The group of 70 Canadian travel agents and supplier partners aboard Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas for the first-ever Air Canada Vacations Seminar at Sea in the Mediterranean set off in various delicious directions this morning, including Florence, Pisa and Cinque Terre.

On this 7-night cruise, there’s a generous amount of time allotted to exploring Symphony’s port calls of Palma, Marseilles, La Spezia, Civitavecchia and Naples before returning to Barcelona, where the cruise began. There’s also time to explore this big, beautiful ship, which is packed with a diverse group of passengers.

But we’re also here to learn, so two afternoons so far have been devoted to training by industry partners, including TravelPulse Canada’s Bruce Parkinson, who offered a presentation titled: “Tell Me A Story: The Power of Words & Pictures for Travel Agent Marketing.”

Here’s a brief synopsis of takeaways from the agent learning so far:

Air Canada Vacations: “We Want To Be Everywhere Air Canada Flies”

One of the best-loved people in the Canadian travel industry, Air Canada Vacations’ Erminia Gallina is leading the ACV Seminar at Sea along with her right hand woman, Barbara Mengue Mbo, ACV Account Manager Marketing and Ancillary Partnership.

When she’s not ”having a moment” with a pistachio croissant on the streets of Aix-en-Provence, Gallina is educating agents on the quality, value and rewards of selling ACV packages in tandem with Air Canada flights.

Having travelled with my family on an ACV package to Portugal pre-COVID, I can attest to the quality — the hotels were excellent, the transfers seamless and the included tours well-chosen. Using Aeroplan points to pay for part of the trip was a big bonus.

ACV wants to be “everywhere Air Canada flies,” Gallina says. While the operator’s extensive sun product practically sells itself in these days of soaring demand, she wants agents to get fully engaged with other products, including Cruise, Europe, North America, car rentals and more.

On the cruise side, ACV offers a dozen different lines, with something for every client. The ACV Cruise Promise is a pillar of the product, with perks including a free checked bag, flexible cancellation policy, low deposit, flexible payment, lowest airfare on AC guarantee and more.

Air Canada: “Book Now For Europe, Demand Has Never Been Higher”

Air Canada’s Manager Regional Sales Ibrahim Bouaabdalli has a critical message for Canadian agents with clients thinking of a European vacation this summer: BOOK NOW!

“Canadians are late to book. That’s a big problem now. Everything is chockablock,” Bouaabdalli said. AC’s Europe capacity is now just 1% lower than 2019 and there are new routes and higher frequencies. As well, Air Canada Vacations has value-packed packages all over Europe, including a wide range of cruise options. But with demand higher than it has ever been, advisors are wise to proactively engage clients to avoid disappointment.

Royal Caribbean International: Making Waves In Europe & Around The World

Royal Caribbean International is a growing force in Mediterranean cruising, as evidenced by the full house on the massive Symphony of the Seas this week. Maria Gibson, Strategic Account Manager, brought agents up to date on new developments – like the excitement building around Icon of the Seas, now in the late stages of construction in Finland.

Gibson offered lots of ideas on how advisors can elevate their Royal Caribbean sales to new heights, how they can work together with the line’s strong Canadian sales team, and how advisors can take advantage of a wide range of booking and marketing tools.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises: “Unique & Boutique”

EVP Sales North America Michelle Palma has “the best job in the world” representing a fleet of 13 river ships that promise to deliver an experience that is ”exceptional beyond expectations.” Speaking to 60 agents on the Air Canada Vacations Seminar at Sea, Palma noted that while ocean cruising is the vacation of choice for millions, “only a sliver have done the river.”

With each ship a distinct work of art and every suite unique, Uniworld, part of The Travel Corporation, is “a very niche, very boutique” product, Palma said. It’s not entry-level — it’s next level — but when agents identify and book a Uniworld client, there are some very real rewards, including commission cheques with commas and an amazing 80% repeat factor.

Silversea Cruises: Showing Your Clients “The Authentic Beauty of the World”

Silversea Cruises Director, Business Development & Agency Sales for the Americas Marcus Kenny engaged agents on the Seminar at Sea. The company’s core statement is: “Nothing should stand between you and the authentic beauty of the world.”

With 13 ships ranging between 100 and 728 guests, Silversea offers a door-to-door all-inclusive approach that will take your clients to 900 destinations on seven continents.

Demonstrating the power of storytelling, the personable Kenny had agents enthralled with video of a penguin jumping aboard a Silversea Zodiac in Antarctica, for a good gawk at the strange animals who had come to visit.

Manulife: Be Ready for the Unexpected and Unforeseen

Travel insurance is perceived by many advisors as a complicated product to sell, but it is lucrative and the investment in education offers rewards for both you and your clients. The “unexpected and unforeseen” does happen, and your clients will be eternally grateful if you send them off with the right coverage for their needs.

Karen Salviato, National BDM for Manulife, offered some great advice to agents on the Air Canada Vacations Seminar at Sea aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Symphony of the Seas.

Her presentation was titled “Travel Insurance 101: What Plans to Sell and Why?” The travel industry veteran promoted Manulife’s Premium Protection Plan as “the Tesla of travel insurance — it drives itself.”

This plan is available exclusively through retail partners. Salviato also promoted Manulife’s Travel Agent Guide, a 12-page ‘Bible’ packed with important tips.

Participants had plenty of questions, indicating increased interest and demand, at a time when travel is sky-high and the possibility of the unforeseen raised as airlines and other travel companies strive to get back to pre-COVID efficiency.

TravelPulse Canada: The Power of Storytelling

TravelPulse Canada’s Bruce Parkinson has been telling tales (some taller than others), since he learned to talk. Noting that sometimes “bad choices make good stories,” he related some of his own experiences, and offered tips on storytelling for maximum impact.

Storytelling is all about making connections between the teller and their audience, and when the message resonates with travel advisor clients, the sales process gets much easier. Travel makes for the best stories, so agents should never miss an opportunity to tell their own tales – illustrated with words, pictures and video, when they’re on the road honing their craft.

A few quick tips:

-- Keep it short – attention spans aren’t what they used to be.

-- Speak like you talk – authenticity matters.

-- Appeal to the senses – travel is all about sights, sounds, tastes and aromas.

-- Tap into emotions – new sights and experiences move humans emotionally.

-- Be the hero – tell people the things you do that make your clients’ travel better.

-- Know your audience – tailor the message to what your base is seeking.