TORONTO — In celebration of Travel Agent Day today, May 6, tour operators, tourist boards and suppliers are taking the time to say “thank you” with special video messages and agent incentives.

Here’s a roundup of the latest messages and offers. More can be seen here.

SERENADE PUNTA CANA BEACH, SPA & CASINO RESORT

Scheduled to open in September 2020, the 603-room all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana is offering special travel agent rates for travel booked by Oct. 31, 2020 for travel Nov. 1, 2020 through April 30, 2021.

The special offer allows travel advisors to book up to two double occupancy rooms for up to four nights with rates starting at US$58 per person, per night, based on stays in a luxury Tropical Garden View room.

Travel agent reservations can be made by sending an email to sales@serenade.com.do or reservations@serenade.com.do and using reference code TAPROMO2020. A valid IATA number is required and must be presented at the time of reservation.

Upon opening, Serenade Punta Cana will be ideally situated on Playa Cabeza de Toro in Punta Cana, D.R. and will offer gastronomic specialties, luxury accommodations, and day and nighttime diversions that will welcome families, couples and guests of all ages.

“As a new resort opening this September, we want to do our part by thanking the travel advisors. We will get through this together and look forward to welcoming travel advisors to experience the resort once this passes,” said Aimee Tejeda, director of sales and marketing, Serenade Punta Cana Beach, Spa and Casino Resort.

For more information, visit serenadepuntacana.com or email sales@serenade.com.do or reservations@serenade.do.com.

ROYAL IRISH TOURS

Royal Irish Tours (RIT) is raising a glass to agents with a quirky new video that includes a hurling stick (Gaelic sport), some good catching skills and, you guessed it, a few Irish beers!

The video was made to thank travel advisors across Canada “for all they do for their clients and for their continued support of RIT over the years,” says the tour operator.

The video begins with Jonathan Sargeant, RIT’s Sales Manager, who thanks agents before saying ‘cheers’ and throwing a can of Guinness out of shot, which is ‘caught’ by one of his colleagues at home in their own living room.

Founder and president Ian Duffy rounds out the thank you’s from his at-home Irish bar.

And in keeping with Irish humour, RIT also issued a disclaimer: “A few cans of Guinness may have been harmed in the making of this video.”

TOURISM IRELAND

Tourism Ireland is extending a big thank you to all travel agents in Canada today for their support and partnership.

“When the time is right, we look forward to getting out and meeting in person to share the world-famous ‘céad mile fáilte’ – a hundred thousand welcomes,” says Dana Welch, Manager, Tourism Ireland, Canada.

Agents are being reminded to check out Tourism Ireland’s various agent support resources, which include the Ireland Specialist Programme, a content library featuring 45,000 free videos and images to use, the Ireland Insiders Facebook Group exclusive to agents, and a monthly e-zine that includes updates on events, fams and more.

“As soon as we can travel again, Ireland will be waiting to fill your heart with its beauty and warmth,” adds Welch. “Until then we invite you to dream of your future adventure and enjoy the poetic beauty of Ireland from afar. #FillYourHeartWithIreland.”

RIVIERA RIVER CRUISES

Riviera River Cruises is offering incentives to both advisors and their clients in celebration of National Travel Advisor Day, also known as Travel Agent Day in Canada.

As part of the offer, advisors will receive a US$100 gift card per cabin booked and their clients will receive a $100 shipboard credit per person booked. The offer will apply to new bookings made between May 4, 2020 and May 8, 2020 for 2020 and 2021 European river cruises.

“We’ve always supported the travel agency community, and this is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to advisors and their clients during these difficult times,” said Marilyn Conroy, Riviera River Cruises’ Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing North America. “At Riviera, we’re the only cruise line that won’t accept bookings directly from consumers – instead, we turn them back over to advisors who work proactively with us and are located where the consumer lives. In due time, we’ll return to Europe’s rivers and waterways, and we hope to be the go-to cruise line for you and your clients when they’re able to travel again.”

Advisor gift cards will be sent upon cruise departure and this offer, which cannot be combined, does not apply to existing bookings being amended under the temporary flexible booking policy.

For more information go to rivierarivercruises.com.

VISIT ORLANDO

Visit Orland is celebrating Travel Agent Day by recognizing the way agents and destinations are working together in the wake of COVID-19, and the important role they will play in shoring up consumer confidence in safe travel.

“We want to express our gratitude to travel advisors for their contributions to our destination and our national and local economies,” says George Aguel, President and CEO of Visit Orlando. “The entire travel industry faces unique challenges ahead in the coming months as we pivot to how consumers think about their travel plans and ways to communicate new safety measures. We are also working closely with travel advisors to provide the resources they need, especially as we enter this new era for our travel industry.”

Over the last two months, Visit Orlando has increased emphasis on virtual tools to help sell the destination and keep consumers excited about returning. These include the Orlando Travel Academy, global training webinars, virtual selling tools such as the Orlando 360 degree tour and other Orlando Virtual Experiences, and a new Tourism Help Hub webpage featuring the most relevant news, research and resources on the Orlando travel industry.

Visit Orlando is also developing new webinars on selling travel and safety protocols in the recovery phase, as well as a program for virtual fam trips for travel agents.

For the latest tools on Orlando, go to: visitorlando.com/trade