Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) hosted a delegation of travel agency owners, preferred partners and members of the TDC network’s management team beginning Saturday, 15APR at the Breathless Riviera Cancún Resort & Spa, the company said in a media release.
For TDC, this five-day event, focusing on "strategic reflection and the exchange of best practices between members" aims to support members in their business objectives. Over the course of the retreat, attendees will hear from speakers explaining the impact of global economic activity on the travel industry, current and future trends in Canadians' travel intentions, operational efficiency in the travel industry's recovery, and more.
A first day of strategic thinking and trends
Karine Gagnon, General Manager of Transat Distribution Canada, and Joseph Adamo, President of Transat Distribution Canada and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Transat, opened the conference with remarks.
General Manager Karine Gagnon emphasized that in an ever-changing travel industry, where everything is moving even faster than before, having the support of a solid franchisor and the strength of unity are valuable assets for agencies.
"These few days will be a reflection of who we are at TDC, and more importantly, what we offer our members: an opportunity for professional development, networking and sharing best practices with business owners from across Canada, with TDC's management team, and with speakers who are experts in their fields. Of course, this type of meeting is unthinkable without the presence of our preferred partners, of which there are some 40 this week. This opportunity for our members to connect with these key players in the industry, to better serve their clients afterwards, is essential”.
TDC's GM also reviewed the company's recent developments, including expansion into the luxury market, with the creation of LuxeXpert certification and membership in Virtuoso. In addition, in the context of ongoing labour shortages, she pointed to TDC's customized training program, Campus TDC, which she said will be enhanced later this year.
For his part, Joseph Adamo provided an update on Transat's strategic priorities, highlighting the benefits of the relationship between TDC and Transat. He focused on the evolution of Air Transat's fleet and air network, the impact of the Transat brand in the market and the impact it has on the travel agency network, as well as the importance of customer loyalty in today's competitive world.
Acknowledging partners
"The relationship of trust that we have with many of our preferred partners allows TDC to ensure its strong position in the Canadian market," said Gagnon.
"In this type of event, their participation in large numbers is essential, because it is one of the important elements that our members come to look for. And thanks to the pop-up meeting formula that we developed, all the partners and owners present at the event were able to meet in small groups to discuss new products and, above all, their mutual realities.”
Getting on top of trends
What major economic trends will influence Canadians' travel intentions in the short and medium term? The Conference Board of Canada's Chief Economist, Pedro Antunes, presented an answer to that question for TDC attendees in Cancún. The Director of Business Intelligence of the Transat Chair in Tourism, affiliated with UQAM’s School of Management, Marie-Christine Bruneau, added her own perspectives, designed to help agency owners be better prepared for the coming months and to anticipate to their customers' needs.
