In a dazzling display of appreciation, the AIC Hotel Group rolled out the red carpet to honour its top travel partners at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya 16-19MAY.
AIC Hotel Group oversees all-inclusive Hard Rock properties in Riviera Maya, Cancun, Los Cabos, Vallarta and Punta Cana, as well as Unico Riviera Maya and the Nobu Hotels in Miami Beach, Chicago and Los Cabos.
The hotel group's annual Showstopper Awards recognizing its top-producing partners across Canada and the U.S. is a hot-ticket item on the trade calendar. This year's Showstopper Awards welcomed some 200 travel advisors, including nine from Canada, along with media.
Toronto-based travel advisor Deepa Mahal of Hype Travel and iRock Weddings, who has attended the event every year since its inception, told Open Jaw, “We definitely like to challenge ourselves. We’re always trying to grow our business and hit a higher status than the year before, and this awards event gives us an extra push to do so."
She added, “What I like most is that it solidifies my relationship with the brand. We work so hard all year long, and it’s not always smooth. So let’s have a drink now. Let’s celebrate this together.”
The three day event commenced with a welcome party at the resort’s Woodstock Terrace. Embracing the spirit of the iconic musical group, ABBA, guests channelled their inner dancing queens (and kings!) and danced the night away in Mama Mia inspired attire on a bedazzled ocean-side dance floor.
After a morning of presentations, attendees were invited to dive into Heaven’s new Eden Pool and sip bubbly in style at one of the hotel’s new luxury cabanas.
A Star-Studded Ceremony
Just as the sun was setting, the 200 or so advisors infiltrated the hotel’s convention centre, dressed to impress in their best sparkly outfits for an evening of "Shimmer and Shine."
Canadian advisors made off with some of the most coveted hardware at the awards ceremony—from Platinum Amped level to Black Diamond Amped level—and some advisors won multiple awards as top destination wedding producers were also recognized.
Congratulations are in order for:
- Platinum agents Nashila Remtulla and Krishna Verma,
- Double Platinum agent Inder Seedat, and
- Double Platinum agency the Travel Agent Next Door.
- DestaWed, iRock Weddings and Hype Travel achieved Diamond level agency status for having achieved the second highest wedding sales in the U.S. and Canada.
Winners posed for a photo with AIC Hotel Group’s executives Ash Tembe and David Salazar.
The night continued in a club-like setting featuring a disco dance floor, complete with circus performers, and even a "surprise" musical act. Sean Kingston closed the evening with an engaging performance that had the whole room singing along.
More information is available on AIC Hotel Group's trade web site allinagents.com.
