The word “epic” keeps being used to describe TTAND’s 10th Anniversary conference in Jordan last week, and it’s tricky to find a better word to describe it.
G Adventures CEOs with Hilary Arsenault, GPS Quebec and Maritimes (Photo Credit: Marsha Mowers)
The largest conference of home-based agents held outside of Canada ended Sunday night with a dinner on the beach by the Red Sea at Movenpick Hotel and Residences, Aqaba.
The final day saw supplier sessions and a Keynote from G Adventures Founder Bruce Poon Tip who flew in with his two daughters for only a few hours to make the presentation – a sign of just how important this conference was.
Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures' Founder, was the Keynote Speaker (Photo Credit: Marsha Mowers)
Poon Tip spoke on sustainable travel and the potential of tourism to drive economic growth and social impact, particularly in poor countries. He highlighted the role of social enterprise in empowering marginalized communities, and the potential of innovation to empower communities, particularly women and marginalized groups (more on that coming later this week).
“When you look at the reach of wealth, and the idea of going to the 40 poorest countries in the world on holidays, we have that opportunity to innovate partners and help the ones who need it most. And as an industry, we don't heed that enough.”
His presentation drew a standing ovation from the room.
Ola Ulewicz reacts to being announced the winner of Taylor Swift tickets from G Adventures. (Photo Credit: Marsha Mowers)
Poon Tip also drew the winner of Taylor Swift concert tickets as part of their “You Belong with G Experience” campaign. Ola Ulewicz, who also won Insight Vacations’ Top Producer award, took home the tickets.
The incredible energy in the room continued with a heartfelt tribute to VP Agent Relations Penny Martin, who is retiring at the end of July. There weren’t many dry eyes in the house as Martin took to the stage to thank everyone after a heartwarming video tribute to her time with TTAND.
TTAND's Penny Martin took to the stage after a video tribute celebrating her upcoming retirement. (Photo Credit: Marsha Mowers)
“What a conference to call my last conference, hopefully it’s not my last forever,” Martin began, hinting at a possible return to future conferences in a different capacity.
“When I started with Flemming we had a blank slate, it was so exciting. We had plenty of wild ideas and together with all of you, we built this into something truly remarkable. I’ve had the privilege of working with an amazing team, fantastic colleagues, dedicated agent partners and wonderful supplier partners. The journey has been filled with unforgettable experiences.”
TTAND Gives Back
Every conference holds a silent auction, 50/50 draw and accepts donations to raise money for Pencils For Kids, the agency’s charity. This year’s total raised was $73,000 making the final tally over the years to $302,000.
In addition, this year, TTAND made a one-time donation of $25,000 to a Planeterra project, voted on by agents. The Duong Lam Ancient Village in Vietnam is this year’s recipient which through tours of the village, helps 50 women and youth directly and 120 people through its community outreach.
Moving forward, TTAND will donate $5,000 USD to a specific project annually.
An Unprecedented Conference
Our dinner companions on closing night. (Photo Credit: Marsha Mowers)
Attendees agreed the bar has been set high for future conferences to match the quality and organization of this one. Next year’s conference will be held in the Riviera Maya at Iberostar Paraiso Beach. (Registration begins June 14th)
“This is my second conference with TTAND, my first one with Azamara,” BDM Colin Price told TravelPulse over breakfast. “It is very well organized. Very, very well thought out. I've really enjoyed it from start to finish. I love the one-on-ones, but also the free time that we had, I think it's been absolutely fabulous.”
“Coming in I was intimidated because I didn’t know anyone, I didn't know what to expect,” first-timer Erin McGuiggan, Kensington Tours chimed in. “I'm very grateful for how welcoming everyone's been and how comfortable it's been. I've never seen a conference that has this much built into it, there’s definitely a lot of value here.”
“I love coming to the conference. It's a place where you get new ideas on how to sell, build your business, and learn new techniques,” Lorie Nearing, Memory Bank Travel told TravelPulse Canada.
I have been an agent for almost 15 years, and it's the first time at an agency where I felt I belonged on a team. This team is amazing. A team of over 1000 ppl. Everyone wants to help each other grow. It's not a dog-eat-dog world. There are clients for everyone, so we all help however we can.”
Cake by the Beach
Flemming Friisdahl celebrates 10 years with agents who have been with TTAND from the beginning. (Photo Credit: Marsha Mowers)
After the day’s sessions, a dinner was held on the beach where Friisdahl did an official cake cutting ceremony, surrounded by agents who have been with TTAND from the beginning including Cindy Almond, Arlene Gibbons and The Stewart Travel Group. Friisdahl thanked the crowd for “doing what we thought was the right thing to do and a safe thing to do” by coming to conference. It was a sentiment felt by everyone in attendance.
“I can’t believe we’re here, that this is happening,” Lorna Lane of Plan-it Travel told us during an unforgettable jeep tour of Wadi Rum. “This conference is just amazing.”
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