Transat Distribution Canada (TDC), has launched its new gift card program, under the name ‘zaluna.’ Gift cards can now be purchased exclusively online from the full-service travel agency network.

TDC says it partnered with Givex, a major gift card provider, to offer its Marlin Travel, TravelPlus, Transat Travel, Club Voyages and Voyages Transat branded agencies a gift card program tailored to the current spending habits of Canadian travellers.

"This new program focuses on online gift card purchases exclusively,” says Karine Gagnon, General Manager of Transat Distribution Canada.

“When you consider that the gift card market in Canada is valued at more than $9 billion, and that the compound annual growth rate of digital gift cards is estimated at 15.8% by 2030, we can say that this new program is completely in line with the current reality of the market,"

"41% of customers try a business for the first time after receiving a gift card," Gagnon adds. "This represents a huge market, and this potential increase in sales to a new clientele gives our agency owners and travel professionals an incredible opportunity to demonstrate their great added value, possibly to a younger clientele, and to build loyalty afterwards.”

TDC says the new zaluna Gift Card program facilitates the issuance process for owners of franchised and affiliated agencies in the TDC network, as well as for travel professionals in corporate agencies and those associated with the agent@home program.

Purchases will now be made exclusively online, by the advisor who wishes to help their client, or by the client themselves.

"So, cards that are easier to issue, without mandatory intervention by a travel professional, and easy to exchange in the agency or by phone: it's a win-win situation," says Gagnon.

"This gain in efficiency across the entire gift card purchase and redemption process will allow agency owners and travel professionals to take even greater advantage of this very lucrative market segment, potentially retaining new customers and therefore generating more revenue.”

The zaluna Gift Card program is enhanced with a new corporate solution, allowing for the purchase of gift cards in higher volumes via the new website.

"This is a great development tool for our agency owners and travel professionals, who can develop a new market with local businesses that can offer it to their employees as a form of recognition, for example," Gagnon says.