by Eric Bowman
Last updated: 8:00 AM ET, Wed October 23, 2019
CABO SAN LUCAS - Work hard, play harder.
That's what happens when you're a top producing agent for AIC Hotel Group.
Over 200 agents from North America were awarded for all their hard work in selling AIC Hotel Group over the last year at the new Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos on Tuesday, October 22. The numbers that determined this year's winners are based on 2018's production.
Tour operators like Flight Centre, Travel Impressions, Delta Vacations, Funjet Vacations, United Vacations, Southwest Vacations, Air Canada Vacations, Transat Tours and more were also recognized for their efforts as well.
In its fourth year, the AIC Showstopper Awards provides the best agents and tour operators the rock star treatment - for more than just one night.
"This is our most important event of the year," said Frank Maduro, Vice President of Marketing for AIC. "Travel agents make our business. They make it possible for us to do what we do."
Ash Tembe, Vice President of Global Field Sales for AIC, echoed those sentiments.
"Agents are a key source for our distribution," said Tembe. "We believe in travel agents. We do this for them. The investment we spend here is worth it to reward our top agents. Just wait until you see tonight."
Tembe also said it's not just US agents selling their properties.
"If you look at the top players for AIC, a lot of them are Canadians. Canada is pretty much our number two market in the world (behind the US)," said Tembe.
The show began with an opening performance from the Freddie Mercury Experience and continued on with the top agents collecting their awards on stage and getting their photo taken with Maduro and AIC Hotel Group COO Rafael Chapur.
For agents, receiving these awards and the trip to Los Cabos is a great reward for all their hard work.
"It's a great recognition of our office and our whole team," said Kim Cook, owner of Love to Travel and Triple Platinum award winner. "It's truly remarkable. I'm very grateful to our team. Hard Rock puts on amazing presentation and it's so nice to be appreciated and the way they recognize travel agents."
In addition to the trip to Mexico for the awards show, agents are here through the week to celebrate the official grand opening of Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos.
"It's amazing and I'm very grateful that I'm here and to experience the grand opening of Hard Rock Los Cabos," said Kristi Mackedanz, travel agent and Triple Platinum award winner for Travel Leaders / Market Square. "In our industry, Hard Rock is the best at listening to their agents and they take our feedback to heart. They truly value agents and treat us so well."
These award-winning agents will get to witness not only a live performance by rock-star Bret Michaels on Wednesday night but also the iconic guitar smash to commemorate the official grand opening on Thursday as well as a grand opening performance by Enrique Iglesias.
Of course, the party doesn't stop on Thursday as in true Hard Rock fashion, it continues on to the weekend. An afternoon pool party with rapper Lil Jon on Friday is sure to kick the weekend off with a bang.
For travel agents who want to be part of the 2020 AIC Showstopper Awards, continue to sell the AIC properties as much as possible and you could be in a paradise location reaping the rewards.
The 2018 awards took place in Punta Cana. It is not yet known where the 2020 awards will take place, but agents can certainly expect a memorable week once again. Normally the event takes place in May, but this year was pushed back so agents could experience the new Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos. AIC Hotel Group plans to return the event back to the month of May in 2020.
The full list of 2019 AIC Showstopper Award winners is below:
Gold = 16-40 bookings in one year
Gayle Ailishe
Karen Baker
Grace Bonaguro
Marshall Bostic
Carmine Calderado
Jayne Carlton
Kimberly Deliz
Carey Driscoll
April Farmer
Kristin Garrett
Louisa Giampaolo
Karen Gill
Nicholas Gramenidas
Karynn Gross
Kim Guse
Raymond Howells
Geri Jones
Patty Jordan
Holly D Kaiser
Veronica Kastukevich
Julie Lanham
Wendy LaPorte
Chris Lee
Marisa Marciano
Michael McHugh
Kathy McKeon
Will Medina
Wanda Minx
Terri Nash
Karin O'Keefe
Jill Owen
Marta Perez
Elizabeth Randall
Karen Rose
Lauren Rubin
Shonta Smith
Suzanne Spradlin
Isabella Stankovait
Melissa Strebing
Barbara Vong
Trinity Taylor
Andre Xavier
Toby Wills
Platinum = 41-75 bookings in one year
Colleen Aaberg
Megan Baugh
Nikki Bond
Kate Breiter
Jennifer Brown
Wendy Burch
Corinne Burkhart
Denise Canon
Jennifer Carr
Chad Cotter
Dawn Coyne
Karen Daly
Deborah DeSmit
Alyssa Dial
Tami Dickinson
Shalene Dudley
Justin Dunn
Anna Duran
Sonia Estrada
Kelli Flake
Teresa Gangelhoff
Hollie Gomes
Clavia Howard
Angela Hughes
Sonja Hunt-Gray
Tiffani Inserra
Kim Jacoby
Brandi Sue Johnson
Phyllis Kaufman
Michelle Kindvall
Lynn Kirby
Sarah Kline
Alina Kosmanrimskaya
Trudy Lagerman
Stephanie Lockhart
Latasha Mabin
Dawn MacCrae
Angel Mateo
Tara McCoy
Terry McKinney
Julie McManus
Ashley Morris
Corrine Mutarelli
Whitney Norman
Amy Peterson
Angie Pope
Lori Power
Steffani Pratico
Tammy Prost
Niki Rakowitz
Lisa Ratner
Debbie Roberts
Itzel Rodriguez
Lisa Saint
Kathy Santos
Jessica Scharper
Brittany Schiffler
Amanda Scott
Cathy Seminara
Angee Shields
Dane Steele Green
Michele Thornburg
Karen VanWesten
Jennifer Waldron
Donna Watson
Melodie Williams
David Waldes
Noel Zanvettor
Jennifer Yokum
Double Platinum = 76-150 bookings in one year
Agencies:
Canary Travel
Classic Travel Connection
Destinations by Amy
Gareri Travel
Imagine Travel
L'Escape
LaMacchia Travel
Totallytrips
Travel Concepts
Travel Savvi
Travel Professionals International
TravelOnly
Agents:
Veranda Adkins
Silvia Alard
Kelley Austin
Sharon Benoff
Carolyn Bujitas
Julie Cary-Gaines
Alexandra Case
Joanne Castner
Anna Crawford
Jessica Denis
Al Destefano
Tracy Espina
Lindsay Foerster
Joseph Frachillia
Vickie Gamble
Kim Goldstein
Katie Kapel
Jerry Katz
Matt Lennon
Josh Martinez
Toni Porter
Brandi Poss
Connie Riker
Camille Sanders
Christine Sholander
Jatinder Singh
Lindsay Smith
Ruby Stanfield
Jody Valentine Melissa
Varela Amy Vecchione
Shannon Vega
Arnold Velazquez
Rene Wills
Triple Platinum = 151-250 bookings in one year
Agencies:
Allied Travel
Destawed
KHM Travel Group
Romance Travel Group
Modern Vacations & Destination Weddings
RubysTravel.com
The Tropical Travelers
Travel Quest MN
TripGuy Travel
VIP Vacations
Agents:
Kim Cook
Kristi MacKedanz
Deepa Mahal
Ketti Menne
Jenni Parks
Carol Ann Payne-Johnson
Diamond = 250+ bookings in one year
Agencies:
Paradise Weddings & Travel
Enchanted Honeymoons
All Inclusive Outlet
Travel Leaders/ Market Square Travel
Travel Tom
Beach Bum Vacation
Destify
Flight Centre
Cruise Planners
Destination Weddings Travel Group
Agents:
Cherie Peninger
Chantelle Nugent
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