TLN's vice president for Canada Christine James says membership is on the upswing
Travel Leaders Network says it’s on a roll, with its membership and interest in it on the upswing, something underscored by attendance at its just-concluded Fall Regionals.
The consortia held its third and final Fall Regional in Brampton, Ont., last week, with Christine James, TLN’s vice president for Canada, elated by the numbers of people who turned out for it and the other events in Calgary and Vancouver.
“There was an unprecedented turnout in each city,” said James, who told the Brampton audience that the turnout was “fantastic.”
Brampton saw 260, up from 190 last year. The greater attendance forced TLN to stage the regional in a local convention centre, rather than the hotel used last year.
Brampton also 73 suppliers on hand.
Calgary in turn saw 99 and 52 suppliers, while 165 and 61 suppliers attended the Vancouver event, all of which James said indicates appreciation for TLN
“The suppliers wouldn’t be investing and the members wouldn’t be attending (otherwise),” she said. “We’ve had more suppliers across the board than we’ve ever had.”
TLN’s Canadian network has gained 31 members this year, now having 600 across the country and expects another 15 by the end of the year, with James reporting that those joining are “quality” members who are particularly successful. 2019 was a watershed year for TLN, the last full year before the onset of Covid.
But James said 2023 “blew it out of the water” for TLN and business this year is topping last year, both in membership and revenue.
Meanwhile, James said initial reviews for TLN’s SNAP booking tool — introduced in this country in October — have been favourable.
“It’s a one-stop shop, very user-friendly,” James said of SNAP, with users not needing GDS experience. SNAP has “rich content,” she said.
SNAP, powered by Sabre, now enables users to book both hotels and rental cars, and air bookings will be available in the first quarter of 2025.
“We’re getting really good reviews from the users,” James said. “They’re loving it.”
TLN already had another booking tool for cruises.
James also praised TLN’s Agent Profiler, stating that it has generated 9,900 leads for Canadian members this year with 25% of those leading to bookings and the average booking worth $10,000.
