Agents meet an Idol with Hard Rock

A handful of lucky travel agents got the rock star treatment this week, as Hard Rock Hotels brought them face to face with American Idol winner David Cook as part of a new trade initiative from the company.

Hard Rock welcomed seven of its top travel partners from Flight Centre and Corporate Traveller for an exclusive meet-and-greet with Cook at Toronto’s iconic Horseshoe Tavern, where the singer posed for photos and signed copies of his latest album Digital Vein before taking to the stage in front of a packed house.

Ash Tembe, Hard Rock’s VP of global field sales, told PAX that the evening is one of several stops on Hard Rock’s Music Scene 2016 tour, a new trade program which will take place at 22 stops on Cook’s current tour across North America. Tembe explained that through the Music Scene program, Hard Rock is thanking and connecting with its top agents through concert experiences.

“It’s about trying to reintroduce music to our travel partners,” Tembe said. “We partner with musicians out there who are trying to make it and support them with a partnership and sponsorship, which gives us the opportunity for agents to meet the artist and experience them in an authentic concert setting. We’re teaming up with up-and-coming artists because you never know when you’re going to meet the next Dave Matthews.”

It’s just one of the many new trade initiatives coming from Hard Rock this year, Tembe said. In addition to Hard Rock and PAX teaming up for a new industry golf tournament in May, the brand is also getting away from the traditional industry events such as dinners and instead welcoming travel partners to take in a concert. In Canada, that new approach will see agents taking in a performance by ‘90s rockers Pearl Jam in Quebec City this spring.

“We’re looking for new and fun ways to experience music – our brand is all about music and the more you do it, the better it is,” Tembe told PAX. “One of our brand mantras is ‘authentic experiences that rock,’ so we’re looking to do more of that.”

If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Hard Rock Hotels cover story in the February edition of PAX magazine!

PHOTO: Of Corporate Traveller – Danielle Heft, Trevor Brady, Natalie Wieden and Joseph Arsenault; Stephanie Fay, Flight Centre; David Cook; Vicki Malcolm and Mandi Cook of Flight Centre; Sarah Smith, BDM – Central Canada and Ash Tembe, VP of global field sales, Hard Rock Hotels.