Inaugural event focused on the return of cruising and offered educational and networking opportunities for the Avoya Network.
FT. LAUDERDALE, FLA. – Avoya Travel recently concluded its first ever Back to Cruise Event, which took place virtually from September 22 – 23, 2021. Hundreds of Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network registered and attended the event which featured the participation of 20 of Avoya’s preferred cruise partners, including Oceania Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, AmaWaterways, and many more. The event also offered a large collection of networking opportunities and a series of educational and professional development options to help further develop collaborative relationships and continue to increase the sales potential of the Avoya Network. Understanding the financial strain travel agencies have been under during these unprecedented times, optional attendance to the event was offered to the Avoya Network free of charge.
“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.”
One of the most highly praised elements of the virtual event was the Roundtable sessions between Independent Agencies and Avoya’s supplier partners where the participating vendors had the opportunity to highlight key components of their brand identities and updates to their products and safety protocols for the attendees in an intimate, small group setting. Independent Agencies in attendance also had the option to schedule one-on-one appointments with suppliers to build deeper relationships for the future, gain access to even more resources, and have any specific questions addressed even more thoroughly.
Avoya’s preferred cruise partners had extremely positive things to say about Avoya’s event. “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.”
In addition to all the networking opportunities and valuable supplier information offered, the event featured multiple Avoya-centric sessions designed to re-familiarize Independent Agencies with the multitude of optional resources, services, and technology made available to them through their affiliation with Avoya Travel. These workshops featured live Q&A sessions with Avoya support staff and highlighted topics ranging from the incredible features of Avoya’s patented SaaS technology, Agent Power, to the award-winning Avoya Smart Value System which was built to amplify the strength of promotions available through Avoya and the value for travelers in booking with Avoya Network members.
Independent Agencies that attended the Back to Cruise event found the content to be highly informative and beneficial to their businesses. “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 will be celebrating its long-awaited return to in-person interactions with a networking event in partnership with Celebrity Cruises onboard the Celebrity Apex from October 24–28, 2021. The 2021 Avoya Travel Conference will be held virtually December 6 – 10, 2021 as Avoya prepares for the 2022 Wave season and beyond.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
