Large Business Awards 2017

10 Corporate Vision / Large Business Awards 2017 , Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, and offices in Montreal, Quebec City and Vancouver, TravelBrands and its subsidiaries is one of Canada’s leading travel groups. Through its various companies and collaborations, the firm connects with millions of Canadian travellers and over 36,000 travel agents across Canada. , TravelBrands maximizes its reach and expertise through a combination of traditional, digital and social media, which includes a ‘call to action’ and ‘fulfilment’. Among the firm’s brands is one of Canada’s oldest, Sunquest offering packages to the Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba, Panama and the U.S. Clients fly with whomever they want, when they want, and stay for however long they want. Fully inclusive packages (scheduled air, hotel, and transfers) from 21 different Canadian and 5 different US gateways for any duration desired. TravelBrands also includes in its collection of Brands, Canada’s leading FIT brands, Holiday House, which has been selling à la carte vacations, including flights, hotels, attractions, rail passes, car rentals and more, Best Travel Company - Canada & CFO of the Year - Toronto TravelBrands is a true 100%Canadian owned and operated travel company with a dedicated teamof travel professionals that has created a ‘super-distribution’ network comprised of seven retail/ “OTA” Online Travel agent brands and eight wholesale brands serving Canadian travellers and travel agents from coast to coast to coast. We invited CFO and Senior Vice President of Finance Tony Saunders to tell us more. for almost 60 years. It offers more than 132,000 hotels and resorts worldwide and partners with many of the world’s leading airlines. In addition, TravelBrands operates, Boomerang Tours, which offers land and air packages, fully escorted tours, Australia Pacific tours, independent touring vacations, day tours, sightseeing, car rentals, motor home rentals, ferry service, cruises, yachting, rail, hotel passes, accommodation, honeymoon packages. Among its brands the firm also counts a cruising wholesaler with over 20 years of history in the Canadian marketplace, Encore, a firm which enjoys close partnerships with almost all of the major cruise lines. The brand offers true cruise packages, complete with protected air and any pre- or post-cruise land stays the customer may require. It also features Encore Prestige, a high- end luxury division that offers dedicated, white-glove service. The overall mission of the company is to remain focused on the most important element of its company; its customers. TravelBrands is proudly Canadian, with a consumer centric team of knowledgeable travel professionals who are focused on providing travel agents and consumers with innovative solutions to fulfil their clients’ needs and wants. As part of this the firm has had to work hard to ensure that it stays at the forefront of the latest industry developments in order to provide clients with a service that remains at the cutting edge of industry excellence. “The needs of our customers have changed and evolved over the years, and here at TravelBrands we have worked hard to adapt and evolve.” “In order to meet the evolving needs of our customers we continue to introduce new technology by launching a new dynamic packaging engine, which builds upon our current success and now offers more choices on a B2B level with travel agents across Canada as well as direct to consumers through our B2C, OTA and call centre networks. This means that TravelBrands now offer more flexible itineraries and a wider range of attractions and destinations, ensuring no matter where they want to go, however they want to get there and whatever their budget, our clients can enjoy the break they want.” “Overall, we are dedicated to be the industry leader in the development and implementation of technology to assist our travel agent partners and consumers offering the best and latest way to book travel products, as we are constantly adapting our service procedures and technologies to achieve this.” Communication is the backbone of the success of our company whether it be internally, to supplier, agent or consumer Central to Tony’s own personal success was his work supporting the firm to achieve the credit it needs to build its brand empire, as he explains. “A large part of my success in achieving this award is due to taking the company through “CCAA” Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act. TravelBrands commenced these proceedings under the CCAA to provide it with the necessary time and stability to restructure certain isolated areas of its business. After acquiring what was then Thomas Cook Canada Inc., the Company made significant effort to address challenges associated with the business – and had been largely successful, although there were certain remaining isolated legacy issues that were significantly impacting TravelBrands’ financial performance that could only be sufficiently addressed within the confines of CCAA legislation.” “During the process none of TravelBrands customers were affected, and the company operated throughout the LB170006