Air Canada Vacations has launched ACV@Home, a dedicated support program for Independent Travel Advisors. The new initiative aims to provide assistance, creative tools, and training to help grow a strong and dynamic community for travel professionals working from home.

“Remaining connected and top-of-mind for at-home travel professionals is of utmost importance,” said ACV VP Nino Montagnese. “After planning and talking to Independent Travel Advisors, we are proud to have elaborated a program that can accommodate this growing niche market with select key host agencies.”

To support the ACV@Home project and Independent Travel Advisors, Krista Rothfuchs has been appointed Area Sales Manager for Independent Advisors. She will be responsible for maintaining the relationships with these accounts and will work on establishing growth strategies for Air Canada Vacations’ diverse product portfolio.

“The ACV@Home program was created to ensure our Independent Travel Advisor community feels supported, acknowledged, and wholly confident in using Air Canada Vacations as their preferred tour operator,” said Rothfuchs.

“We’ll be working alongside them to deliver the tools they need to help them be individually successful, both in English and in French.”

In addition, Air Canada Vacations has implemented its first ever Masterclass Training program that offers tutorials on Air Canada Vacations’ products.

New and experienced advisors alike will learn what sets Air Canada Vacations apart from its competitors, as well as the key pillars of its offerings. Once the Masterclass modules are completed, independent advisors will walk away with a graduation certificate and a Passport to Benefits savings booklet, which includes several exclusive rewards.

Air Canada Vacations is preparing for another first – a virtual awards ceremony called ‘Simply the Best Awards,’ which aims to recognize and reward top supporting agents. The event will be held on Feb 21, 2023, and invitations will be sent out to participating ACV@Home agencies.

Host agencies that are part of the ACV@Home Program will provide their networks with further contact details and information on the program. Comments from a couple of major players in the host space indicate that they are firmly behind the project.

“With the landscape changing and Independent Travel Advisors becoming more important, I am so happy to see Air Canada Vacations develop a dedicated independent consultant program led by Krista,” said Flemming Friisdahl, President of The Travel Agent Next Door.

Shannon Smith, VP of Training at TravelOnly Inc., added: “The ACV@Home program is a creative and innovative solution to support the business of at-home travel professionals. Air Canada Vacations has started to close the gaps by adapting the traditional sales role to service the unique requirements of home-based networks across the country.”