TORONTO — Canadians are still travelling, but where, when and how they book is changing – and travelbrands CEO Nathalie Tanious says that creates an opportunity for travel advisors willing to put new options in front of their clients.

Tanious tells Travelweek that as geopolitical uncertainty and changing sentiment toward the U.S. have impacted booking patterns over the past 18 months, rather than wait for conditions to change, travelbrands has been adapting its product mix and giving advisors more alternatives to sell.

The answer, in part, has been more choice.

Domestic travel has picked up, she said, while long stays are becoming increasingly important. In addition to expanding its long-stay offering in Europe, travelbrands is also offering long-stay options in closer destinations like Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica too.

Beautiful Bali

“THEY WANT TO SEE MORE”

“Canadians want to get out,” said Tanious. “As much as our country is beautiful, they want to see something beyond. They want to see more.”

Spain and Portugal continue to perform particularly well for longer stays, while cruises remain another bright spot.

“Spain and Portugal – I said it last year and I’m saying it again – [are a] very strong long-stay market,” she said. “And cruises is a market that continues to grow. There’s so much capacity in the marketplace.”

The U.S. hasn’t disappeared from the picture either. The company continues to offer long-stay product in Florida, with Tanious noting that Canadians are still travelling south of the border, just not in the same numbers.

“They’re looking for alternative solutions,” she said.

Further afield, some destinations affected by geopolitical concerns are beginning to regain momentum. Tanious pointed to Egypt, Jordan and Turkey, although she said travellers remain more cautious about other parts of the region.

“People wait. So there’s that hesitation, but then they book it,” she said, pointing to particularly strong last-minute demand for Mediterranean cruises.

NONSTOP JAPAN DEMAND

Asia, meanwhile, is a standout.

“Japan is on fire,” said Tanious. “Japan is doing extremely well.”

Thailand and Bali are also showing strength, she added, with Japan benefiting from travelbrands’ connection to parent company H.I.S.

That relationship is giving travelbrands access to a substantial on-the-ground network. Tanious said H.I.S. has more than 70 offices globally and provides destination management capabilities in markets ranging from Spain and Australia to Japan.

“If you’re looking for a tour in Spain, or if you’re looking to do a group in Australia, or of course you want to do a multi-day in Japan, we have it,” she said.

For advisors, Tanious said the advantage is having support for their clients beyond the initial transaction.

“From the minute that you make a booking with us, we’re going to make sure that we take care of your customer right through to their trip, and hopefully beyond,” she said. “If you need us, we’re there.”

“THERE IS MONEY IN CANADA”

As the industry heads into the winter selling season, Tanious believes advisors shouldn’t assume clients will reject a destination simply because it differs from their usual holiday.

“Don’t be afraid to offer your customer an alternative to what they’re normally booking, because people will go,” she said.

That can also mean adjusting the length or category of a trip to meet a client’s budget – perhaps seven or eight nights instead of five or six nights, or moving to a five-star property instead of just a four-star.

“Canadians will travel,” she said. “And you’d be surprised how many people have the wallet to do a nicer trip. There is money in Canada.”

Cruising the Mediterranean

The company is also continuing to invest in the technology advisors use to make those bookings. While AI may be one of the industry’s favourite buzzwords, Tanious takes a practical view of what it should accomplish.

“It’s not a magic bullet,” she said. “What it is, is really improving your process through technology.”

And she stressed that the objective isn’t replacing employees.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about reducing the staff,” said Tanious. “What it is about is being able to make more bookings, more reservations, make more money with the staff that you have.”

Central Avenue Paseo de Montejo in Merida, Mexico

NEVER STOP ADAPTING

It’s part of a philosophy Tanious says has become familiar within travelbrands: keep adapting.

“Our favourite word within our walls is, ‘We’re pivoting,’” she said.

With booking patterns shifting, technology evolving and travellers looking beyond their traditional choices, that ability to pivot could prove particularly valuable for advisors this winter.

Tanious’ final message to the trade, however, was much simpler.

“Thank you for the support,” she said. “Honestly, the support that we get from travel advisors – we wouldn’t be here without them.”

Click here for Travelweek’s coverage of the 11th annual travelbrands Charity Golf Classic, which raised $644,069 for SickKids Foundation and the Labatt Family Heart Centre.

Lead image caption: travelbrands CEO Nathalie Tanious highlights top selling international destinations including Spain, Japan and Australia