On location at TTAND’s first national meeting

The air was filled with introductions and shop talk on May 31 at the Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun, the location for The Travel Agent Next Door’s (TTAND) first annual national meeting and Moon Palace FAM taking place this week.

Fifty-five travel agents from TTAND’s network across Canada have come together at the resort to take in presentations, network with fellow agents and enjoy site inspections of Palace Resorts properties. 

The meeting and FAM will run from May 31 to June 7, with last night being the official opening, where agents in attendance enjoyed cocktails overlooking the ocean as Sharon Wilson, business development manager for Palace Resorts - Alberta and the Prairies gave the welcoming address.

“Our team is very excited to have the opportunity to get to know all of you better, as the continuation of an excellent business relationship that we share with all of you here,” Wilson said to those gathered. 

Juan Carlos Calderon, corporate director of sales, Canada, was next to take the stage, announcing that Palace Resorts’ Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort, Beach Palace and Le Blanc Spa (all sites that will be visited as part of the FAM this week) recently achieved AAA’s Four Diamond Award for its third consecutive year. 

“Moon Palace is the only hotel with over 1,000 rooms that has been awarded a Four Diamond Recognition,” he said, inviting the agents to experience it for themselves and provide any feedback they had. 

Kristin Erz, area sales manager, Air Canada Vacations, also said a few words of welcome, thanking the Palace team for all their support in planning the event, and invited every agent to approach her for a face-to-face introduction throughout the week.

Flemming Friisdahl, president and founder at The Travel Agent Next Door, closed the cocktail hour by recognizing the TTAND partners, as well as Moon Palace and Air Canada Vacations for making the trip possible.

“By the end of this meeting, there’s two things we hope to achieve,” Friisdahl told PAX. “The first is to have the agents support Moon Palace; the way that The Travel Agent Next Door is structured is all about preferred and approved suppliers. The second thing is for the agents to bond. When you feel as though you’re part of a community, you feel a sense of belonging. That makes you feel stronger, and then you have more confidence. We want to show the agents here that they’re part of a bigger team, and [empower] them to support each other.”

Stay tuned for more updates this week!

PHOTO: Juan Carlos Calderon, corporate director of sales, Canada; Kristin Erz, area sales manager, Air Canada Vacations; Sharon Wilson, business development manager, Palace Resorts - Alberta, and the Prairies; Flemming Friisdahl, president and founder, The Travel Agent Next Door; Vanessa Garcia, site inspection coordinator, Palace Resorts; Andres Ortega, site inspection coordinator, Palace Resorts; Isabel Del Peral, sales manager, Moon Palace & Peter Tran, business development manager, Palace Resorts - BC, Northwest Territories, Yukon.