by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 8:15 AM ET, Thu October 15, 2026
Sunwing Vacations Group is preparing for the 2026-27 winter travel season.
The company brought together leaders from Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, Vacation Express and its retail partners this week for its annual Amplify leadership summit, where discussions centred on business priorities ahead of the busy winter travel period.
"As we gear up for the winter season, our priority is on building on the strengths of our vacation brands, creating more value for Canadian guests and equipping our teams and travel advisor partners for continued success,” said Marek Andryszak, President of Sunwing Vacations Group.
"Amplify is an important opportunity to bring our teams together, celebrate our achievements and align on the priorities that will shape the season ahead,"
WestJet Rewards Takes Centre Stage
One of the topics was the continued integration of WestJet Rewards across the group's vacation offerings.
Jennifer Callegaro, Director, Marketing, and Patrick Boydell, Marketing Director, discussed opportunities for travellers to earn and redeem rewards and reduce vacation costs through the loyalty program.
RELATED: Sunwing Vacations Joins WestJet Rewards
WestJet Group executives John Weatherill, Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, and Samantha Taylor, Executive Vice-President and Chief Experience Officer, also outlined commercial priorities and efforts to improve the customer experience across the group's vacation brands.
A leadership panel titled "The Vacation Hot Seat," moderated by Marina Piccioni, Gift Card Program Director, brought together representatives from Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, Vacation Express, SellOffVacations, Groups, and Weddings and Events, along with Lyne Chayer, Vice-President, Customer Experience & Vacations – Quebec, WestJet Group.
The discussion examined how the different businesses can work more closely together to serve travellers.
Operational Reliability Ahead of Peak Season
Sunwing says, operational readiness was another major focus, particularly as WestJet prepares for increased winter travel demand.
Safa Yamach, Vice-President, Operations Planning and Performance, presented an update on operational improvements under the company's "Elevate Ops for Winter Season" initiative.
According to the company, WestJet has ranked first in North America for on-time performance for five consecutive months, based on data from aviation analytics company Cirium.
The presentation examined how the airline plans to maintain those improvements through the winter season.
Destination services were also part of the discussion, with Alejandro Vazquez, Senior Director of Key Strategic Accounts at NexusTours, and Ruben Gutierrez outlining the company's role in supporting travellers once they arrive at their destinations.
What It Means for Travel Advisors
For Canadian travel advisors, the discussions point to an emphasis on consistency across the booking, travel and in-destination experience, along with additional opportunities for clients to use WestJet Rewards when purchasing vacations.
The group also identified closer coordination between its vacation brands and destination partners as a priority for the coming months.
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