Since John Lovell, CTC, assumed the presidency of Vacation.com in March 2011, he has taken the company to new heights, kicking many of its highly regarding marketing and support programs into high gear.
But for Lovell, it's the way in which the Vacation.com nimbly adjusts to the fluid nature of the travel industry that makes him proudest. "I do take pride in my team's commitment to embrace the inevitable changes that occur within our industry and take them as a positive influence to further grow the business of our members and supplier partners," he said.
That said, Lovell noted that Vacation.com, which is the largest such group of its kind with more than 5,500 agents in its fold, is constantly introducing new programs that do just that: help its members grow their businesses. As examples, Lovell pointed to the launch of AirPRO, which assists agents in securing a profit when selling international air, and CruisePRO, a program designed to improve members' productivity and efficiency with their cruise bookings.
"In addition, the value-added amenities we provide our agents' clients through the programs of our parent company, Travel Leaders Group, such as Distinctive Voyages and our Worldwide Hotel Program, allow our members to stay one step ahead of their peers," said Lovell.
One of Vacation.com's hallmark initiatives nurtured under Lovell's leadership, of course, is the Engagement Direct Marketing program, which sends targeted direct mail and email promotions to members' clients using an advanced segmentation system. Throughout 2015, Vacation.com members can participate in 258 direct mail and email promotions, totaling more than100 million supplier-funded touch points.
Before assuming the presidency of Vacation.com, Lovell served as vice president of sales, industry relations and revenue management from 2006 to 2011. As such, he was responsible for all sales activities in the U.S. and for managing and overseeing preferred supplier negotiations and relationships, and expanding marketing and revenue opportunities. His career with Vacation.com took root in 2002, when he joined the company as its vice president of sales and business development in January 2002.
Lovell is also president of Travel Leaders Franchise, Consortium and Leisure Group, a role he assumed in 2013.
If that weren't enough, Lovell has, throughout the years, served on myriad advisory boards, including Marriott International, Azamara Club Cruises, Travel Insured International and Starwood Hotels and Resorts.
He also recently completed a term on ASTA's board of directors. "The travel agency community is filled with a wide range of passionate business owners," he said. "While serving on the ASTA board, I was fortunate to see how those passions played out on the political side of our industry - a side we rarely broach at Vacation.com. I now have a more complete picture of what our member agencies are facing day in and day out."
When asked how, as an ASTA board member, he helped shape the ssociety's strategies going forward, Lovell had this to say: "I like to believe that I brought to the ASTA board a commitment to work together for the common good. Being a part of Travel Leaders Group, Vacation.com works closely with our sister companies for the common good of all of our members. Hopefully my time on the ASTA board helped foster the sharing of ideas, because it's not just ASTA we're representing-it's the entire agency channel."
Vacation.com was formed in 1998 following the acquisition of 10 top travel agency consortia and marketing networks-GEM, GEM Canada, Cruiselink, SPACE, ACTION 6, TIME, Consolidated Travel Services, Crown Travel Group, The Consortium and AURA.
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