TORONTO — Transat Distribution Canada added a total of 13 agencies across Canada and an additional 51 home-based agents in 2018.

“We know that despite the earlier success of the OTAs and the ability for consumers to book online direct with the supplier, more and more people are using the services of a travel professional again,” says Nathalie Boyer, General Manager, TDC.

“Clients are looking to add experience to their vacations, combining business with pleasure and also looking beyond the traditional beach holiday. They are finding it is so much easier to let a travel professional guide them to what they are looking for.”

She added: “Clients are realizing that the travel professional is available during and after their travel, should they need any assistance. You don’t usually get that kind of service online.”

Boyer said that the TDC brands continue to attract new owners and agents because they want to become part of one of the best established Canadian leisure travel brands in Canada, one that is well known and trusted by consumers and is recognized as knowledgeable and dependable, she said.

“We offer an experienced team dedicated to helping owners manage their business and making it even more successful with innovative marketing initiatives that drive customers to our agencies and grow revenue,” she said.

In Ontario and Western Canada, there were five new agencies added under the Marlin brand this year – two in Saskatoon, one in Port Hope, Ontario; one in Beamsville, Ontario and one in Hanover, Ontario.

Transat Travel’s company-owned division added four agencies this past year: Transat Travel, Guelph; Goligers Travelplus, Waterloo; Marlin Travel, Elbow Drive, Calgary; and Voyages Transat, Chicoutimi, Quebec.

In Quebec, two new agencies joined the Voyages en Liberté affiliate program: Nicole et Cie in Vaudreuil and Voyages Prestige in Blainville. Two affiliate agencies migrated to Club Voyages network: Voyages Brigitte Gagné and Voyages Beauport both in Québec City. And two Club Voyages members added branches to their portofolio: Club Voyages Agathe Leclerc in Drummondville and Club Voyages Fascination in La Guadeloupe.