Tour Operators
Voices In The Mist
2020 was shaping up to be a banner year for travel with endless itinerary options, a bounty of direct flight routes and a slew of travellers eager to embark on adventures. The Travel Corporation had its centennial to celebrate, Goway Travel planned on promoting its 50th anniversary and G Adventures was gearing up to mark 30 years in business. Instead, plans were turned upside down by COVID-19 and tour operators were forced to make tough decisions and enforce drastic cost saving measures resulting in layoffs, terminations and downsizing as international travel came to a grinding...
“We Have A Chance To Reset Everything”
As Bruce Poon Tip was heading into 2020, which marks the 30th anniversary since launching G Adventures, bookings were coming in hot. “We were riding on the top of the world — December, January, February, were record months for us — 40% growth in January, 25-30% growth in December, it was absolutely incredible, we were absolutely crushing it,” Poon Tip said when asked what he’d do differently if he knew ahead of time that COVID-19 would hit during a press conference yesterday (May 11) coinciding with the release of his first free e-book titled Unlearn: The Year the...
TICO Postpones AGM
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Directors of the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) has decided to postpone the Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for June 30, 2020 to September 17, 2020. The event is scheduled to be held at the Corporate Event Centre, 5110 Creekbank Road in Mississauga, Ontario. A revised First Notice of meeting has been posted on the website. While it is hoped that this postponement will allow TICO to hold a customary AGM, as the COVID-19 circumstances are fluid, changes to the usual arrangements, including...
ACV Unveils CareFlexPlus
As Air Canada Vacations (ACV) gears up to get back to business, it has launched CareFlexPLUS, its new travel protection program. The progam is designed to give customers greater peace of mind, allowing them to cancel with a full refund to the original form of payment up to 25 days prior to departure, change their booking or transfer their package. As well, ACV is allowing customers to add CareFlexPLUS at the time of booking through a limited time introductory offer of $29 per person. Nino Montagnese, managing director at Air Canada Vacations, said: “The safety and peace of mind...
Club Med Celebrates Travel Advisors All Month Long
Club Med is celebrating Travel Advisor Appreciation Day by honouring the dedication and professionalism of its valued travel partners with a month-long event, for the fifth year in a row. “In this particular context, it is vitally important for us to thank and support the travel advisors. We take all opportunities to stay connected with our community of valued travel partners – even if only digitally, as we have had to adapt to the current reality - for the Travel Advisor Appreciation Month. We have always worked hand in hand and will continue to do so more than ever,” explains...
Collette Has A Message Of Hope For Agents
Collette, global tour operator, is taking part in Travel Agent Appreciation, with messages of hope and gratitude transpiring through social media and video. Alongside the launch of the Sincerely Yours campaign, the organization is dedicated to supporting agents during these difficult times and helping to strengthen their hard-earned business through the power of their relationships with clients. “Today is a day to celebrate you, your contribution, the work that you do, and the support and commitment that you have for your clients,” said Jaclyn Leibl-Cote, President of Collette....
More Appreciation For Agents
Tourism Ireland is offering up a big thank you to travel agents all across Canada for their support and partnership. When the time is right, we look forward to getting out and meeting in person to share the world-famous ‘céad míle fáilte - ‘a hundred thousand welcomes.’ Tourism Ireland offers a number of support programs for agents, including: The Ireland Specialist Program Content Library: 45K video and images free to use Ireland Insiders Facebook Group - Exclusive to Travel Agents Sign up to our monthly e-zine for updates on events, fams and...
But What Do I Do If They Want To Stay Home?
This week, TraveLaw Online continues to answer travel agents’ questions about the workplace and the responsibilities of both the employer and the employee during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, travel law experts, Doug Crozier and Tim Law of Heifetz, Crozier, Law respond to a question about working from home. Q: All of our Agency’s staff are now working from home. About half of them like it, and the other half don’t. I’m looking forward to getting everyone back to the office and increasing our productivity, but wonder if those that are liking the forced work-from-home...