“We are evolving”: ACV Dream Makers brings sun collection to Vancouver

STORY BY SANDRA SIROIS

Air Canada Vacations’ (ACV’s) popular Dream Makers event landed in Vancouver on Thursday (Sept. 11) to unveil the brand’s new Sun Collection for the 2025-26 winter season.

The well-attended gathering, held at the Sheraton Wall Centre, brought together travel advisors and industry partners for an exclusive preview of one of ACV’s most ambitious offerings to date.

The presentation, which opened with a spectacular dance performance on stage, kicked off with remarks from ACV’s Vice President Nino Montagnese, who thanked travel advisors for their essential role in the tour operator’s success.

“Without the support of our trade partners, we wouldn’t be up here on stage,” Montagnese told PAX in an interview before the event. “We are evolving, we are changing our policies, we are becoming more flexible for them, we are bringing more technology.”

Also spotted was Erminia Gallina, general manager sales for Ontario and Atlantic Canada, and Marigold Frontuna, general manager sales in Western Canada, who each presented ACV’s new Sun Collection.

This winter, ACV will offer several new routes from Vancouver – travellers can fly direct to Bangkok, Thailand, as part of sun packages, as well as to Huatulco and Tepic, Mexico, which now has a newly-renovated airport.

READ MORE: Winter Is Coming: U.S. bookings slowly return & Tulum 2.0 – ACV’s Nino Montagnese unpacks 2025-26 trends, strategy

Vancouver travellers can also fly direct to San José del Cabo, Mexico, and Singapore.

Expanding options for Western travellers

For those looking to explore further, ACV has connecting flights:

• Via Montreal: Belize, Catania, Guatemala, Lima, Palma de Mallorca
• Via Ottawa: Nassau, Montego Bay
• Via Toronto: Budapest, Guadalajara, Pointe-à-Pitre, Puerto Escondido, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai
• South America: Cartagena and Lima (via Montreal or Toronto)

“Everywhere Air Canada flies, it is possible to get a package,” said Montagnese

According to ACV’s data, connecting flights don’t stop Western Canadians from travelling further:

“We see that they are connecting. They book from Vancouver and get their connections in Toronto or Montreal,” said Montagnese.

READ MORE: Air Canada extends complimentary beer & wine to sun routes

The tour operator is actively working to secure new destinations for Western travellers, particularly in Oceania and Asia.

The "Hawai'i of the Caribbean"

A variety of Caribbean destinations showcased themselves, enticing Vancouver-based trade with one-of-a-kind experiences

Before the event, smaller islands such as St. Kitts and Saint Lucia highlighted their offerings at the trade show, promoting more personal getaways for travellers looking beyond the usual Western destinations.

READ MORE: Air Canada unveils Montreal-Palma de Mallorca as first route for Airbus A321XLR

“Vancouver people — think of Saint Lucia as the Hawaii of the Caribbean. Imagine, it takes you about six hours to go to Hawai’i. With a connection to Toronto, it doesn’t take you that much longer to get right on our beach, meet our people and try our food. You will never forget Saint Lucia after your stay,” said Ernie George, sales manager Canada for Saint Lucia.

Travellers flying with ACV are also in for a pleasant surprise this winter.

As previously reported, Air Canada now offers complimentary beer, wine, and premium snacks on sun flights to Mexico and the Caribbean, making long journeys more enjoyable for Vancouver travellers.

This inflight upgrade, which was previously limited to Air Canada’s domestic and transborder flights, took effect September 1.

Spotlight on Australia and New Zealand

ACV, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, is also putting the spotlight on more far-flung destinations

“We are following the Air Canada footprint. Our mandate over the last few years was to transition from a sun and cruise tour operator to a tour operator everywhere Air Canada flies,” said Montagnese. “Immediately when a new flight is announced, the product team secures land or hotel space so we can marry the two and sell a package through our travel agent partners.”

In recent years, ACV has been expanding its offerings to include unique travel experiences, like guided tours in Asia (click here to read about an exciting tour PAX enjoyed in Japan).

This winter, ACV is pushing Australia and New Zealand, appealing to Western Canadians who love nature, camping, and wide-open spaces.

Travellers can explore both countries in campervans, which is perfect for those who want to travel at their own pace and fully enjoy the outdoors.

“These campervans are beautiful. They are clean, they are new… real glamping!” said Montagnese.

Traditional travel options, such as train trips with overnight accommodations, are also available in both countries.

A winter promo not to miss

ACV also announced a new promotion for winter travellers:

• Buy a package and get up to 50 per cent off the second traveler. Savings apply to groups.
• Buy a Flight & Cruise package and get 50 per cent off the second traveller’s flight.
• Bookings must be made by Sept. 28, 2025, for departures from Canada between January 1 and April 30, 2026.

This promotion applies to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, Cartagena, California, and Hawai'i. 

Long-stay options

For snowbirds looking to escape the rainy West Coast winter, ACV now offers two-week or longer stays in hotels or apartment-style accommodations in Indonesia, Thailand, Spain, and Portugal (Spain and Portugal via Eastern connections).

Travellers can also enjoy World Cruises of up to 21 days. ACV plans to add Italy and Australia as long-stay destinations in the coming months.

Streamlined booking, added value

The event also showcased ACV’s latest tools designed to make travel advisors’ work easier and more rewarding.

Agents can now hold package reservations for 24 hours, book infants online without calling customer service, and take advantage of competitive car rental rates worldwide—for example, seven days in Lisbon for $259 compared to $289 with competitors—while earning a 16 per cent per cent commission through SIREV.

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