ACV sun packages to include free COVID-19 travel insurance

Air Canada Vacations (ACV) announced on Monday (Aug. 31st) that a COVID-19 Coverage and Assistance Plan, administered by Allianz Global Assistance, will be offered at no additional cost to customers booking with ACV.

The plan is designed to cover emergency medical and quarantine expenses if COVID-19 is contracted while travelling.

Aimed at providing travellers with greater confidence to book their next dream vacation, this plan will be included in all flight and hotel Air Canada Vacations packages to select destinations in Mexico and in the Caribbean at no extra cost, as ACV will cover the cost of the coverage. 

A full list of applicable destinations is available here.

"We're pleased to be the first Canadian tour operator to ensure coverage is in place for emergency medical and quarantine expenses relating to COVID-19 through Allianz Global Assistance and the brokerage firm TW Insurance Services as a part of our vacation packages. Our strategy, in conjunction with Air Canada CleanCare+, has been to be at the forefront of travel safety measures, including through the implementation of our Health and Safety Standards in our Sun destinations. We look forward to continuing to work with Allianz Global Assistance to turn our customers' travel dreams into reality," said Nino Montagnese, Managing Director at ACV.

"As Canadians look forward to travelling again, safety while abroad is top of mind for travellers more than ever before," said Chris Van Kooten, Chief Executive Officer at Allianz Global Assistance. "Air Canada Vacations' customers can once again travel with confidence and enjoy their holiday to the fullest with peace of mind about COVID-19 related medical emergencies."

All eligible customers who book an Air Canada Vacations package on or after August 31, 2020 for travel between September 4, 2020 to April 30th, 2021 to applicable destinations will be covered under the COVID-19 Coverage and Assistance Plan. 

Policy terms and conditions can be found here.

Administered by Allianz Global Assistance, the COVID-19 Coverage and Assistance Plan is underwritten by CUMIS General Insurance Company, a member of the Co-operators group of companies. For more details on the COVID-19 Coverage and Assistance Plan, please visit aircanadavacations.com.

ACV launches 2020/2021 collection

The announcement comes on the heels of ACV's annual #ACVDreamMakers event, which was held on Aug. 28th to celebrate the launch of its 2020/2021 Sun Collection. 

Held in a virtual format, this year's event welcomed more than 70 suppliers and highlighted the innovative programs that ACV has designed to help sell travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including its commitments to safer travel and CareFlexPlus protection program. 

“While we continue to deal with the unprecedented impacts of this year, our goal is and will continue to be to help you turn your customers’ vacation dreams into reality. We remain committed to open and frequent communication to ensure you receive information on our newly implemented policies, procedures and tools to help give customers confidence to travel again," Montagnese said in a statement. 

A second version of the show for consumers was held on Aug. 29th, and there, customers had the ability to book with a travel agency of their choice and take advantage of savings on their next vacation.

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!