TORONTO — Sunwing Vacations Group brought its leadership teams together in Toronto this week for its fourth annual Amplify event, setting priorities for the 2026-2027 winter season.

The event gathered leaders from Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, Vacation Express and retail partners to discuss business priorities, WestJet Rewards and operational readiness.

“As we gear up for the winter season, our priority is on building on the strengths of our vacation brands, creating more value for Canadian guests and equipping our teams and travel advisor partners for continued success,” said Marek Andryszak, President of Sunwing Vacations Group. “Amplify is an important opportunity to bring our teams together, celebrate our achievements and align on the priorities that will shape the season ahead.”

John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, and Samantha Taylor, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Experience Officer, discussed commercial priorities and delivering a connected guest experience across the WestJet Group’s vacation portfolio.

Jennifer Callegaro, Director, Marketing, and Patrick Boydell, Marketing Director, explored how WestJet Rewards gives guests more opportunities to earn, redeem and save on vacations.

An interactive panel, “The Vacation Hot Seat,” moderated by Marina Piccioni, Gift Card Program Director, featured Lyne Chayer, Vice-President, Customer Experience & Vacations – Quebec, WestJet Group, alongside representatives from the group’s vacation brands and retail businesses. The discussion highlighted opportunities to improve service through cross-brand collaboration.

Alejandro Vazquez, Senior Director of Key Strategic Accounts at NexusTours, and Ruben Gutierrez highlighted the destination services partner’s role in supporting guests throughout their vacations.

Meanwhile, Safa Yamach, Vice-President, Operations Planning and Performance, presented “Elevate Ops for Winter Season,” outlining operational improvements that have helped WestJet achieve the top position for on-time performance in North America for five consecutive months, according to Cirium. The session also covered plans to sustain those improvements during the peak winter travel period.

For travel advisors, the group’s priorities were also a key focus, including strengthening the guest experience, expanding loyalty benefits and improving collaboration across its vacation portfolio ahead of the winter season.

Lead image caption: John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, and Samantha Taylor, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Experience Officer