Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) says it is engaging its Franchise Advisory Council & Members Advisory Council (FAC & MAC) to support its network on several critical topics during the pandemic.
The council is made up of a dozen owners of franchised and affiliated agencies. Its first working committee of the year is scheduled for 12FEB and will focus on business resumption following the COVID-19 pandemic.
"TDC's management team has always relied on its FAC & MAC to take the pulse of the market or to identify trends in travellers' purchasing intentions," says Kimberley Wood, Transat’s National Director, Franchisees and Affiliates.
"In recent months, the role of the FAC & MAC has evolved in response to the events we are experiencing and has been very active and proactive on many fronts. They have virtually met many times in the past months, and the items raised during these meetings have notably supported the development of many key projects, like TDC's campaign on the value of the travel professional and more recently, the brand-new professional fees grid and accompanying training".
Several “hot topics” will be on the FAC & MAC's radar in 2021, says Wood, including the resumption of agency operations and preparation for a return to a certain normality.
The FAC & MAC, which has been in place for more than 10 years. Its mandate is to represent franchisees and affiliates of the TDC network in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Yukon. Le Conseil des Membres, or Members Council, is the equivalent for Quebec based agencies.
2021 FAC & MAC Members
Sara Crowhurst, The Travel Place Travelplus – Campbell River (British Colombia)
Ellen Hartfelder, Marlin Travel - Spruce Grove (Alberta)
Mary Larocque, Marlin Travel - Peterborough (Ontario)
Sandi Levinton, Marlin Travel - Saskatoon (Saskatchewan)
Denise Luciani, Marlin Travel - Brantford (Ontario)
Peggy McKnight, Marlin Travel - Cambridge (Ontario)
Tina Morra, The Travel Firm - Woodbridge (Ontario)
Marion Rose, Elgin Travel Cruises Travelplus - St-Thomas (Ontario)
Tisha Saunders, Marlin Travel - Orangeville (Ontario)
Anita Spier, Myles TravelPlus – Dundas and Beamsville (Ontario)
Sam Patel, Airline Ticket Center - Calgary (Alberta)
John Wood, Durham Travel - Courtice (Ontario)