Winners represent a cross-section of the industry

This year’s Agents Choice Awards Gala featured 13 new Favourites, which went to some extremely deserving winners. The awards were handed out in a variety of categories to companies that clearly have built a strong following in the travel agency community as some 6,938 travel advisors from across the country voted in the 2024 Agents’ Choice Readership Survey.

Notably, Air Canada Vacations captured three new awards, being named Favourite Tour Operator Europe/Middle East/Africa; Favourite Tour Operator Escorted/Guided; and Favourite Overall Supplier.

“We are thrilled to come home with five awards (throughout the night), including the prestigious New Favourite Overall Supplier. We are incredibly honoured to receive the New Favourite Overall Supplier award,” said Erminia Gallina, director, sales for Air Canada Vacations. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, who strive every day to provide exceptional products and services to our clients.”

“Winning this award is not only a celebration of our achievements but also a motivation to continue innovating and enhancing our offerings to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations,” she continued. “We are deeply grateful for the trust and support of our advisors and partners and we look forward to continuing our journey together, delivering excellence and value in everything we do. We can’t thank Baxter enough in the amount of effort and creativity involved to showcase to the travel professionals an event like we witnessed. Thank you.”

Meanwhile, Sunwing Star Rewards took the top spot in the Favourite Travel Agent Loyalty Program category.

“Winning the Favourite Travel Agent Loyalty Program award is an incredible achievement that we are very proud of, and a testament to our company’s commitment to providing exceptional value and rewards to our travel partners, who work extremely hard to make our mutual customers’ vacation dreams a reality,” said Deana Murphy, vice president, sales & business development at Sunwing Vacations. “This award is not only a recognition of the STAR Point program’s effectiveness but also a validation of the trust and confidence that travel advisors place in us. It reinforces Sunwing’s position as a leader in the all inclusive travel segment and motivates us to continue to further enhance the travel experience in collaboration with our loyal travel partners. We are truly thankful for and humbled by the win, and look forward to providing travel advisors and our mutual customers with even more value in future.”

Meanwhile, the Sandals Specialist Program was named Favourite Agent Education Program.

“Over the past few years, we’ve made a conscious decision to introduce new and innovative training programs designed specifically for the Canadian market by our team right here in Canada, such as our Masterclass or ‘Sandals in 10’ series,” said Maureen Barnes-Smith, vice president, sales & marketing, for Unique Vacations Canada Inc. “We’ve already received such positive feedback from Canadian travel advisors and to now also be honoured as their ‘Favourite Education Program’ for the first time, I could not be more proud. This recognition is a testament to the creativity and dedication to ongoing travel advisor education by our Canadian training team, led by the incomparable Lorna Richards, National Training Manager, Canada. And of course, these Canadian-specific initiatives work in tandem with the already-robust training and support as part of the Certified Sandals Specialist program.”

As for the Favourite Tour Operator Niche award, Exotik Journeys claimed this category.

“Our team’s creativity, expertise in designing remarkable itineraries, and strong support for travel agents have been key to our success,” said Nathalie Tanious, President & CEO of H.I.S.-Red Label Vacations. “We specialize in niche products such as long-stay vacations, river cruises, safaris, train tours, and even space travel, and this is just the beginning. This recognition inspires us to continue exploring and expanding our offerings while creating travel experiences that transform and inspire. We continue to evolve and improve our products and services, driven by our passion and innovation, to share even more extraordinary Exotik Journeys experiences with the world.”

Another big winner of the evening was Porter Airlines, who was named Favourite Airline — Economy Class Service.

“It is an exciting and proud moment for Porter to be recognized by travel agents for providing Canada’s favourite economy class service. We have always had great support from the agency community and the last 18 months of growth has really allowed us to build more relationships across the country, including in markets that we previously didn’t serve,” Michael Curmi, managing director, sales & distribution at Porter Airlines told Travel Courier. “This recognition is a testament to Porter’s expanding coast-to-coast network and the elevated economy service that we are known for. We are reshaping traveller expectations and thank agents for supporting this effort.”

