ACTA partnered with Visit Portugal, Visit Alentejo and Air Canada earlier this month on an
ACTA Immersive Destination Experience, with 25 ACTA member travel advisors visiting the region.
“ACTA’s Immersive Destination Experiences are aimed at revolutionizing the travel industry's approach
to experiential learning and social media marketing,” said Wendy Paradis, ACTA president. “By
collaborating with our destination partners and suppliers, ACTA intends to elevate and enrich the
traditional fam experience.”
The event, held in Alentejo Portugal from November 13 to 19, served as a platform, offering ACTA
member advisors with an in-depth understanding of Alentejo's appeal. During their time in Portugal
travel advisors experienced unique accommodation that included world famous pousadas, historic
castles, convents, and monasteries.
Throughout each day advisors were introduced to Portugal's unique tourism gems including many
Unesco world heritage sites. By the end of the experience advisors were equipped with an immersive
understanding of the destination, leaving them with the confidence and connections to offer
extraordinary travel experiences from this part of the world to their clients.
Social media coaching
One of the unique highlights of this event was the integration of a social media coach, dedicated to
presenting daily challenges and sharing the latest tips and tricks to leverage the allure of Alentejo as a
picturesque backdrop for digital storytelling. The social media coaching enabled advisors to harness the
power of social media effectively in promoting the region.
"By intertwining destination education with contemporary social media strategies, we've pioneered a
new standard in travel advisor education," said Paradis. "Our partnerships with Visit Portugal, Visit
Alentejo, and Air Canada has not only enriched the knowledge base of our members who attended but
also empowered them to craft compelling narratives that resonate with today's travelers."
Ines Almeida Garret, Director for Visit Portugal in Canada had the following comment: “It was a privilege
to be able to travel with the ACTA group to Portugal and be able to show them the meaning of a word
often used to describe Alentejo: ‘vagar’. This means being able to slowly enjoy every minute of the day,
no rush, just relax and have time to appreciate the good things in life, including wine and food, of
course! “
“Being given the opportunity to visit Portugal, and especially to be able to experience the beautiful
Alentejo Region in a more immersive way, gave me immense insight into what experiences and locations
would best suit my clients who have Portugal on their "next to see" list,” said Judith Coates of Wired for
Travel.
She added: “ACTA is vastly increasing its membership value by adding these Immersive Destination
Experiences to the calendar, and travel advisors who are not yet ACTA members should seriously
consider the benefits of ACTA membership.”
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