TORONTO — Though it may be the end of the year, Transat is taking a fresh, new approach to its operations and growth strategy, with new leadership appointments that put travel agencies at the heart of future plans. 

In this comprehensive interview, we sit down with Renée Boisvert, Vice President, Tour Operator Products & Sales, and Julie Sareault, Commercia Director for Canada, who tell Travelweek about their top priorities in their new roles, how travel advisors factor into their plans, and any new trends they’re noticing for 2025.

2023 was all about post-Covid recovery. How would you define 2024? 

Boisvert: “Travel remains a strong and enduring trend. I believe 2024 marked a return to normalcy for the industry. At Transat, we continue to focus on what sets us apart in the market: our exceptional value proposition. We take great pride in our in-flight service, which earned us the prestigious Skytrax award for the World’s Best Leisure Airline for the sixth time in 2024. This recognition underscores our commitment to providing a superior travel experience.”

Why is outreach with travel agencies so important to you and to Transat’s overall success?

Boisvert: “Travel agencies generate significant sales volumes thanks to their commercial expertise, their access to booking platforms, and their ability to offer our services to their already loyal clientele. They are not just business partners, but true strategic allies who contribute directly to our growth, our visibility, and our ability to offer exceptional value to our customers. Cultivating and strengthening these relationships has therefore been priority for Transat over the last 37 years. Furthermore, Julie and I are excited to pool our resources and experience to increase productivity while upholding the calibre of services that have earned us a solid reputation over the years. To better serve our agency partners, we are dedicated to continuously improving our operations.”

What initiatives do you have planned for travel agencies? What should advisors have on their radars?

Sareault: “At Transat, we remain committed to supporting our travel agency partners with concrete initiatives aimed at facilitating their work, enriching their knowledge, and developing their business opportunities. For example:

• Development of self-service tools: In 2025, we will continue to develop self-service tools to meet the needs of our partners. One major initiative will be the launch of a dedicated group tool, scheduled for mid-January, to simplify and optimize bookings in this strategic segment.
• Ongoing training: Our weekly webinars remain a key initiative. They will continue to provide training on new products, digital tools, fam trips and much more. The goal is to ensure that every agent has access to the knowledge they need to maximize their performance and better meet customer expectations.
• Tools for better selling Transat: For travel advisors, Transat agent Direct (TAD) is still the best option. To assist them in promoting our offers, we always consider improving our marketing tool.

“One we are particularly proud of is our hotel recommendation tool that enables travel advisors to do a search by using filters based on their clients’ criteria. Once the hotels have been selected, the travel advisor can then write a personalized message and share the content by email with their clients. This tool has been very well received by our users and has greatly improved the efficiency of their travel planning process. 

“Travel advisors may also locate our current specials and shareable content on TAD, which will showcase our deals and give them ready-to-use information for their communications. The crucial component in this case is that the content they distribute makes use of dynamic pricing. By providing the best pricing options in real time, agents can stay ahead of the competition and attract more customers. Furthermore, the tools’ landing pages that suggest hotels and current deals are not transactional. The sales need to go to the travel agent. They are designed to collect leads and direct potential customers to the agency. The real booking process happens at the agency.”

Are there any areas/regions in Canada that you’re focusing on in terms of agent outreach?

Sareault: “At Transat, we recognize the importance of each market (Atlantic, Ontario and Quebec) and tailor our initiatives to meet the specific needs of each region. Rather than focusing on a single area, we pay particular attention to all regions, as each has its own unique characteristics and opportunities. Our efforts include: 

• Tailoring our strategies: We develop targeted approaches based on the demographics, traveller preferences and dynamics of each market.
• Supporting agents locally: Through our regional account managers and in-house sales teams, we ensure a proactive presence and personalized support for all agents, regardless of their location.
• Sharing relevant resources: We make sure to provide specific tools, training and communication materials that reflect local realities, to help agents maximize their sales. 

“In short, every region is important to us, and we remain committed to providing equitable awareness and support that considers the particularities of each market, to build shared success together.”

What holes have you noticed that need filling in the supplier-agency chain? And how is Transat filling these holes?

Sareault: “Since the resurgence of tourism activities, marked by strong demand for travel, it’s clear that the entire supplier-agency chain is facing major challenges. This situation calls for collective mobilization, a heightened capacity for innovation, and a focus on efficiency at every stage. Among the main gaps to be filled:

• Process fluidity: With increasing volumes of requests, it is essential to simplify processes for booking, managing groups, and handling modifications or cancellations. Digital tools must evolve to ensure fast, efficient interactions between suppliers and agencies.
• Proactive communication: A constant, transparent flow of information between suppliers and agents is crucial to managing customer expectations and avoiding misunderstandings, especially in a context of high demand.
• Adapting to demand: All stakeholders must be able to quickly adjust availability, fares and offers to meet rapidly changing traveller preferences.
• Ongoing support and training: Travel agents need ongoing support to master new tools, adapt to innovations and respond effectively to customer expectations.

“At Transat, we firmly believe that these challenges can be transformed into opportunities. We focus on:

• Developing high-performance digital tools to increase efficiency.
• Regular agent training via webinars, fams and online modules.
• Fluid communication with our partners to anticipate and resolve issues quickly.”

The buzzword for 2024 has been ‘AI,’ which is already taking the travel industry by storm. How is Transat employing AI tools, and how do they benefit agencies/advisors?

Boisvert: At Transat, we’re leveraging AI to enhance efficiency and improve the customer experience. In our call centre, initiatives like AIntensify allow AI to analyze calls in real time, identifying call reasons, summarizing interactions, and assessing sentiment to support faster and more personalized service. It also helps prioritize and categorize complaints for quicker resolution.

“Our updated Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system uses natural language processing for precise call routing and integrates security questions to streamline agent interactions. These are just a few examples of how we’re using AI specifically in our call centre to enrich both the agent and customer experience.”

Wha tother trends have you noticed in 2024 that are shaping 2025? What’s your forecast?

Boisvert: “Consumers today are highly attentive to the notion of value. Against a backdrop of high inflation and tougher economic times, they evaluate every expense carefully. Travel, however, continues to take pride of place in their budgets, as it remains an essential source of satisfaction. While demand for travel in the South remains strong, we’ve noticed a growing interest in Europe. Our packages and escorted tours are performing well, demonstrating that travellers are looking for rich, well-organized experiences where perceived value is maximized. This interest in Europe also reflects a trend toward travel that offers a balanced combination of competitive pricing, authenticity, and cultural immersion. We are committed to responding to this trend by offering products that meet consumers’ expectations while considering their budgetary constraints. In short, in this challenging economic climate, offering excellent value for money is more important than ever. We strive to meet these expectations by putting forward diversified, accessible, and attractive offers.”

Finally, what’s your year-end message to travel advisors?

Boisvert & Sareault: “As the year draws to a close, we would like to take a moment to honour the owners, managers, travel advisors, and the entire travel agency community. Their unwavering support, invaluable collaboration and considerable contribution are at the heart of Transat’s success. Thanks to their commitment and expertise, we’ve been able to meet this year’s challenges and continue to make travellers dream. We wish them all the best for a joyous holiday season, filled with precious moments with family and friends. May this period bring them serenity and happiness, and may the New Year be synonymous with prosperity, both personally and professionally. We look forward to continuing this wonderful adventure together in 2025. Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!”