Friesen Travel Group brought together more than 300 consultants, managers, and supplier partners for its annual Consultant Rally and Awards Gala on January 18 in Hamilton, Ontario, marking what the company described as a record-breaking year.
The event, hosted by Friesen Travel Group, which operates 18 Expedia Cruises locations across Ontario, combined a full day of training with an evening awards celebration.
According to a press release, President and founder Shawn Friesen opened the day by introducing the theme, “The potential for growth is limitless,” pointing to continued consumer demand and the role of trusted advisors in today’s travel landscape.
Friesen Travel Group celebrates record year (Photo Credit: Friesen Travel Group)
“The shortage of trusted advisors and the demand for meaningful travel have created an abundant opportunity to make an impact by creating lifetime memories,” said Friesen.
“This event brings the best team in travel together to learn, connect, and celebrate. What happens here shapes our trajectory for the year ahead.”
More than 40 cruise, land, hotel, and technology partners took part through keynotes, roundtables and a tradeshow format.
The evening gala included keynote remarks from Carmen Roig, Senior Vice President at Princess Cruises, and Matthew Eichhorst, President of Expedia Cruises.
Eichhorst noted the growth of the Canadian network since he joined the company in 2002 and outlined upcoming technology enhancements aimed at simplifying complex bookings and improving visibility for consultants and leaders. Planned updates include expanded reporting tools, such as Power BI, designed to help identify performance trends and revenue opportunities.
The gala also recognized performance across the network. Consultant awards were based on sales thresholds, while store awards focused on overall revenue achievement.
Through the President’s Circle program, 38 consultants reached Diamond status in 2025, each surpassing $1 million in sales.
The top individual honour went to Leanne Lavoie of Expedia Cruises Sudbury. The Sudbury location also received top store recognition, ranking eighth overall in North America for revenue performance.
Newer consultants were also highlighted during the evening. Kim Johnstone, six months into her role, described the day as both practical and motivating.
“As a newer Vacation Consultant, just six months in, I found the entire day incredibly valuable and energizing,” she said.
“Learning from travel partners, connecting with peers, and celebrating together made it clear how powerful this community truly is.”
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