Avoya Travel is celebrating the return of cruising with its Back to Cruise Event. The virtual meeting took place September 22-23, 2021 and connected Avoya travel advisors and Avoya preferred suppliers, including 20 of Avoya's preferred cruise partners, such as Oceania Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, AmaWaterways and more.
"The timing of this event couldn't have been more perfect. Those in attendance were excited for updates and to meet with our supplier partners, who were equally excited to connect with the Avoya Network and share valuable information on their products and protocols," said Tammie Richie, Vice President of Network Engagement at Avoya. "Knowledge is power and through this event, the Network was empowered to better serve their clients' concerns, needs, and desires, thus making a 'return to cruising' the safe, fun vacation experience travelers have always loved."
The event included opportunities for Avoya members to participate in networking opportunities and a series of educational and professional development opportunities to further develop relationships.
The roundtable sessions proved one of the most popular events. During these sessions, participating vendors had the opportunity to highlight key components of their brand identities and provide updates on products and safety protocols for the attendees in an intimate, small group setting. There were also one-on-one appointments available where travel advisors could ask specific questions and develop relationships with suppliers.
Suppliers came away from the event with positive feedback.
"With the cruise industry in the middle of a strong comeback, it was wonderful to see Avoya host a Back to Cruise event to help the Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network get back in the swing of selling cruise vacations again as the volume continues to pick up," said George Dafnos, Manager, National Accounts Sales & Marketing at Royal Caribbean. "Thanks to the incredible technology Avoya has chosen for its virtual events, the Roundtables and opportunities for various interactions were seamless and highly effective. We were thrilled to be part of such a successful event."
Avoya also offered its advisors the chance to attend workshops that featured live Q&A sessions with Avoya support staff and highlighted a range of topics on the host agency's offerings.
"Avoya hit it out of the park again by creating a networking and educational event connecting me with preferred suppliers, fellow Independent Agencies, and Avoya staff," said Connie Rush, Owner of Creative Getaways LLC, a member of the Avoya Network. "The event provided an opportunity for me to get updates on current protocols as well as a look at what is on the horizon with cruise vendors. This fantastic event has given me invaluable insights to now plan for the upcoming Wave season."
Avoya is now looking forward to its first in-person event, taking place in partnership with Celebrity Cruises onboard the Celebrity Apex from October 24-28, 2021. This is followed by the 2021 Avoya Travel Conference, which will be held virtually December 6-10, 2021.
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