Travel Leaders Network honored its top affiliate member agencies during the 13th annual "Power of the Partnership" (POP) Awards. Winners were celebrated on stage at the organization's annual conference, EDGE (Educate, Discover, Gather, Evolve) which took place at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center at National Harbor in Maryland taking place June 13-16, 2019.
"Travel Leaders Network is proud to recognize and honor these affiliate member agencies for their outstanding business acumen, utilization of Travel Leaders tools and technology, demonstrated partnership with preferred suppliers and dedication to serving their clients," said John Lovell, president-leisure travel, supplier relations and networks for Travel Leaders Group.
"These travel professionals are true leaders in their field and we are very proud to have them as members of the Travel Leaders family. The recognition they are receiving today is well-deserved and highlights the impressive work they are doing," added Roger E. Block, president of Travel Leaders Network.
Member agencies with the highest supplier sales in 2018 were honored with the Chairman's Award, and the member agencies with the highest supplier sales in 2018, Travel Leaders Network's President's Award is given to member agencies with the largest supplier sales growth in 2018.
The winners include:
Chairman's Award
-Chairman's Host Award - Cruises & Tours Unlimited; Chad Burt (Jacksonville, Florida)
-Chairman's Elite Award - Cruise.com; Anthony Hamawy (Dania Beach, Florida)
-Chairman's Pinnacle Award - Vacations To Go; Emerson Hankamer (Houston, Texas)
President's Award
-Coasters & Castles Travel; April Botta and Lynne Macolini (Middleboro, Massachusetts)
-Cruise Travel Outlet; Bill Walsh (Salem, New Hampshire)
-International Voyager; John Maguire (Morristown, New Jersey)
-Pavlus Travel Group; Craig Pavlus (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Top CruisePRO Booker
-Vacations To Go; Emerson Hankamer (Houston, Texas)
New Member
Travel Leaders recognized the newest affiliate member who has demonstrated outstanding support for the network, along with its programs and tools.
-World Travel Holdings; Josh Tolkin (Wilmington, Massachusetts)
Top Worldwide and SELECT Hotels Program Booking Agency
-Travel by Pathfinders, Inc.; Kristi Lewis (Grosse Pointe, Michigan)
Top Distinctive Voyage Sales
-KHM Travel Group; Chantelle Nye (Brunswick, Ohio)
Top pinSIGHT Booker
-Pams Path to Travel; Pam Horst (Redwood City, California)
Top Participant in the Network's Program with American Express
-Pavlus Travel Group; Craig Pavlus (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Distinctive Voyages Awards
Travel Leaders Network recognized these advisors for exceptional participation in the network's "Distinctive Voyages" program, which includes hundreds of sailings throughout the world that feature exclusive, complimentary amenities.
-Distinctive Voyager - Mary Ellen and Trevor Burton, SST Travel (Mooresville, NC)
-Excellence in Service - Karyn McNight, TerraMar Travel Inc. (Hemet, CA)
-Excellence in Service -Jill Skrzynski, Cruise Holidays (Rochester Hills, MI)
-Outstanding Marketing Campaign(s) - Garry and Anita Thompson, Cruise Holidays - Attheta Travel (Oklahoma City, OK)
Travel Leaders also honored its supplier partners at EDGE.
"Our business is built upon strong, highly valued partnerships with our preferred suppliers," said Lovell. "With these awards, we are honoring those that have truly gone above and beyond in the areas of partnership and support to ensure our mutual success during the past year."
2019 North America Awards
This year's Pinnacle Award went to Globus Family of Brands.
This award recognizes the best all-around preferred partner for the past year in terms of agency and headquarters sales support, product offerings, innovative programs and overall contributions to the membership.
Outstanding Sales Support went to Royal Caribbean International.
This award is presented to our top all-around preferred partner that delivers excellence and best in class sales support with an energetic and innovative approach to field sales, sales methodologies and support solutions.
Viking Cruises was awarded with the Sales Achievement award.
This award honors a supplier partner that has exhibited excellence and a long-term commitment to offering the sales, service and training support needed to help member agencies achieve outstanding sales growth.
The Outstanding Luxury Partner award went to Crystal Cruises.
This award honors a supplier partner that has provided outstanding levels of support to luxury travel advisors and luxury guests, helping to ensure a consistent, high-quality experience.
The Distinctive Voyages Cruise Line Partner of the Year was Celebrity Cruises.
This award recognizes a supplier partner that has shown exceptional participation in the network's "Distinctive Voyages" program, which includes hundreds of sailings throughout the world that feature exclusive, complimentary amenities.
Travel Leaders Network re-introduced its Belong, Inspire, Grow awards in 2019. These honors recognize supplier partners for outstanding innovation, excellence, support and sales.
Those award recipients for the U.S. are:
The Belong Award went to GOGO Vacations. The honor recognizes a supplier partner that has shown an outstanding commitment to cultivating relationships, providing exceptional agency training and delivering enhanced programs and dedicated service to member agencies to help them succeed.
The Inspire Award was presented to Celebrity Cruises for Celebrity Edge.
This award is honoring a supplier partner that inspires Travel Leaders Network members with new products, practices and resources. It is being given this year to a cruise line for the introduction of a game-changing cruise ship that introduced a wide range of innovation in accommodations, public areas, tender boarding, crew diversity and a reduction in the use of plastics.
The Grow Award was given to Universal Orlando Resort.
The honor recognizes a supplier partner that has shown significant growth in market share and the ability to turn a vision into a remarkable reality, as well as demonstrating commitment to a forward-thinking, genuine partnership that will continue to grow and inspire.
"Congratulations to all of our supplier partner award winners on these very well-deserved honors," said Block. "We value each and every one of our preferred suppliers and these awards serve to recognize the depth of our appreciation for our most outstanding partners."
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