TORONTO — A long list of supplier partners received major honours at Nexion Travel Group’s recent annual member conference CoNexion, onboard Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Equinox.
More than 520 attendees spent the week learning, networking and exploring different ports of call. There were presentations from Nexion executives and travel industry leaders, along with six General Sessions and 49 workshops, hour-long small-group classes on everything from marketing to supplier updates to the best ways to run a business. There was also a trade show.
For the annual Supplier Awards, chosen by member vote, Nexion’s top preferred supplier partners were honoured in a number of categories.
The 2023 Supplier of the Year (given for the first time to one supplier in the U.S. and Canada) is AmaWaterways.
“Kristin, Rudi and the team at AmaWaterways are some of our biggest supporters,” said Jackie Friedman, CTC, CTIE, President of Nexion Travel Group. “They know the strength of the travel advisor and have cultivated that as an important sales channel. Not only have they developed one of the top river cruise lines in the world, delighting millions of guests, they actively work with Nexion members to educate them on their product, give great earning opportunities and have frequently hosted us on various educational and incentive trips. They are the true definition of partnership, and I am thrilled to present them with the Partner of the Year award.”
Mike Foster, President, Nexion Travel Group – Canada, concurred: “AmaWaterways is so deserving of this award. Our advisors love them for so many reasons: a great product to sell, great people to work with and great support to the trade.”
Other supplier awards given at CoNexion include:
- Best Contemporary Cruise Line – Royal Caribbean International
- Best Premium/Upper Premium Cruise Line – Celebrity Cruises
- Best Luxury Cruise Line – Regent Seven Seas Cruises
- Best River Cruise Line – AmaWaterways
- Best Package Tour Operator – ALG Vacations
- Best Escorted/FIT Tour Operator – Globus family of brands
- Best Luxury Tour/FIT Operator – Kensington Tours
- Best Specialty Supplier – Project Expedition
- Best Rail Supplier – Rocky Mountaineer
- Best Resort Partner – Sandals & Beaches Resorts
- Best Domestic Airline – United Airlines
- Best Domestic Airline (Canada) – Air Canada
- Best International Airline – Delta Air Lines
- Best Ground Transportation – Enterprise Holdings
- Best Travel Insurance Provider – AIG Travel Guard
- Best Hotelier – Marriott International
- Best Advisor Technology – myNexion powered by AgentMate
- Best Supplier Partner Travel Agent Education Program – Princess Cruises
- Best Supplier Sales Representative, BDM (U.S.) – Alicia Steuart
- Best Supplier Sales Representative, BDM (Canada) – Sandra Pennington
- Best Supplier Customer Service (Call Center) – Delta Vacations
- Marketing Partner of the Year – Norwegian Cruise Line
- Rookie of the Year – Viator Travel Agent Program
“Congratulations to all the Supplier Award winners,” Friedman said. “They are so important to our business, and on behalf of Nexion advisors who are the ones who really have given these awards, I want to say thank you for supporting Nexion Travel Group. We couldn’t do it without you!”
