News / Travel Agencies & Consortia

TravelOnly celebrates a record year in Toronto

Fergal McAlinden

01-29-2018 10:15 am

Fergal McAlinden

TravelOnly had much to celebrate on Saturday evening (Jan. 27) in Toronto, with the company’s Annual Distinction Awards providing a fitting setting for Gregory Luciani, president and CEO, to announce 2017 as the best year in its 43-year history.

Associates and suppliers alike from across Canada gathered at Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel for the glitzy event, which saw attendees mingle at a trade show and networking session before top performers were honoured during a lavish dinner ceremony.

“We are building something spectacular together,” Luciani told the packed hall as proceedings got underway. “With so much negativity in the world today, the travel community has never been more important: through travel, we contribute something positive that everybody loves.”

Representatives from TravelOnly and TravelBrands at the awards show alongside Lindsay Pearlman, co-president, Ensemble Travel Group.

2017 was a banner year for the company, he said – ‘our best year on record’ – with its success thanks in no small part to the contribution of its associates. “I know a lot of you are booking 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he commented, “and this is a testament to your hard work.”

Ian Elliott, vice-president, retail sales and business development and Sinthia Gawlak, senior vice-president, marketing and sales presided over the evening’s proceedings, which saw keynote speeches from Lindsay Pearlman, co-president, Ensemble Travel Group and Derek Lloyd, regional director of sales, Silversea Cruises – the latter of whom will join TravelOnly’s President’s Club cruise onboard Silver Muse on a seven-day sailing to Barbados this March 22.

Patrick Luciani, chairman, TravelOnly; Derek Lloyd, regional director of sales, Silversea Cruises; Ann Luciani, CFO, TravelOnly; Gregory Luciani, president and CEO, TravelOnly.

View from the founder

Patrick Luciani, TravelOnly’s founder and chairman, told PAX that in addition to being the company’s most successful year ever, 2017 had demonstrated the continuing value of travel agents in the modern world. “This award event is really to recognize not only our producers, but our associates, who really work very, very hard in this day and age,” he said. “It’s a 24/7 job.

“When we had the hurricanes last year – and there were all kinds of issues last year – our people were able to get [their clients] back instantly, because they got connected.”

Those efforts had been made possible, Luciani noted, through strong collaboration between associates and the company’s partners, including airlines and cruise lines that had been pivotal to the evacuations. “We have to thank our partners,” he commented.

“Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated within hours – not days, hours. It’s a great story, [showing] that there’s still value to really have a travel agent look after your needs.”

Indeed, Luciani asserted that associates’ business would flourish through continually liaising with suppliers. “Tonight, we have partners that are here,” he said, “and if you book with partners, you’re going to be successful. It’s really that simple.”

TravelOnly is already gearing up for a productive 2018, described by Luciani as ‘the year of the groups,’ having launched its cruise brand, Cruise TravelOnly, during the company’s inaugural Symposium at Sea in late November and early December. Over $1 million worth of sales, Luciani noted, was completed on that one Symposium alone.

A big night for Travel Agents Care

Unsurprisingly, with family a recurring theme throughout the evening, there was also much celebration of the community spirit that had seen Travel Agents Care, a charity initiative spearheaded by associates Karen Gill and Marie Odorizzi, flourish. “I’m humbled, honoured and inspired by everyone from the Travel Agents Care initiative,” Gregory Luciani remarked.

Ian Elliott, vice-president, retail sales and business development and event MC.

The evening saw a bumper $36,050 raised for Travel Agents Care, fittingly described by Elliott as “a small but mighty group.” Prior to the ceremony, the organization’s efforts for the island of Dominica had already provided 1,171 people with water, with physical donations, including toothpaste and diapers, impacting 195 families. Its previous campaign raised over $9,700 for communities in countries affected by the Caribbean hurricanes.

Heralding the success of the Travel Agents Care initiative was Rahul Singh, director of Global Medic, whose keynote speech also paid tribute to the contribution of the travel community as a whole in raising aid and awareness following the hurricanes that pummelled the Caribbean – including the role of Canadian airlines in evacuation efforts.

The last word

After the company’s top achievers and leading supplier partners were honoured during the awards ceremony, the last word was left to the chairman, as Patrick Luciani took to the stage with wife Ann and son Gregory to a rousing ovation to issue the evening’s closing remarks.

Patrick Luciani, chairman, TravelOnly, closes the night's proceedings.

Hailing the company’s record-breaking performance in 2017 – a year that saw the highest commission paid to agents in its history – Luciani reinforced Gregory’s assertion that its progress would not have been possible without the tireless dedication of its associates and partners.

“We had a fabulous year,” he finished, “because of you.”

Award winners

Of TravelOnly: Dashnor Hasku, Gregory Luciani and Bujar Zejnullahu.

The full list of winners from the ceremony is as follows:

TravelOnly President’s Club 2017

Dashnor Hasku & Bujar Zejnullahu; Patrick Probert & Mary de Almeida; Barbara Scrocco & Robert Rizzo; Brian Kendrick; Kevin Visser; Anie Chevrier-Huot; Holly McBean; Karen Campbell.

TravelOnly B.C. region top producer 2017: Kathleen Campbell
TravelOnly AB region top producer 2017: Cathy Wiechnik
TravelOnly Prairies region top producer 2017: Glenda Brown
TravelOnly ON region top producer 2017: Dashnor Hasku & Bujar Zejnullahu
TravelOnly QC region top producer 2017: Claudine Chayer
TravelOnly Atlantic region top producer 2017: Helene Daigle
TravelOnly rising star 2017: Stephanie Mayorga
TravelOnly rookie of the year 2017: Sarah Robinson
TravelOnly Most Valuable Player 2017: Patrick Probert
TravelOnly Most Valuable Player 2017: Mary de Almeida
TravelOnly AmaWaterways top producer 2017: Kevin Visser
TravelOnly Barcelo Hotels top producer 2017: Denise Taylor
TravelOnly Collette Vacations top producer 2017: Edna Carroll
TravelOnly AMResorts top producer 2017: Kevin Visser
TravelOnly Norwegian Cruise Line top producer 2017: Ginette Richard
TravelOnly Air Canada Vacations top producer 2017: Barbara Scrocco & Robert Rizzo
TravelOnly MSC Cruise Line top producer 2017: Barbara Scrocco & Robert Rizzo
TravelOnly Globus top producer 2017: Karen Campbell
TravelOnly Perillo Tours top producer 2017: Edna Carroll
TravelOnly Palace Resorts top producer 2017: Stephanie Mayorga
TravelOnly Sunwing Vacations top producer 2017: Pauline Blacoe
TravelOnly Transat top producer 2017: Brian Kendrick
TravelOnly Royal Caribbean International top producer 2017: Kevin Visser
TravelOnly Playa Resorts top producer 2017: Barbara Scrocco & Robert Rizzo
TravelOnly TravelBrands top producer 2017: Dashnor Hasku & Bujar Zejnullahu
TravelOnly TravelBrands top growth 2017: Barbara Scrocco & Robert Rizzo
TravelOnly Manulife Insurance top producer 2017: Dashnor Hasku & Bujar Zejnullahu
TravelOnly Hard Rock Hotels top producer 2017: Anie Chevrier-Huot
TravelOnly Celebrity Cruises top producer 2017: Patrick Probert & Mary de Almeida
TravelOnly WestJet top producer 2017: Linda Sutherland