Fresh off the best quarterly financial results it has seen in years, Transat celebrated its top-selling group travel advisors at an interactive event at the Old Flame Brewing Company in Toronto’s Distillery District.
“2022 was a good year for Transat, but for groups there was still hesitation following the pandemic,” said Pat Brady, National Groups Director. “Momentum started last fall and then things really took off in January and February. Now in 2023 it’s full on. South is doing really well and weddings are back.”
Cole Keitamo, Group Sales Manager, Ontario, Atlantic and Western Canada, said the advisors invited to the event represented “the best of our groups partners.” He described current sales as “incredible,” and said 2024 continues to look very strong.
Keitamo also signalled that Transat wants to tighten its relationship with group-focused advisors even further by creating an advisory board to keep lines of communication strong.
The groups team from Transat celebrates top-selling group advisors at an event in Toronto. (Photo Credit: Bruce Parkinson)
Transat Tours Canada’s Commercial Director Nicole Bursey said the company wanted to do something fun and different to thank its top group sellers. The event definitely clicked both boxes.
Described as a ‘Charcuterie Board Workshop,” the lunchtime gathering saw advisors learn how to create an edible piece of art using cured meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts and condiments. Then the real fun began as each advisor was given a beautiful piece of Canadian black walnut wood, which they trimmed, sanded and oiled to create a beautiful tool for holiday entertaining.
“This is a nice way to celebrate success with a really good partner,” said Hassan Khassehkan, President of North York-based Rah Tours.
Brady told TravelPulse Canada that after the massive COVID disruption, it was a bit like starting from scratch. “We had to learn how to do business again. We had some experience with staff working from home, and now that has become the norm for many employees. It’s working well and our team is closer than ever.
The long-time Transat employee says there are many new group advisors joining the business, and that they will find strong support from the tour operator.
“We’re here to support new agents. We have a great team with a lot of knowledge. We know what sells well and we can guide them and introduce them to the right people from our hotel partners. We give them the best of tools and then support them along the way,” Brady said.
Sampling the delights of a charcuterie board at Transat's event celebrating top group-sellers. (Photo Credit: Bruce Parkinson)
Transat’s quote tool is clearly popular among group-selling agents. Brady says response is quick, and communication, mostly by email, is fast and efficient. The company allows advisors to hold up to 40 group seats for 90 days with a $300 deposit, protecting pricing during that period – an increasingly important factor in a dynamic, capacity-controlled pricing environment.
With demand remaining very high and individual travellers booking well in advance, Brady says it’s important for groups to secure their space as early as possible. Transat is helping out by loading pricing and availability far into the future. By the end of this month, most pricing for the 2024-2025 winter season will be loaded into the system.
Sebastien Colle, General Manager of Trafictours, Transat's DMC in Mexico, the D.R. and Jamaica. (Photo Credit: Bruce Parkinson)
“All my groups are with Transat unless I have no choice,” said Justine Delaney, who runs Vacations with Kids, an agency based on family travellers. “They’re amazing. The group quote tool is awesome, they’re very open to price-matching and there are great terms that make it easy.”
With Delaney’s high volume, she has been assigned a dedicated group coordinator at Transat. “She makes a massive difference,” says Delaney. “She knows our business and we know hers.”
“Agents like working with us,” says Brady. “And we have great hotel partners, especially on South packages which are our biggest piece. Working with big chains like Bahia, Hyatt, Majestic and Barcelo means we can offer great products at good value.”
Topics From This Article to Explore
