TORONTO — The Saint Lucia Tourist Board was all smiles at a recent luncheon in Toronto to honour the winners of its first annual Piton Awards in Canada.
Launched in 2012, the ceremony was hosted by Saint Lucia’s Director of Tourism Louis Lewis and Deputy Director Tracey Warner-Arnold, who presented 2013’s top-selling travel agents with a commemorative plaque, $500, an additional $500 in marketing dollars for their travel agency as well as a four-night stay for two in Saint Lucia, courtesy of sponsors Anse Chastanet and Sunswept Resorts.
Winners include: Chris Akester, Collacutt Travel; Danny Almon, Almon Travel; Gillian Gervais, Marlin Travel; Gary Hill, Uniglobe Adventure House Travel; Jairus Maus, Tripcentral; Nancy Miklian, Travel Sensations; and Carmelina Pirrocco-Crawford, Halton Trafalgar Travel.
The Saint Lucia Piton Awards was relaunched as part of the destination’s Preferred Agent Saint Lucia Specialist (PASS) education and training program. To be eligible for cash and hotel incentives, agents must complete the course, be IATA/CLIA/ARC/CLAA certified, attend a Saint Lucia presentation at least once per year, and regularly update bookings online.
Benefits of the PASS program include personalized PASS marketing tools, complimentary and discounted FAMs, a listing on SLTB website, access to thousands of travellers from the SLTB via live chats on stlucianow.ca, complimentary site inspections, featured spots in the SLTB monthly e-newsletter, and a chance to win an all-expense, all-inclusive trip for two.
“We are committed to supporting the needs of SLTB’s travel partners,” said Warner-Arnold. “The PASS program and Piton Awards not only provide financial incentive, but also the necessary resources and information to help deliver memorable experiences to their clients.”
For more information on PASS and the Piton Awards, travel agents can contact Alison Theodore, Regional Marketing Manager in Canada, at atheodore@stlucia.org. To see photos from the event visit https://www.travelweek.ca/photos/index.php?galleryID=88.
