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Marc-Antoine Kamel/NCL

Norwegian Cruise Line has appointed Marc-Antoine Kamel as the new National Director of Sales & Marketing, Canada, effective immediately.

Kamel will lead the business development manager team while also working closely with key partners to oversee all sales and business development functions in the country.  

In addition to time spent working within various businesses and the travel industry, Kamel takes significant pride in having spent 10 years as a travel advisor, and intends to bring NCL’s Partners First philosophy to new heights.   

In addition to leading the country’s business development managers and working with Norwegian’s travel partners, Kamel will also be developing and implementing the overall country strategy and marketing plan to align with Norwegian’s overall growth strategy. 

Christal Bauer/Personal Travel Management

Personal Travel Management Ltd. (PTM), a Boutique independent travel company with headquarters in Burnaby, BC has announced the expansion of its leadership team with the hiring of Christal Bauer as Vice President of Operations.

With 25 years of travel industry experience, Bauer brings a wealth of knowledge in business development, brand positioning and strategic growth to PTM which will be an invaluable asset to our community currently home to 35 independent advisors.

Bauer is widely recognized for her leadership in the travel sector. She has successfully led business transformations and market expansions for organizations such as Envoyage, Independent by Flight Centre (IFC), Travel Professionals International (Trevello), and Ensemble Travel Group. Her deep understanding of advisor engagement, revenue generation, and operational efficiency strengthens PTM’s commitment to supporting its independent contractors.

Omar Guechtal & Kory Sterling/Envoyage

Envoyage has expanded its Canadian team with the addition of two seasoned travel professionals: Omar Guechtal as member success manager and Kory Sterling as senior business development manager.

As part of Envoyage’s Canadian leadership team, Guechtal will play a pivotal role in advisor support and network growth. With over a decade of experience in the travel industry, he brings extensive expertise and a genuine passion for empowering travel professionals. He will focus on building strong relationships with our network members, streamlining their operations, enhancing customer experiences, and uncovering new business opportunities. 

Meanwhile, Sterling joins the team as a tenured travel industry professional with over 17 years of experience spanning tour operators, consortiums, and host agencies. Sterling has held pivotal roles at renowned companies such as Trafalgar, Kensington Tours, Travel Leaders Network, Travel Edge, and Trevello Travel Group. His expertise in business development, account management, and outside sales has made him a dynamic force in the industry, with a strong focus on recruiting and supporting travel advisors.

Natasha George/Club Med

Club Med has appointment Natasha George to the role of BDM for Ontario and Western Canada, reporting to Jacinda Lowry, associate VP of sales, Canada.
 
In this role, George will focus on fostering strategic partnerships and driving business growth across Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, collaborating closely with Tyler Mattioli to support the Ontario market. She will officially step into this position on April 22nd.
 
With over a decade of experience in hospitality and education, George brings a passion for travel and a dedication to creating lasting, positive change in the industry. Since joining Club Med in July 2022 as a travel experience designer, she has excelled in upselling comprehensive travel experiences, managing complex reservations, and fostering strong client relationships through exceptional servicing. Her efforts have contributed to business growth in English Canada, consistently enhancing the client experience.

Erik De La Cruz & Mike Eng/Viking

Viking recently announced changes to the Viking trade sales organization following Michele Saegesser’s retirement after 25 years of dedicated service. 

Erik De La Cruz will manage Viking’s North American Field Sales Team (US & Canada), Inside Sales Team and the Groups Department. A seasoned leader in sales and strategic partnerships, De La Cruz has played a pivotal role in Viking’s strategic partnership growth and providing award-winning sales support to the advisor community. He brings more than two decades of experience in the travel industry, with 15 of those years dedicated to Viking in various roles including Sr. Director, Sales Support and Sr. Director, Sales & National Accounts.

Meanwhile, Mike Eng will now lead Viking’s national account partnerships, trade marketing, technology and reporting. Eng has been with Viking for 14 years and his diverse leadership experience in national accounts partnerships, trade marketing and sales strategy have been an instrumental part of Viking’s sustained trade channel growth and omnipresence within the industry. In his new role, Eng will be committed to national account partnership success and ensuring Viking remains top of mind with our trade partners.

Carilis Di Donato/AIC Hotel Group

AIC Hotel Group has appointed Carilis Di Donato as Executive Director of Leisure Sales.
 
Di Donato, who has spent 15 years with the company, will lead the creation of a new division within the field sales team, focusing on developing strategic accounts within the host and franchise model.
 
She will also oversee the expansion of the current Business Development Manager team in the US and Canada. This strategic growth underscores AIC Hotel Group’s commitment to strengthening its presence in the leisure sales segment.

Carolina Suarez/Silversea

Carolina Suarez has taken on the role of Area Sales Director for Eastern Canada at Silversea. Suarez is an accomplished and dynamic Business Development Manager with over 21 years of experience in the travel industry.

Having spent 18 years at Air Canada Vacations, she honed her skills in sales and business development, contributing significantly to the company’s success. Most recently at Globus Family of Brands, Carolina earned the Leadership Award and top sales for Globus and Cosmos in 2023, as well as Avalon Waterways in 2024.

Suarez is committed to inspiring, empowering, and collaborating with travel professionals in her territory of Eastern Canada including: Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEl, Newfoundland & Labrador.

Claudia Baino/Allianz Global Assistance

Allianz Global Assistance has appointed Claudia Baino as its new business development director.

With an impressive 35 years of experience in the travel industry, Baino brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven record of accomplishment in business development and strategic partnerships.

