TDC’s Bravo Excellence Club Celebrate Aboard NCL Med Cruise

Transat Distribution Canada (TDC), Canada's largest network of travel professionals entirely Canadian-owned, honoured 30 franchise and affiliated agency owners from across Canada—along with a guest of their choice—during the latest edition of the Bravo Excellence Club trip. This year, TDC treated recipients to an eight‑night Mediterranean immersion, calling at remarkable ports of call in Portugal and Spain, in collaboration with Norwegian Cruise Line and Air Transat. For more than 20 years, this trip has recognized outstanding sales performance by TDC owners.

A Mediterranean immersion rooted in connection

“There are corporate events. And then there are moments like the Bravo Excellence Club trip,” says Karine Gagnon, General Manager of TDC. “I truly believe this is much more than a recognition trip. It’s a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations, to get to know one another on a human level, to discuss business realities and, above all, to create lasting memories together,” she adds. For the General Manager, “these authentic moments are a powerful reminder that the TDC network is made up of extraordinary, passionate and deeply committed people. I am sincerely grateful to have shared this memorable week with our owners.”

Dianne Jackson, Director, Franchise and Affiliate Members, and a member of TDC’s leadership team, echoes this sentiment. “Although these trips are 100% about enjoyment—with no training or professional development component—they are so much more than a simple reward. They bring us back to what truly unites us: the joy of travel and discovery.” She adds, “our members constantly tell us how much they enjoy being together—and they prove it through their near‑unconditional participation in our optional activities. Every evening, everyone looked forward to gathering for cocktails, which quickly became a can’t‑miss rendezvous. To me, that speaks volumes about the strong bonds within the TDC network and the quality of the relationships we have built and are fortunate to maintain.”

Remarkable ports of call and a Mediterranean experience to savour

The award recipients arrived in Lisbon aboard Air Transat. The goal of the trip was to offer a true immersion, with stops in Portimão, Seville, Motril, Gibraltar, Ibiza, Palma and Barcelona. The immersion was, of course, cultural—given the region’s rich history shaped by Roman and Islamic heritage—but also gastronomic, offering a different way to experience the Iberian Peninsula. Participants could choose from a variety of excursions, including visits to medieval castles, wine routes, a cruise in the Bay of Gibraltar and around the Rock, olive oil production experiences, and more.

An evening of recognition

A celebration of achievement is not complete without its gala award night. Accordingly, the Bravo Excellence Club evening aimed to formally highlight these owners’ outstanding achievements, remarkable journeys and sustained commitment throughout 2025. The evening provided an opportunity for Karine Gagnon, joined by Renée Boisvert, president of TDC and vice‑president, tour operator products & sales at Transat, to personally thank the recipients. Recognition also came from their Director, Dianne Jackson and her Quebec counterpart Colette Girard, as well as Julie Sareault, commercial director at Transat.

Of course, achieving such sales results is never a solo effort, and the award‑winning owners would not be where they are today without the strong teams that support them day in and day out—and without the spouses and partners who support them in their personal lives. Still, as Karine Gagnon reminded everyone in her remarks, “your actions and the direction you provide to your teams as leaders are decisive. Your ability to mobilize your teams, to create a clear vision and to focus efforts where they matter most—that is leadership. And it is the sum of all these actions that enables us to achieve the objectives we set for ourselves.”