is definitely worth checking out.”
Fellow agent Sheryll Donovan of Northstar Travel in Kitchener, Ont., applauded Air Canada’s decision to add Iceland to its network. “Iceland is the up-and-coming hot destination for 2018,” she said.
Donovan also labelled ACV’s 15% Europe commissions “very enticing” and welcomed the addition of some Trafalgar and Contiki tours to the program.