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Ireland and Scotland are having a moment.
But what's really driving demand? And how can advisors turn that interest into higher-value bookings?
In the latest episode of You Came To The Right Place, hosts Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia sit down with Donna Looby, Regional Sales Manager at Brendan Vacations, to discuss the trends shaping travel to the Celtic Isles and the opportunities advisors shouldn't overlook.
You'll learn:
• Why bookings for 2027 are already gaining momentum
• How small group travel is attracting experienced travellers and solo adventurers
• The growing appeal of ancestry and heritage travel among Canadians
• Why multi-generational families are choosing Ireland and Scotland
• The client segments advisors should be targeting right now
• What top-selling advisors are doing differently to grow their business
Donna Looby, Regional Sales Manager at Brendan Vacations (Photo Credit: Supplied)Looby also shares insights from her own experience growing up in Ireland, explains why these destinations continue to resonate with Canadian travellers, and discusses the tools, training and support available to advisors through Brendan Vacations.
Plus, hear details about Brendan Vacations' current booking incentives and an upcoming Ireland FAM designed specifically for travel advisors.
Episode 7 of You Came to the Right Place is now available on all major podcast platforms.
Slainte!
Sponsored by Brendan Vacations
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Resources Mentioned:
Agent Incentive and Promotion - running until July 31st :
Through July 31st, advisors can earn a $250 gift card per passenger booked on our Small Group tours and $250 gift card per booking for FIT (Self-Drive, Rail, Private Driver). Your clients are also eligible for up to $650 off these tours, per person. Please note promo code MAGIC26 must be used at time of booking - details are here: Brendan Vacations Offers Hub. Advisors can call in to 800 687 1002.
Brendan Vacations FAM: October 2026
A select group of travel advisors will be invited to join an exclusive FAM trip to Ireland, where they’ll experience the very best of what Brendan Vacations has to offer. Throughout the journey, advisors will have the opportunity to explore our diverse travel styles, including rail vacations, private chauffeur experiences, and small group tours.
The trip will begin in Dublin, where all advisors will come together before embarking on separate rail journeys to different regions of Ireland. Along the way, they’ll enjoy unique, immersive experiences that showcase the flexibility and authenticity of Brendan travel. The group will then reunite for a memorable finale at Ashford Castle, where they’ll experience the camaraderie and personalized service that define our small group touring experience.
Travel Advisor Facebook Page
This private group is our travel advisors inside circle for all things Brendan Vacations, created exclusively for travel advisors who love and sell Ireland and Scotland vacations.
Here, you’ll find:
- Product updates, new tours & timely announcements
- Sales tools, talking points & marketing inspiration
- Education, FAM announcements training opportunities & insider insights
- Early access to promotions and advisor-only news
- A space to ask questions and learn from fellow advisors
Brendan Vacations resources:
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Between them, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia bring more than four decades of media and travel editorial experience to the mic. Ontario-based Natasha, Managing Editor of TravelPulse Canada, is warm, funny, and deeply curious, known for finding the human angle and cutting through industry spin with factual, unbiased reporting. Edmonton-based Jen, Senior Editor and travel media expert, pairs two decades of travel editorial experience with charm, quick wit, and sharp industry insight. From Central Canada to the West, they’ve got their ears to the ground, delivering real talk, smart analysis, and just enough sarcasm to keep it interesting.
ABOUT THE SHOW
You Came to the Right Place is a Canadian travel industry podcast from TravelPulse Canada. Expect smart conversation, insider context, and the kind of straight talk that doesn’t always make it into a press release. Each episode blends candid conversations between two editors, interviews with industry leaders, advisors, destination execs, and the people behind the stories we publish. If you work in travel, you came to the right place.
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