Baxter Media & Allianz host Vancouver networking event
A relationship built on trust between travel advisors and suppliers is crucial to the travel industry’s recovery, revealed Allianz Global Assistance at an event held in partnership with Baxter Media in Vancouver this week.
According to Cheri Thompson, business development manager at Allianz, “relationships established during the challenging times of the pandemic have stayed strong and help drive new post-pandemic bookings.”
As such, travel consumers are now returning to those partnerships to help them fulfil their current holiday dreams, she said. Thompson spoke to a crowd of top Vancouver-based travel advisors and suppliers who attended a networking lunch and presentation sponsored by Baxter Media and Allianz. It was held at the D/6 Lounge at the JW Marriott Parq Hotel/Douglas Hotel.
“Consumers are looking to those who have supported them and helped to create a positive experience for them in the past,” said Thompson, referring to professionals ranging from travel agents to airlines to hotels. “We have seen more people rely on travel agents and advisors post-pandemic because of the support that they were able to offer through the pandemic. So having that partner to work with – whether it’s an agency, or airline or hotel brand – has really contributed to growth.”
Consumers restoring travel
Those consumers – many of whom are in the 55-plus age group – are contributing factors to the restoration of the travel sector, said Thompson. “The biggest return in confidence is in the over-55 category,” she said. “And we’re happy to see that this group is really keen to travel.”
Projections for the travel sector rebound have been posted in the Allianz Vacation Confidence Study, which was released in late fall of 2023.
For instance, the study it says that Canadian families are planning to spend an average of just more than $4,000 on vacations in 2024, with Canadian travel consumers spending roughly $30 billion in total.
About 50 travel professionals attended the networking lunch and presentation. After the presentation and buffet lunch, some attendees spent the afternoon with Thompson at a training session on Allianz insurance programs.
