Latest news with #traveladvisors
Travel Weekly
16-07-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Travel Planners International forms advisory board
Travel Planners International (No. 35 on Travel Weekly's Power List) has formed an advisory board to create a bridge between management and the host agency's 5,700 advisors. The board is made up of eight TPI advisors: Lisa Bourget, Quiet Meadow Travel; Kristen Buckshire, Travel Ease; Don Capparella, Quality Travel; Stacy Buckshire, Vacations by Stacy; Kim O'Hara, Eagle Eye Travel; Laura Poe, Curated by Laura Poe; Lisa Vermaak, Blu Sky Travel; and Effie Walthall, On Deck Travel. Advisors were chosen via a blind application process. TPI president and chief marketing officer Jenn Lee said it was important to "expand the level of communication with our advisors." "We want to lean into their expertise and experiences as well as make sure they feel heard as a valued and trusted partner," she said.
Hospitality Net
10-07-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
onefinestay launches Partner Portal to exclusively service global travel advisors
London - onefinestay, the leading luxury private rental brand, has built its first online portal creating a seamless new process for the 30,000 global travel advisors it works with. The Partner Portal gives advisors exclusive access to search, create and initiate a booking in any of onefinestay's 40 destinations around the world. onefinestay has built and invested in the portal to bring a wealth of new benefits to travel advisors, as well as onefinestay. Unlike before, the portal allows an advisor to search the most up to date availability and pricing and view home details, all the way through to creating a shortlist of their favourite homes, to share with their client. They can choose if it is a onefinestay branded or unbranded itinerary. As a final step, advisors can turn a proposal into a complete booking via our team of Destination Specialists. Behind the scenes, advisors can clearly see what commission they would earn per booking. This new process makes it easier and quicker for travel advisors to provide bespoke travel suggestions to their clients. As working at speed is so important, it is designed so that advisors can be self-sufficient. onefinestay has included a feedback form so the brand can refine the portal where needed. Being able to move quickly is so important when it comes to creating the perfect booking. Our new online Partner Portal speeds things up, as well as offering a seamless, self-sufficient process for Travel Advisors. Advisors are such an important part of our business; we hope they enjoy browsing, and booking, our homes with ease. Sophie Howse, Chief Commercial Officer at onefinestay The portal is open to all Travel Advisors that work with onefinestay, if a Travel Advisor is interested in working with onefinestay, visit Travel Partners page for more information. Becky Robinson, a Travel Advisor at Departure Lounge tested it ahead of launch and said: I love the look of the new onefinestay Partner Portal, and it's so easy to use. It will make searching for homes, villas and chalets much easier and quicker. Some of the newest homes to launch on onefinestay: For more information, travel advisors can browse the Partner Portal here. About onefinestay onefinestay, part of both Accor and Exclusive Resorts, is the leading luxury private rental brand providing unmatched personal service in the private home, villa and chalet rental industry. From beachside estates to playful apartments and cosy ski chalets, its 3,000 homes, villas and chalets are hand-picked for location, space, character, and comfort. onefinestay's trusted Destination Specialists help guests find their ultimate home-away-from-home, whilst every stay is professionally managed to ensure an effortless and enjoyable stay. This includes a personal welcome, 24/7 guest support, extensive housekeeping, and the option to add tailored amenities and services such as grocery deliveries, private chefs, childcare, once in a lifetime experiences, and more. Its unique approach to short and mid-term renting appeals to anyone looking for a private place paired with a luxury hospitality experience. This encompasses a diverse range of guests, from families on holiday to couples, groups of friends, celebrities, and business travellers. Find out more at About Accor, a world-leading hospitality group Accor is a world-leading hospitality group offering stays and experiences across more than 110 countries with over 5,600 hotels and resorts, 10,000 bars & restaurants, wellness facilities and flexible workspaces. The Group has one of the industry's most diverse hospitality ecosystems, encompassing around 45 hotel brands from luxury to economy, as well as Lifestyle with Ennismore. ALL, the booking platform and loyalty program embodies the Accor promise during and beyond the hotel stay and gives its members access to unique experiences. Accor is focused on driving positive action through business ethics, responsible tourism, environmental sustainability, community engagement, diversity, and inclusivity. Accor's mission is reflected in the Group's purpose: Pioneering the art of responsible hospitality, connecting cultures, with heartfelt care. Founded in 1967, Accor SA is headquartered in France. Included in the CAC 40 index, the Group is publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACCYY) in the United States. For more information, please visit or follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok.
