TORONTO — Sunwing has opened a pop-up concept store at Toronto’s biggest shopping mall, promoting the space as a chance for travellers to experience their vacation before they take flight.

The shop, now located in the CONCEPT space at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, is open until Nov. 5. Prospective vacationers can walk in to the store and pick up a boarding pass to experience a variety of engaging activities designed to transport them into vacation mode, says Sunwing. The space is staffed by travel counsellors and features an interactive, multi-user touch table guiding customers through a short series of questions to help them find the ideal resort. Visitors to the store can also enter to win a free vacation from Royalton Luxury Resorts.

“The Sunwing CONCEPT Store is a one-of-a-kind interactive retail experience that will offer consumers a chance to ‘test-drive’ their vacation before booking the real thing,” says Stuart Morris, Vice President, Retail for Sunwing Travel Group.

Digital screens showcase ‘Sunwing Experiences’ and visitors can watch excursions footage or try a kite-surfing simulator.

Sunwing partnered with the Jamaica Tourist Board “to create a truly immersive Caribbean experience”, with a Jamaican-inspired departure lounge where customers can sample authentic jerk cuisine while seeing the ocean off in the distance through the ‘magic’ windows, or watch footage of a Sunwing plane taking off from Montego Bay airport.

“We want all Canadians to ‘Feel the Vibe’ this winter,” said Philip Rose, Regional Director Canada from the Jamaica Tourist Board. “So, when we heard that Sunwing was creating an immersive vacation shopping experience it seemed like a great opportunity to showcase what Jamaica has to offer.”

Yorkdale Shopping Centre launched the CONCEPT space in April. It’s billed as “more than a pop-up store; it’s an entirely new retail experience.”

See Sunwing’s Facebook page for more details: facebook.com/sunwingvacations.