TORONTO — Any time a global travel company enters the Canadian market, travel agents will sit up and take notice.
Such was the case with Innstant Travel, a leading wholesaler based in Ireland that announced its Canadian entry back in November 2024. Founded in 2011, Innstant includes operations in 12 countries around the world, covering the United States, Brazil, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and now Canada, where it has partnered with Fareconnect and, hopefully, other Canadian agencies in the very near future.
Another wholesaler on the scene may not seem like groundbreaking news, but according to CEO Darryl Ismail, Innstant’s laser-focus on travel advisors and its comprehensive travel solutions will help set it apart from other leading players.
“As a business, we focus on five key factors: competitive pricing, great availability, great service, innovative technology solutions and proactive account management,” he tells Travelweek. “Our mission is to provide the best travel booking experience possible by offering an easy-to-use online booking solution. We aim to empower travel professionals to stay ahead in today’s fast-paced and competitive travel industry.”
Innstant has the goods to back up its directives, boasting a global portfolio of over 750,000 properties including renowned brands like Hilton, Marriott, One&Only, Wyndham and Best Western, plus over 88,000 activities, 60,000 sports tickets and bespoke Group Department services, including premium VIP packages. Each month, it offers thousands of hotel exclusive promotions worldwide in popular destinations, added value offerings and agent incentives, as well as both static and dynamic rates. It also has its own in-house advanced booking engine, operates 24/7 365 days of the year and, as Ismail proudly notes, is truly B2B. “We do not compete with our clients,” he says.
Travelweek recently sat down with Ismail to ask him about Innstant’s plans for Canada and what travel agents need to know when booking with the company.
Why did it take so long for Innstant to enter the Canadian market?
“Entering a new market requires careful consideration and strategic planning. We wanted to ensure that we had the right partnerships and infrastructure in place to provide exceptional service to Canadian travel agents. Our recent partnership with Fareconnect, which has a network of 450 Canadian travel advisors, provided the ideal opportunity to enter the Canadian market. Canada’s diverse and growing travel industry, coupled with a strong demand for comprehensive travel solutions, aligns well with our offerings and positions us for success.”
Can you tell us about how the partnership with Fareconnect came about, and whether there are plans to partner with more agencies in Canada?
“Our partnership with Fareconnect emerged from a shared vision to enhance the travel booking experience for Canadian travel advisors. Via this collaboration, we can offer Fareconnect’s network access to our extensive portfolio, including over 750,000 properties worldwide and numerous attractions and services. We have secured various new agreements, and we are in advanced partnerships discussions with other agencies in Canada to further expand our reach and support the Canadian travel industry.”
Innstant currently offers hotels, attractions and sports/concert tickets. Are there plans to include flights as well?
“Currently, our focus is on providing a wide range of ground services including accommodation, attractions, events, transfers and car rental services. While we continually assess market demands and explore opportunities to expand our offerings, any decision to include flights would be based on ensuring we can provide the same level of quality, pricing and service that our partners expect.”
Can you tell us about the Innstant Travel Platform?
“The Innstant Travel Platform is our own in-house technology. It is an advanced booking engine that empowers travel professionals to manage individual and group bookings seamlessly. Agents can access the platform by registering on our website, via API connection or customized White Labels created by our inhouse tech team. The platform offers features such as a dedicated VIP and Groups division, a loyalty program, a price comparison tool versus the hotel BAR rate, a book & hold option, sophisticated filters, special offers tag, map locator and innovative tools like Price Drop Alerts. Our user-friendly interface ensures a minimal learning curve (it was tested by my mother!); nonetheless, our account managers and sales support team provide training and support.”
What are your short- and long-term growth plans for Canada?
“In the short term, our focus is on establishing a strong presence in Canada and securing key strategic partners to distribute our global travel products, technology and services to their Canadian clients. Long-term, we aim to become a trusted and preferred partner for Canadian travel agents, continuously expanding our offerings and adapting to the evolving needs of the market.”
What are some travel trends that you’ve noticed recently, and how does Innstant meet these trends?
“We’ve observed a growing demand for luxury hotels and experiences. This is combined with demand for unique accommodations such as luxury castles in Europe, serviced apartments and vacation homes, as travellers seek more personalized experiences. Various global brands that we contract directly such as the Hilton Group with its many sub-brands feature an array of properties designed to meet different tastes and requirements.
“Additionally, there’s an increased interest in combining accommodations with attractions and events to create comprehensive travel packages. Innstant Travel meets these trends by listening to its clients, attending many global travel events, optimising a diverse range of properties and integrating various travel services into our platform based on demand, allowing agents to provide tailored solutions to their clients.”
Besides offering a huge portfolio of products, how else are you working with travel agents in Canada?
“We are committed to supporting Canadian travel agents through ongoing training and development opportunities. This includes webinars, workshops, and events designed to help agents effectively utilise our platform and stay informed about industry trends. We encourage agents to stay connected with us through our communication channels to receive updates on upcoming initiatives.”
What is your takeaway message to Canadian travel agents? What do you want them to know about Innstant Travel?
“To all Canadian travel agents, we are excited to partner with you and support your success in the dynamic travel industry. Our comprehensive platform, competitive pricing, extensive portfolio and dedicated support are designed to empower you to provide exceptional experiences to your clients. We look forward to building a prosperous relationship together.”
This article originally appears in the Feb. 13 edition of Travelweek. To read the issue, click here.
