VAUGHAN — The first phase of shoptravel is now live, says shoptravel founder, president and CEO – and industry veteran – Frank DeMarinis.

The travel booking platform, first announced in 2025, has pre-packaged vacations and hotels, and will build towards a full-service travel experience, with additional travel products, services, and features in the weeks and months ahead.

“Canadians deserve a travel platform built for them. I’ve spent my career in this industry, and what I keep coming back to is this: our job isn’t just to help Canadians book travel; it’s to inspire them to take it. shoptravel is your travel co-pilot – real expertise, real people, and a genuine love of travel guiding you the whole way,” says DeMarinis.

DeMarinis’ travel industry career spans decades. He and his brothers founded retail powerhouses Bel Air Travel in 1983 and RedTag.ca in 2004. Their 2013 acquisition of the North American segment of Thomas Cook Group plc also included their very own Bel Air Travel / belairtravel.com, which later folded into Redtag.ca. DeMarinis served as President and CEO of TravelBrands’ parent company, Red Label Vacations Inc., until 2023.

DeMarinis says shoptravel is built around four commitments. The platform is designed to serve as a consumer’s travel co-pilot, or personal travel companion, with human-centred service, transparent value (with clear pricing and no hidden fees) and a sense of curated discovery for the travel experiences on offer.

The shoptravel site is shoptravel.com.

Lead image caption: shoptravel founder, president and CEO Frank DeMarinis (left) and VP, Operations Massimo DeMarinis (right)