Suppliers, advisors uncork fun in Niagara as Picnic in the Park roadshow rolls on

The rain came down in sheets in the Niagara Region on Tuesday (July 21), but it wasn't enough to dampen spirits.

Around 65 travel advisors gathered at Sons & Daughters Winery in Pelham, ON, for the latest edition of Supplier Picnic in the Park, a summer get-together that has quickly become one of Ontario's most anticipated casual networking events for the travel trade.

Now in its third year, the travelling roadshow brings local business development managers and travel advisors together for an afternoon that, yesterday, paired product updates with pizza, local wine and conversation – minus the PowerPoint presentations.

"This all came out of suppliers on the West Coast that have been doing this for a while,” said Aaron Crawford, a business development manager for Holland America Line and Seabourn, explaining how Picnic in the Park first came together.

“We started in Waterloo and grew it from there. Eventually, suppliers thought, ‘Why don't we expand this to our hometowns? Now, it’s like a roadshow.”

Hosted at Pelham's first winery – a family-run vineyard and event space that opened in 2024, roughly a 30-minute drive from Niagara Falls – the lively afternoon featured local wines (for purchase), the venue's signature wood-fired thin-crust pizzas (which was provided) and plenty of shop talk between suppliers and advisors.

Even Mother Nature eventually raised a toast.

Before blasting the town with rain, the skies cleared, allowing sunshine to peek through just long enough for the group to gather outside for a cheerful group photo in the winery's front yard, where picnic tables invite visitors to wine and dine.

Fortunately, the winery's spacious indoor event areas ensured every registered advisor stayed comfortable and dry.

A roadshow with hometown roots

The Niagara gathering marked one of six stops on this summer’s tour. The series kicked off in Windsor last week, while the London event was unfortunately cancelled because of wildfire smoke.

Following Niagara, the roadshow heads to Ottawa and Hamilton before wrapping up in Waterloo in early August.

In almost every market, organizers say the events have reached full capacity.

This year's Niagara event featured well-known representatives from Air Canada Vacations, Exodus Adventure Travels, the Jamaica Tourist Board (joined by special guests Princess Hotels & Resorts), HX, Globus family of brands, Manulife, Sandos Hotels, TTC Tour Brands, Royal Irish Tours, and Holland America Line/Seabourn.

Rather than formal presentations, each supplier delivered a quick five-minute elevator pitch highlighting the latest trends, products and booking opportunities.

Christmas Markets emerged as one of the day's hottest topics – several suppliers noted strong demand for festive European itineraries this winter.

Even destinations that don't actually have Christmas Markets found a way to join the conversation.

Jamaica, for example, reminded advisors that the island has its own unmistakable Christmas spirit and holiday traditions.

Going beyond the GTA

While many industry events in Ontario naturally gravitate toward Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, one of the roadshow's biggest goals is making sure advisors outside the province's largest city receive the same opportunities to connect.

"That was really important when we first started talking about this whole idea," Crawford said.

"It’s about supporting agents that don't always get the visits and local events. They might get sales calls, but not an event where we can just get out of the office and do something different that’s more relaxed.”

Elaine French, a local BDM for Globus family of brands, selected Sons & Daughters Winery for a personal reason.

"This is very close to my home. I come here quite often and I wanted to show local agents what's around this area,” she said.

The weather forecast may have looked intimidating, but advisors still turned out in impressive numbers.

Crawford added that Niagara is home to a healthy mix of storefront travel agencies and home-based advisors – many of whom are top performers.

“They are producing, for all of us,” he said. “So, it’s important to represent and support those communities.”

Trending topics

The conversations reflected an industry that continues to adapt to shifting travel conditions, influenced by various factors, from low water levels on Europe’s rivers during the summer months to rising jet fuel prices to conflict in the Middle East

"Right now, we’re watching the rivers in Europe. People are maybe doing a coach tour instead,” French said.

Canadians are also looking at travelling further these days, to destinations like Africa, she said.

“People are venturing into different parts of the world.”

On the cruise side, Crawford said Canadians are seeking longer escapes.

"With ocean, we're definitely seeing people shifting more towards those longer voyages," he said.

"I think Canadians are feeling a bit tired and nervous. When they are spending that hard-earned money, they're really wanting to maximize it. They want to get away, but they also want a bit of escapism. And one week is never enough. Being able to get away from the noise for like 20, 30, or even 45 days. I mean, that sounds kind of delicious."

More than just a networking event

Beyond the wine, pizza and travel talk, organizers say Supplier Picnic in the Park has become a celebration of partnership.

"I want advisors to know how hard their suppliers are working to support them," Crawford said. "I also want them to see how much we support each other as suppliers. There is some 'competition' here, but we all genuinely like each other and support each other.”

“We want advisors to see that community and the support we're going to provide them by working together. We also want this event to be about supporting local communities and businesses."

French echoed that sentiment.

"It’s about getting to know everybody, knowing where your local business development manager is, and how we're here to support them and their business,” she said.

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