"Sold out, great energy”: ACV Dream Makers kicks off in Vancouver

Air Canada Vacations’ (ACV’s) Dream Makers product launch event kicked off in Vancouver Wednesday night (Sept. 4), giving local travel advisors an opportunity to learn more about the tour operator’s upcoming winter 2024-25 offering.

Taking to social media, Erminia Gallina, director of sales at ACV, described the night as a “sold out show with great energy.”

“Any budget, any style” is how ACV is positioning its winter 2024-25 lineup of new and additional escapes to sunny destinations.

The tour operator’s roster, which features more than 100 daily departures, includes a return to popular sun spots, and increased frequency and capacity, to dreamy places like Bermuda, Fort-de-France, Cancun, Los Cabos, Tulum, Punta Cana, Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten, Turks and Caicos, and San José, Costa Rica.

As PAX learned in a recent interview with Nino Montagnese, vice-president at ACV, the tour operator is preparing for winter with new products, like tours in Australia and Asia, and self-help technology, like a new Group Quoting Tool for the trade.  

Tulum, Montagnese said, is going to be a “hot” destination this winter now that Air Canada flies there direct (the destination opened new airport, Felipe Carrillo Puerto International, earlier this year).

It’s all documented in ACV’s new sun toolkit, which offers a glimpse at all of ACV’s hotels and tours at a glance.

On what type of vacations travellers are seeking right now, Montagnese stressed getaways that capture experiences, such as ACV’s new fitness retreat program in Punta Cana.  

As for what trends ACV is tracking, “We're seeing short getaways. And groups are really starting to trend back,” Montagnese said.

“People are going to Europe, versus maybe a Florida. I think Canadians just want a change. They want new experiences,” Montagnese said.

With new tools, like ACV’s Insta Quote for groups, agents are now able to quote themselves, using the tool, and then send a quick note to convert it into a booking.

“We've tried to make it easier for agents,” Montagnese said.

As well, with Trip Book or Manage My Booking on ACV’s website, agents can now modify files up to five days prior to departure. That includes correcting a name at least up to five days prior, and not have to call in and wait in a queue.

And telephone wait times are “way down,” Montagnese said. “I don't foresee them going up. We are staffed up. We were able to hire enough people to answer the phones,” he said.

What’s his number one piece of sales advice to the trade?

“Book early is my number one,” he said. “We also have lot of product now and travel advisors need to work with their area sales managers. Agents who need dedicated product training should reach out to our area sales manager.”

“We’re set up and ready to do it. In some cases, there's going to be an agency focused on Europe, on sun or cruise. We can train them on each of those. It doesn't have to be all of it.”

Click here to read our full interview with Nino Montagnese. Air Canada Vacations’ Dream Makers events head next to Edmonton (Sept. 12), Halifax (Sept. 17), Montreal (Sept. 19) and then Toronto (Sept. 26).

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