In this pivotal role, Baino will oversee the strategic expansion of Allianz’s business development initiatives, fostering new partnerships and enhancing existing relationships within the travel and financial services channels.

Donna Smith/AIC Hotel Group

AIC Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Donna Smith as the new director of luxury sales, USA & Canada. In her new role, Smith will lead luxury sales strategies across the USA and Canada for some of the most regarded properties within AIC Hotel Group’s portfolio, including Nobu Hotels Los Cabos, Miami, and Chicago, as well as Unico 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya and UNICO 20º105º Hotel Vallarta.

In her new role, Smith will leverage her deep expertise in relationship building and luxury market positioning to expand AIC Hotel Group’s luxury sales portfolio in North America. She will lead a talented team of experienced Sales Executives and work to further strengthen the company’s presence in the luxury travel segment.

Jocelyn Black/Aurora Expeditions

Aurora Expeditions has appointed Jocelyn Black as manager, communications and content. Based in Toronto, Black will lead the company’s global public relations, communications, and content strategy as Aurora Expeditions continues to expand its operations.

Black brings more than a decade of experience in travel publicity and communications. She joins Aurora Expeditions following a successful tenure at Tourism Ireland, where she served as senior publicity and communications executive from 2015 to 2025. Prior to that, she worked on the agency side, supporting local travel and hospitality brands.

In her new role, Black will collaborate closely with Aurora Expeditions’ global marketing team to drive brand awareness and engagement as the company prepares to welcome its third purpose-built small ship in 2025.

Dean Moore/Goway Travel

Goway has announced the appointment of Dean Moore as Chief Operating Officer. Moore’s appointment comes on the heels of the company’s major rebrand in 2024 and at the start of its 55th Anniversary year. Bruce Hodge will remain as Goway’s President while Moore oversees the company’s day-to-day operations.

Moore has extensive experience across the global travel industry. He has led teams in the UK, Ireland, Europe, and most recently North America for prominent global brands, including the former MyTravel Group and Thomas Cook. His track record of driving operational excellence, scaling businesses, and fostering innovative cultures make him an ideal fit for Goway as the company continues to grow.

Aaron Fitzpatrick/Explore Worldwide

Aaron Fitzpatrick has taken on the role of Business Development Manager for North America at Explore Worldwide. Bringing over a decade of experience in customer relations and a personal passion for travel, Fitzpatrick will support Explore’s strategic initiatives to grow the brand’s presence in the region among the travel agency and advisor community.
 
In this newly created position, Fitzpatrick will be responsible for creating and executing strategic plans to grow trade sales and nurture existing partnerships while establishing new collaborations with key travel advisor stakeholders throughout North America. He will also take the lead on training and product knowledge sessions for industry partners, development and implementation of trade campaigns and incentives, as well as representation for Explore at key industry events and conferences.

Samantha Taylor and Tanya Foster/WestJet

WestJet has made strategic changes to the WestJet Group Executive Committee to better align leadership positions with the company’s commitment to delivering for its guests.

A key change is the creation of a WestJet Group Chief Experience Officer (CXO) role, led by Samantha (Sam) Taylor. Having joined Sunwing in 2020 as Chief Marketing Officer and later serving as chief marketing & digital officer of Sunwing Vacations Group, Taylor will now oversee experience management, marketing, and contact centres across WestJet and Sunwing. This unified approach ensures a more cohesive and seamless journey for guests, whether they’re flying or planning a vacation.

Technology is also a focal point in WestJet’s efforts to improve guest experiences. Tanya Foster, chief information officer (CIO), will now lead a unified team overseeing all IT and digital technology across the WestJet Group. Since joining the leadership team in January 2023, Foster has been instrumental in advancing the airline’s technology capabilities. Together, this team is driving WestJet’s vision forward, ensuring the airline remains a trusted choice for affordable and reliable travel.

Katie Kania/NCL

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has appointed Katie Kania to senior director of agency sales, North America, following the appointment of Derek Lloyd to vice president of Strategic and National Accounts. Kania will lead the company’s field-based sales organization, working closely with travel advisors and agency partners across North America. With more than 10 years of travel industry expertise and most recently serving as Director of Sales for Canada at Norwegian Cruise Line, she will continue fostering the relationships within the travel partner community.

In addition to leading her new team of sales directors and business development Managers throughout North America and working closely with travel partners, Kania will also be developing and implementing a strategic marketing plan to align with NCL’s growth strategy. Kania will be reporting to John Chernesky, senior vice president of North America Sales.

Oral Chambers and Sedrecia Francis/Jamaica Tourist Board

The Jamaica Tourist Board announced the transfers of Oral Chambers and Sedrecia Francis from its offices in the USA and Jamaica respectively, to the Canadian team. 
 
Oral Chambers is a Business Development Officer who joined JTB in October 2016. In his previous role, Chambers was tasked with providing business development management to enhance Jamaica as a premier tourist destination for clients and customers in the USA. In his new role, he will continue to provide those services in Canada, in addition to taking on Eastern, Northern, and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) East territories.
 
Meanwhile, Francis, who joined JTB in January 2016, was most recently the Media Relations Officer in the Public Relations and Communications Unit, in JTB’s Corporate Office in Kingston, Jamaica. In that role, Francis was responsible for showcasing the island’s extensive tourism offerings to visiting groups chiefly through managing media trips and influencing traditional and non-traditional media audiences to visit Jamaica through the content created by visiting journalists and influencers. In her new role as a Business Development Officer in JTB’s Canadian operation, Francis will be responsible for Western Canada.
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