TORONTO — A refreshed and rebranded networking group, PropelTO, will replace the disbanded Young Travel Professionals (YTP), which had successfully built a loyal following with socializing events around Toronto.

The newly created PropelTO will have one major difference: no age limit. The organization will remain committed to bringing travel professionals together for fun networking with the vision of moving the industry forward.

Here’s the message from the PropelTO Board:

“Many have asked us in the last few months why they hadn’t heard from YTP Toronto with upcoming event invites. The answer: the founders of YTP Global chose to wind down the organization and all its chapters in March, for personal reasons. This announcement was a surprise to us, but we appreciate their decision and the fact that they brought us together.

“Your (formerly) YTP-TO board still sees an undeniable need in Toronto to provide community, networking and idea-sharing in a relaxed setting. Our events are unique in how they gather excited and engaged professionals from all segments of the industry. The end of YTP is therefore an opportunity for us to regroup and transform (more on that below).

“But first, a big THANK YOU to our 650+ Toronto members for sharing your ideas and attending memorable events like pub trivia, the Toronto Island Marina summer party, haunted Halloween tours and bring-your-boss-to-the-bar night. These gatherings are made successful by you.

“And now, onwards and upwards. After many discussions on how to rebrand, open up our membership, and pump new energy into our organization, we are proud to present: PropelTO!

“True to our mission, PropelTO will remain an informal travel industry networking hub, but this time, we’re ditching the age limit to encourage maximum interactions between new and veteran members of the industry. We also have ideas of how to break the mould to involve our members and our partners in different ways.

“In the next several weeks, we will be in touch to unveil the updates and to invite you to our kick-off event taking place this summer on July 24. If you have ideas or feedback, please reach out to us (@Amanda @Iris @Adam @Devin @Max @Annie @Marc @Zach).

“The Toronto Chapter (YTP-TO) launched in May 2014 with the mission of bringing together the city’s next generation of travel industry leaders. Membership has grown steadily to more than 650+ members, the group has dozens of successful networking events under its belt, and industry partners are increasingly interested in sponsoring events for networking, hiring and brand awareness reasons.

“While the Toronto Chapter operated largely as an independent and self-sufficient organization, it was part of YTP Global, based in New York, which brought several cities together under the YPT umbrella.

“In March, the Toronto Board received an email from Wazha Dube, an original founder of YTP, saying: ‘The travel industry has evolved and the needs which drove our development and success in many ways no longer exist. Today, there are many more avenues and opportunities available for young people and with your tireless work and unwavering support, we would like to think that together we played a small part in this exciting change. With that in mind, we have taken the difficult decision to close Young Travel Professionals, effective April 1, 2019. It is impossible to adequately state how truly hard this decision has been and how incredibly appreciative we are for your contribution to the community and hard work over the years. This conclusion has only been reached after many months of careful contemplation and significant efforts to chart a new path for the organization.’

“With that news, the Toronto chapter faces the exciting prospects of rebranding and revitalizing the organization in line with the vision of its Board Members: Adam Hodge, Goway; Iris Serbanescu, Tour Radar; Devin Kinasz, Travelweek; Amanda Dunning, G Adventures; Annie Ewing, TTI; Max Tremaine, Travel Sherpa; Marc Siscon, Kensington Tours; and Zach Vanasse, Banakin.

“More news on a launch event coming soon – but mark your calendars for July 24.”