MONTREAL — Transat brought together 100 travel advisors from coast to coast for its second annual Rookie Camp, held from May 2 to 9, 2025, at the Majestic Colonial Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
Designed to educate and inspire new professionals in the industry, the immersive program offered a dynamic mix of product training, resort inspections and networking with both peers and supplier partners.
“Transat’s mission with Rookie Camp is to immerse new travel advisors in its core values. We believe that having the opportunity to communicate this mindset, empowering newcomers with practical knowledge and fostering enduring connections so early in their careers is truly invaluable. It’s our way of bridging distances and staying firmly rooted in their minds,” said Lindsay Merrill, Sales Manager at Transat.
The week-long event featured over five hours of dedicated sessions on Transat’s products, along with more than seven hours of hands-on training delivered by hotel partners, six of which are new. Partners included: Iberostar Resorts, Meliá Hotels International, World of Hyatt Inclusive Collection, Bahia Principe, Palladium Hotels & Resorts, Majestic Resorts, Barceló Hotel Group, Catalonia Hotels & Resorts, Ocean Hotels, Playa Hotels & Resorts, and Serenade Hotels and Viva Wyndham.
Advisors also had the opportunity to explore nearly 40 all-inclusive properties across Punta Cana, Miches and Cap Cana. The Rookie Camp was also an opportunity to showcase several other Transat resources, including the E-Travel Guide, an online app developed by Trafic Tours to enhance the group travel experience, as well as the services of Turissimo, Transat’s trusted local partner.
The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. “Being able to personally experience the accommodations, service and setting of each resort provided me with a much deeper understanding of what to recommend to my clients – this firsthand knowledge has truly elevated how I will be promoting Transat packages moving forward,” said Fiona Allen of Marlin Travel in Dundas.
Brea Hindy of MACS Travel in Alliston described the experience as a “hands-on masterclass” in travel advising. “As a newer advisor, this was a game-changer. What made this trip truly memorable were the people – consultants, resort sales managers, BDMs –these relationships will help me better serve my clients, confidently match them with the right properties, and bring even more value to their trips. This was my first FAM and it simply was monumental for my business.”
Merrill said that the gratitude expressed by advisors was immensely gratifying. “Several advisors even mentioned that they were looking forward to reviewing their notes and highlighting ideas for selling Transat products to their clients. Their buzzing enthusiasm to apply their newly acquired knowledge is palpable,” said Merrill.
