(l - r) ACV's Joyce Simbulan Francisco Renteria, Velas Vallarta Lynne White, Velas Resorts & ACV's Marigold Frontuna hosted agents at Al Porto restaurant
The restaurant's intimate cellar provided a perfect setting for the small group of top producing agents
Francisco & Lynne talked Luxury & Velas with testimonials from agents in the room
Joyce Simbulan visits with Shazia Kumar & Nancy Nguyen of WD World Travel
ACV & Velas resorts hosted an intimate dinner presentation for just 12 top producing agents at Vancouver's Al Porto restaurant this week to announce their newly signed partnership. Lynne White, Regional Sales Manager for Velas Resorts Francisco Renteria, Sales & Marketing Manager for Velas Vallarta, along with ACV's General Manager of Sales Marigold Frontuna and newly appointed Western Canada Area Sales Manager Joyce Simbulan hosted a 4 course dinner, an informative presentation about the Velas properties and ACV's consumer offers & agent incentives.
Francisco spoke proudly about his pride and joy - Velas Vallarta. The property is different from the others as it offers apartment-style accommodations with studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units, all facing the sea. With a sought after sandy beach, complimentary tours, daily children's program and as the only hotel in PVR to offer a mariachi band every night, the resort is perfect for families, groups & weddings.
Having only 4 properties in Mexico with a 5th opening in Cabo this Fall, Velas Resorts definitely goes after quality not quantity. Both Lynne and Francisco agree that it is difficult to describe the luxury experience one will encounter at Velas in words, but agents in the room, many who have stayed at Velas (including myself), helped out by speaking passionately about the resorts' over-the-top service and amenities. Like any luxury vacation, the intangible moments - whether it is an attentive server who anticipates your needs, the unobtrusive service that magically appears just as you think of calling, or the imaginative counsellors who entertain your children - are the key selling features that raise guest satisfaction to a higher level.
I must share my own luxury moment from my visit to Grand Velas Riviera Maya a few years ago. One afternoon, I settled onto a beach lounger, and immediately a beach butler appeared, bringing me bottled waters in an ice bucket, and setting up my beach umbrella. I stayed on the beach for a few hours, and as the sun moved across the sky, my beach butler actually came back periodically to adjust the angle of my umbrella, so that I would always remain in the shade. Now that is service, and although it's a little thing, that feeling of being cared for as a special guest is what separates a luxury resort from the rest.
Attendees of the evening were top-producing agencies handpicked by ACV, including Shazia Kumar & Nancy Nguyen of WD World Travel. While neither has visited Velas Resorts, both found that the presentation confirmed their impression of Velas as being of the highest quality product. In fact a trip to Velas is on the horizon for Nancy, as she was the evening's lucky grand prize winner of a complimentary stay at Velas Vallarta. She is looking forward to experiencing Velas’ luxury firsthand.
The ACV & Velas Western Canada road show also visited Victoria and Kelowna and is heading to Calgary and Winnipeg next week.
(l - r) Angelica McCuaig, Vision Travel Solutions & Lisa Bain,
Forbes Travel International were among the evening's
exclusive invitees