Travel Weekly
09-07-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
ALG Vacations adds new Hyatt properties to its booking platform
ALG Vacations has integrated 13 Hyatt Inclusive Collection properties into its booking system, following Hyatt's recent acquisition of Playa Hotels & Resorts. The addition includes five newly rebranded properties and eight existing Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara resorts across Mexico and the Caribbean. The properties have been available for individual and group bookings through ALG Vacations' VAX VacationAccess platform since July 3. They include the Hyatt Vivid Playa del Carmen, Sunscape Cancun Resort & Spa, Hyatt Ziva Cancun, Hyatt Zilara Cancun, Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos and Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta in Mexico; Secrets La Romana Resort & Spa and Dreams La Romana Resort & Spa in the Dominican Republic; Dreams Rose Hall Resort & Spa, Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall and Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall in Jamaica; and the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana and Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic. ALG Vacations said it's currently negotiating exclusive perks and upgrade benefits for travel advisors and their clients, though participation may vary by property. Updates on these benefits will be communicated via the company's website and business development managers. ALG Vacations, which is part of Hyatt, serves roughly 2.6 million passengers annually through brands like Apple Vacations, Funjet Vacations, Travel Impressions, Southwest Vacations, Blue Sky Tours and United Vacations.
Travel Weekly
09-07-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Travefy integrates new CRM tools into its advisor platform
Travefy has integrated a new suite of customer relationship management (CRM) tools into its platform for travel advisors. Previously, Travefy offered itinerary building and management software, as well as a website and form builder for advisors. Now, its CRM suite includes invoicing, commission tracking, integrated email and a contact management system. Trade Secrets podcast: Travefy Travefy's Stephanie Gries talked tech on this episode of the Trade Secrets' Tech Summit series. Listen now Travefy said the CRM is embedded into the platform advisors are already using to build itineraries, so they don't need to leave the platform to accomplish other business tasks. That was intentional, according to Kyle Deterding, Travefy's vice president of product: By analyzing advisor workflows and use patterns, it found advisors "were wasting hundreds of hours each year switching between tools," he said. He estimated using Travefy's CRM could save an advisor 200 hours a year. And in a series of hundreds of interviews in the past year, Travefy said, advisors told the company they wanted to be able to accomplish multiple business tasks in one place. CRM capabilities are live today at no additional cost to Travefy users. "Travel advisors are the heartbeat of this industry," Travefy CEO David Chait said. "This CRM release represents our commitment to listening to advisors, solving their daily challenges and reinvesting in their success. It's a massive leap forward -- and just the beginning."
Travel Weekly
09-07-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Why South America could emerge as a key river cruise destination
Brinley Hineman The big news in South America river cruising is AmaWaterways launching the first luxury river ship on the Magdalena River in Colombia, with plans to launch a second ship later this year. But it is not the only line with South America on its mind. I spoke in June with AmaWaterways co-founder Rudi Schreiner, ahead of him stepping down as company CEO. Though he didn't divulge company names, he told me in that other lines are considering joining them in Colombia -- now that the infrastructure has been built to support the budding industry. But outside of Colombia, the Amazon River has attracted river cruises. Many well-known brands are there, but perhaps most notable is Delfin Amazon Cruises, which is based in Iquitos, Peru. The company just took three months to renovate and relaunch its ship the Delfin I. Europe river cruising remains king of the river-cruise category, but I have repeatedly been told by river cruise executives and travel advisors that clients want to break the mold of a traditional river experience and explore off-the-beaten-path or "exotic" destinations. The Amazon, which flows through six countries, seems like it has the makings of a river poised to experience growth, and it's been years in the making, as Travel Weekly has reported. Especially in an era of overtourism dupes and European rivers becoming more crowded each year, it seems that the Amazon and other South American river could offer an alternative. What other lines are doing on the Amazon And there are plenty of options to choose from already. National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions charters Delfin Amazon Cruises' Delfin II and Delfin III to explore the Peruvian Amazon in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. With an expedition approach to cruising, the line aims to offer a luxury approach to the world's most biodiverse rainforest. Avalon Waterways, which has offered Amazon cruises since 2014, also charters the Delfin III to explore the Amazon. It offers six itineraries this year that include the South American waterway. Uniworld Boutique Luxury Cruises charters the Aria Amazon and offers two itineraries to explore the Peruvian Amazon. Though chartering is a popular way for brands to operate itineraries, some lines are going all-in by building their own ships. Abercrombie & Kent will debut a new ship, the Pure Amazon, on the river this year, while CroisiEurope will begin operating cruises on the Brazilian Amazon in 2027 on its Brasilian Dream.
