Since the Air Canada Race began in 2006, the UNESCO World Heritage city of Evora, located in Alentejo, Portugal, has been the fourth international host city.
30 Canadian and American advisors were selected from among over 300 agencies to participate in the very first combined Air Canada /United Airlines race. To enter, agents had to take a comprehensive educational program by Visit Alentejo, an AC/UA module with a quiz and the agency had to meet a certain level of transatlantic booking sales in order to qualify.
Open Jaw was invited to participate, too, and lead one team in the race.
Weather-wise, Evora is 30 Celsius and sunny, so staying hydrated is key! Racing docs in hand, backpacks filled with water bottles, sunscreen, maps and a handy first aid kit, the teams of advisors laced up to hit the cobblestone streets.
I led a group of five agents on a photo safari, scavenger hunt, workshops, wine and olive oil tastings and a cooking class. The team had 20 minutes at each station to complete their tasks, with some more challenging than others, and points harder to achieve.
More than just a race to the finish, through the AC/UA race, the organizers took the agents on an immersive experience of the city where they put their knowledge to the test and had fun in the process.
During a nearly 7-hour immersion into the destination, for example, we designed a wine label at a local restaurant - which was later acknowledged as the best design.
And although our Team Red lost out to Team Pink in the end, I was very proud of my team because we worked well together, dividing tasks based on everyone’s individual strengths, like reading a complex map of the city, or showing off their skills in the cooking competition, with plenty of high fives, smiles and laughs. Team work was ultimately our big win for race day.
The race was deemed a success by the organizers, too."Portugal has become one of the must-see destinations," Ana Paula De Souza – Director, Sales Air Canada Vacations, told Open Jaw.
"This area for us has been growing tremendously," Virigilio Russi, VP International Sales for Air Canada said. "There's so much demand, and we know that in Canada, Lisbon has become a popular destination, so for us it's always good to find a destination that is new for everyone, it's not only fun but very educational."
With the new joint venture between AC and UA, the opportunity for US agents to join us and expose them to this area, the feedback has been very good."
After the race, the entire group was treated to a Gala awards dinner set on a hilltop in a 12th Century castle, now hotel, just outside the city.
Members of winning Team Pink walked away with airfare for two to Portugal on AC or UA, plus a generous land package provided by Visit Alentejo.
Next up: a 3-day gastronomy and wine tour of the region to wrap up a fabulous week!
