Celebrating 'awesome' at WestJet's Partner Awards

“It’s amazing what happens when you embrace authenticity, and let people be themselves.”

These words, spoken by guest speaker Neil Pasricha, New York Times best-selling author of The Book of Awesome, were a perfect complement to the spirit of WestJet’s third annual Travel Partner Awards event, held with great fanfare in Toronto last night.

The ‘awesome,’ London-themed evening – which featured none other than a Beatles tribute band, an Austen Powers impersonator, the Jays game on a big screen and an inspiring talk by Pasricha on the power of happiness – was held in celebration of WestJet’s top performing partners, in recognition for their efforts in supporting the airline as it continues to expand its reach overseas to London in spring 2016.

“The most important people really, are the travel agents who are doing the selling,” Lyell Farquharson, vice-president of sales & distribution for WestJet told PAX, stating that the airline, known for being uniquely fun and friendly, owes much of its success to the professionals who convey that mind-set to their clients.

“We understand what you do, we appreciate the work you do, and we’re here to support you in selling our product,” he said, citing the key message of the evening.

Later in the evening, Farquharson addressed the room of more than 230 guests, stating that as the airline heads into new horizons, its success would only be made possible if it continued to receive the same dedication it has come to rely on from its partners.

The event featured several new award categories, three of which were supplied by evening sponsors Sandals Resorts, Bahia Principe, and AMResorts.

Winners of the 2015 WestJet Partner Awards are as follows:

Top Cruise Operator: Prestige Cruise Holdings (Oceana, Regent Seven Seas Cruises)

Top Group, Incentive, Convention Operator: Meridican Incentive Consultants

AMResorts Top Sales: Ensemble Travel Group

Top Escorted Tour Operator: The Travel Corporation

Top Overall Tour Operator: Voyzant Inc.

Bahia Resorts Top Sales: Flight Centre

Top Growth Travel Agency: Merit Travel Group

WestJet Encore Top Growth: Uniglobe West

WestJet Vacations Top Growth: Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Sandals Resorts Top Sales: Transat Distribution Canada

WestJet Top Online Travel Agency: Expedia

WestJet Top Growth TMC: Vision Travel Society

WestJet Overall Top Guest Count: Flight Centre

Photo: Lyell Farquharson, VP sales, WestJet; Tim Croyle, VP & GM, WestJet Vacations; Jane Clementino, director, agency sales, WestJet; Maureen Barnes-Smith, director, sales & marketing, Sandals Resorts; Sal Buccellato, national accounts director, Bahia Principe; Orelbys Vigoa, regional sales manager, Eastern Canada, AMResorts