Agents Connect For Success At TravelBrands’ Celebration Of The Return To Travel
TravelBrands hosted its first, in-person events in three years this week and they are somewhere beyond happy about it.
Company CEO, Frank DeMarinis observed that there has been a lot of suffering for the industry during the past three years and TravelBrands’ events in both Montreal (at the Hotel Bonaventure on Oct. 3) and Toronto (at the Paramount Event Space on Oct. 4) were all about celebrating the return to travel and showing its appreciation to travel agents – lots and lots of appreciation.
Clearly, agents are up for it, with 300 attending the company’s event in Montreal and 500 joining TravelBrands in-person in Toronto, with an additional 500 tuning in virtually for that event; plus close to 70 suppliers were on hand for the trade show in Toronto.
For DeMarinis, with Canada finally lifting its travel restrictions, “it’s a perfect time to showcase what we’ve been doing.”
Agents were updated on developments in TravelBrands products, platforms and packages and also had the opportunity to meet with some of the operator’s top suppliers.
Highlights included: the revamped Access+ agent platform; a brand, new air booking engine with enormous benefits; and close to 1.8 million hotels to choose from. Additionally, as part of the company’s growing commitment to more sustainable practices, this year’s events were ‘green’ with QR codes used in lieu of brochures.
Said DeMarinis: “ All I have to say is WOW. With two sold-out shows, we are so thankful to our industry partners and the travel agents across Canada who made our return to an in-person agent appreciation event such a success.”
He continued: “Travel is back, and we are here to offer agents the best in technology to help them meet their clients’ needs quickly and efficiently while they earn a living doing what they love. At TravelBrands, we continue to reimagine the future of travel, and we’re thrilled to be able to share our journey with Canada’s amazing travel community.”
Other highlights from the show featured a look at: dynamic cruise packages with enhanced booking and management capabilities; an array of rich content and product offered on Exotik Journeys; and new spaceflight experiences with Space Perspective that are coming very soon.
All of those initiatives are about helping agents help their clients make the right choices as consumers look for more and more ways to customize their vacations to suit their unique needs and tastes.
It’s also about helping agents work smarter not harder.
As for the recovery that the industry has been waiting for, for so long, DeMarinis makes it clear that it’s here and proceeding at full speed — and he should know as he reports that many of TravelBrands’ product lines are now exceeding 2019 levels.
In thanking agents for their commitment to TravelBrands during the pandemic, DeMarinis made it abundantly clear that the company will always support the agency community.
Stay tuned … TravelBrands boss had lots more to say … so watch for a full report in an upcoming issue of Canadian Travel Press.
In the photos
Seen here, from l to r, are TravelBrands’ Diane Lattavo, Executive Vice President, Air; Frank DeMarinis, CEO, TravelBrands; Christine Gariepy, Director, Exotik Journeys; Sam Youssef, Vice President, Integrated Marketing; and Nathalie Tanious, Senior Vice President, Commercial.
Frank DeMarinis, CEO, TravelBrands on stage