Notably, Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts was the winner in Favourite Hotel Brand — All-Inclusive Mexico category.

“Bahia Principe has consistently demonstrated excellence in providing top-notch services and unforgettable experiences to its guests. Their commitment to quality, from accommodations to exceptional customer service, sets them apart in the hospitality industry. The stunning locations of their resorts, combined with a wide array of amenities and activities, create an ideal environment for relaxation and adventure. This dedication to exceeding guest expectations is undoubtedly why they received this prestigious award,” said Henry Perez director, sales & business development USA and Canada for Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts. “Personally, I feel that Bahia Principe’s win is well-deserved. They continually innovate and elevate the standards in the industry, making them a favourite among both travel agents and travellers. Their recognition at the Agents’ Choice Awards Gala is a testament to their hard work and the positive impact they have on the travel community.”

Emirates was the choice of agents when it came to Favourite Airline — Internationally Based.

“Emirates prides itself on offering unparalleled services that help customers ‘take flight’ the moment they book their ticket, ensuring a comfortable and memorable experience,” said Shaz Peshimam, Emirates’ Country Manager, Canada. “From spacious, comfortable seats to delicious multi-course meals and exceptional in-flight amenities, every detail is designed with the customer in mind. Our extensive international connectivity also ensures that travellers can seamlessly reach their destinations. This award is a testament to our commitment to excellence and it’s truly rewarding to see that not only our passengers appreciate these efforts but, at an industry level, travel agents regard us as a world-class airline. I am incredibly proud to be part of the Emirates team and to celebrate this achievement.”

Taking top spot in Most Positive Industry Impact was G Adventures.

“We are absolutely thrilled to win the Most Positive Industry Impact Award at this year’s Agent Choice awards,” said G Adventures’ David Green. “Words can’t truly express our gratitude to all those agents who voted for G Adventures. We’ve been the pioneers for community tourism now for over 34 years now, and every year we continue to innovate based on the feedback from travel agents and our travellers to ensure that we continue to be a force for good in communities globally. Over the past year, we launched ‘trees for days’ planting a tree for every single day that our travellers travel with g adventures, we continue to be the only travel company in the world that we are aware of that details the ripple score of every tour, in other words lets you know how much of your money that is spent in destination that stays in the country that you visit. We launched Project 300 with Planeterra, a new initiative to have 300 global community projects by 2030 and that’s just some of the things that we are doing to positively impact the industry.

“Over the past year we sponsored two Dr Jane Goodall events in Toronto and Vancouver, bringing travel agents as our special guests to hear firsthand the role we all need to play to positively impact our world,” Green added. “Dr Jane Goodall endorses our Animal Welfare program at G Adventures, and we are proud to support the great work that the Jane Goodall Institute does every day. Thanks again for the recognition! We truly appreciate our agents and we never take them for granted.”

The Momentum Award went to a justifiably proud Mondee Canada.

“Mondee brings together the best consolidators, technology, talent, and carrier relations to provide unparalleled content, which is powered by Mondee marketplace,” declared the company’s Janet Alkobi.   

Red Carnation Hotels took the top honours as the Favourite Hotel Brand — Small & Boutique.

“Wow, thank you so much, our amazing Canadian travel advisors are truly an extension of our team and we are dedicated to ensuring that your clients have the very best experience when staying with us,” Jonathan Raggett, CEO of Red Carnation Hotels shared. “Each and every Red Carnation Hotel is a celebration of its history and heritage, with warm hospitality and distinguishing design. Guests of any of our Red Carnation Hotels arrive feeling connected to their surrounding environment and leave with a sense of having been part of something special, and we all have a part to play in achieving that.”

Finally, the top spot in the Favourite Hotel Brand — Luxury went to Marriott.