Air Canada Travel Agents Race: Advisors Revel in a Visit to Switzerland

BASEL, SWITZERLAND - They came. They saw. They laughed. And they cried.

This year's Air Canada travel agents' race was a long time coming, and arrived after a worldwide pandemic that slowed world travel to a crawl.

When word came this spring that Air Canada was planning the first travel agents race for Switzerland in August, their first such race since the start of the pandemic in August in Switzerland, many folks could hardly believe it. After 17 months of Zoom calls in their basement, just about every agent who clambered on board the Air Canada flight from Toronto to Zurich on Friday night had "I can't believe it" smiles on their faces.

Suddenly, pushing a small screen on the seatback in front of you and settling in to watch a movie over the Atlantic Ocean seemed so exotic.

The assembled advisors, several dozen from across Canada, were tired from an overnight flight when they arrived on Saturday. But you could sense the excitement of being in another country; a place with new sights and smells and sounds.

Then came Sunday, when it was time for the agents' race. After a hearty breakfast at the Movenpick Hotel in Basel, which doesn't officially open until this week, agents were split into teams (with names like "Art Basel" and "Roger Federer") and were given a briefing about the six stops they'd be making during their roughly five-hour sojourn around this beautiful, historic Swiss city.

Air Canada didn't want anyone dashing in front of a fast-moving Swiss tram, so agents weren't pressured to go fast. They did, however, have a series of challenges to compete, such as a game of Pictionary with Basel-themed drawings to tackle, packing special Basel "Leckerli" cookies into a box the proper way and standing in the so-called "three countries" district of Basel and indicating where France, Germany and Switzerland could be found.

The competition was won by members of Team Waggis, who each won a free trip to Switzerland. The team was made up of Roger Villiers, Serge Coutu, Colleen Maxwell, Malisa Miletich, Anna Buchnea and Stacy Gargin. Individual awards were given out in Switzerland on Monday night to Kate Neufeld and Anne Bird.

"It's really about getting everybody comfortable travelling again," said Lisa Pierce, Air Canada's Vice President Sales for Canada and the USA. "Travel has changed, but it's still fun, and the reason we all fly, the reason we travel, is to reconnect with cultures and people and this is a great opportunity to do it. We've all been through so much."

Air Canada Vacations Vice President Nino Montagnese noted all the protocols put in place for health protection at Toronto Pearson and on all Air Canada flights, with the CleanCare + program.

"Travel is about getting out and seeing the world, and what a place to begin that," he said.

Advisor Leo Capece of Direct Travel in Montreal said flying to Zurich and taking part in the race was an "A-1" experience.

"It's my first trip outside Canada in two years," he told TravelPulse Canada. "It was elating. Just getting to my room and plugging in an electrical adapter felt like, 'Yes, I'm not at home.'"

Speaking at a dinner on Sunday night at the stunning, historic Zunfthaus zur Saffran in central Basel, Pierce said the night was truly memorable.

"I've had a lot of special things happen, but this moment will always be one of the most special ever."