Forton will be responsible for managing a regional network of Business Development Managers (BDMs), working closely with travel agent partners to grow sales in the Midwestern and Eastern United States.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA – Pleasant Holidays announced the appointment of Margaret Forton as Regional Sales Manager – Midwest/Eastern Region. Bringing more than 15 years of travel industry sales experience to the role, Forton will be responsible for managing a regional network of Business Development Managers (BDMs), working closely with travel agent partners to grow sales in the Midwestern and Eastern United States. She will also participate in strategic discussions with agency partners for Pleasant Holidays’ luxury travel brand, Journese.
“Forton has a proven track record of employing innovative strategies to grow FIT and Group sales in a variety of wholesale travel markets,” said Steven M. Hattem, Senior Director of Sales. “Her extensive travel industry experience, relationship management skills and strategic mindset will be invaluable assets in this newly created role that focuses on growing sales in the key East Coast and Midwest markets for Pleasant Holidays, Journese and its travel agent partners.”
Forton’s experience includes Director-level roles in sales strategy and management at a variety of tour operators where she developed programs to grow sales and nurture relationships with industry partners. As Regional Sales Manager – Midwest/Eastern Region, she will work closely with Pleasant Holidays BDMs in her region to promote brand awareness and foster closer relationships between Pleasant Holidays and its agency partners. Additionally, she will provide competitive insight and analysis to chart new directions in customer relationship management and regional sales strategy.
Focused on the Travel Agent market, Pleasant Holidays provides air-inclusive vacation packages including cruise vacations to the most popular leisure destinations in Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, the South Pacific, the United States and cruise vacations worldwide. Pleasant Holidays’ agency partners include national travel consortia such as AAA Travel, American Express, Signature Travel Network, Travel Leaders, TravelSavers, Vacation.com and Virtuoso, as well as local and regional travel agencies and home-based travel agents.
Pleasant Holidays is a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and an active member of the United States Tour Operator Association (USTOA) and participates in the $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
