phil cappelli signature travel network

Signature’s success is driven by a management team with decades of experience in understanding the day-to-day challenges faced by front-line travel advisors and agency management.

Signature listens to members and quickly adapts to market changes in a manner that reflects and supports each member’s unique business model and objectives, always striving to do for members what may be difficult for them to do for themselves.

The Signature management team reports to the board elected by our member agencies.

Alex Sharpe

Alex serves as Signature Travel Network’s President and CEO.  Under his leadership, Signature has celebrated a double-digit increase in annual sales and has continued to build upon its dedication to each individual member through new marketing, technology, and training tools.  Alex originally joined Signature as EVP in 2011 and in 2013 was promoted to President and CEO.  

Previous to his time at Signature, Sharpe served as the Senior Vice–President of National, Key, and International Accounts for Regent Seven Seas Cruises.  In that position, Sharpe managed consortium partnerships, high-volume agencies and international partners across the world.  Over his 13 years with Regent, Alex has served in many capacities and in many departments including Charter & Incentive Sales, Pricing and Planning, Sales and Marketing.  Prior to his move to the travel industry, he partnered and operated several Kinko’s stores.  

Alex graduated from Florida State University and you can find him watching the Seminoles play on Saturdays during football season.  Alex also enjoys playing basketball as well as traveling and is also very passionate about giving back to his community.  Alex lives in Davie, Florida with his wife and three children.   

Karen Yeates

Karen has been in the travel industry since 1991 and has served in a variety of different capacities in the industry – operations and marketing for multiple travel companies, a multi-million dollar leisure division at a large travel agency and currently serves as Executive Vice President, Information Technologies for Signature Travel Network since 1999.

Karen originally joined Signature Travel Network in the fall of 1991 and managed all aspects of operations – sales, accounting, marketing support, and communications.  Karen was instrumental in creating Signature’s very first database to track member information and sales.  After four years, Karen and her husband moved to Atlanta and her career continued in the travel industry with other travel companies based in Atlanta.  In 1999, Karen returned to Signature to take on the task of creating a technology platform and has been with the company since that time.

Karen grew up in Burbank, CA and has five amazing siblings. Karen and her husband reside in Charleston, SC and they have three children.

Karryn Christopher

Since joining the team in early 2001, Karryn has helped transform the Sales and Marketing divisions into an integrated department that includes all preferred partnerships, business development, and marketing. This integration enables Signature to drive sales to achieve annual, quarterly, and monthly goals, by providing members a highly sophisticated multi-channel B2B and B2C marketing, training, and communication strategy, which includes publications, direct mail, email marketing, online content, webinars, and virtual events. Also central to Signature’s sales and marketing success is a well-managed and carefully cultivated centralized database of more than four million qualified travelers.

Prior to Signature, Karryn honed her direct response marketing skills while working for non-profit organizations in Washington DC. Karryn lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son. While she loves traveling to visit new destinations near and far, she is also devoted to reconnecting with family and friends in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions as often as possible.

Robert Martinez

Robert joined Signature Travel Network in June 2014 as the controller and manages the organization’s financial affairs. Previously, he was the controller of a successful venture-backed software developer in Santa Monica.

Robert is a U.S. Army veteran, and earned his MBA from the University of Maryland UC, and his B.S. in Finance and Business Management from the University of Mobile. He enjoys helping our members and the staff. When not at work, Robert enjoys camping, fishing, and hiking; but, occasionally, he travels to virtual battle arenas such as League of Legends and Call of Duty. But what he truly loves is being on daddy duty with his two daughters and son; he looks forward to exploring the world with his family.

Kimberly Waters

Kimberly joined Signature in 2013 with over 25 years in the travel industry. Prior to joining Signature, she held business development positions with two cruise lines. She also previously worked as a manager of operations for a large travel management company in Atlanta, GA before heading up National Accounts for Passport Online, a travel software company.  Kimberly is responsible for growing the Signature membership as well as the member engagement team.

Kimberly and her husband currently reside in Charleston, SC . She loves spending time with her family and exploring her hometown. In her spare time, she loves photography, traveling and wine tasting.  She is looking forward to visiting Africa this year.

Gina joined Signature in 1995 as the manager of cruise programs. Her previous industry background included several years as a cruise-only travel advisor and as a manager for a major cruise supplier.

Today, Gina’s primary focus is the development of Signature’s member training programs. As a passionate advocate of Signature’s vision to enrich professional development of its members, Gina finds her work rewarding and full of purpose…and FUN!

In addition to her training role, Gina oversees the events team that manages all of Signature’s meetings and conferences as well as the three annual member appreciation events.

Gina enjoys reading, hiking, and gardening, as well as spending quality time with her “four legged” friends volunteering as a dog therapy team in her local community.

Ignacio Maza

Ignacio Maza has worked in the travel industry for over 30 years. Before joining Signature, Ignacio was Executive Vice President at Virtuoso, where he was responsible for all preferred supplier relationships, Virtuoso’s hotel, air, cruise, and land programs, and the development of Virtuoso’s annual overseas symposium. Prior to Virtuoso, Ignacio worked at American Express’ Travel Related Services division for eleven years. During his tenure at American Express, Ignacio served in the company’s Airfare Management/Business Travel Consulting Services group, as well as the firm’s Supplier Relations team. Before that, Ignacio worked in the airline industry for a number of years.

Ignacio joined Signature in 2004 and served as Executive Vice President for 19 years, Ignacio led the effort to launch the company’s Hotel and Resort and Destination Specialist programs. Ignacio also developed Signature’s luxury business development.

Ignacio has traveled all over the world and has visited all seven continents. Some of Ignacio’s favorite destinations are Japan, France, Antarctica, and The Seychelles. Some of the places on his list of ‘next destinations’ are Iceland, Bhutan, and the South Island of New Zealand.  He currently lives in New York NY.

From the president

“the members are what make signature so special. we continue to attract the best of the best in the industry and it really sets us apart.”, — alex sharpe, president and ceo, about signature.

Signature Travel Network is not an organization, it is a member-owned community of leading travel agencies and supplier partners in the industry. The Network collectively generates $11+ billion in annual sales and has experienced unprecedented growth in the past ten years. This growth is reflective of the commitment to exclusively align with the most esteemed travel agencies and supplier partners, while simultaneously  expanding our reach t o more than 15,000 travel advisors in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Greece, Mexico, New Zealand and the Caribbean.

Signature Travel Network® is dedicated to providing the best technology solutions and state-of-the-art marketing to promote your brand . With a robust suite of cruises, hotels and resorts, as well as land privileges second to none, Signature helps you build your sales and retain your clients. We welcome you to join our member-owned community, more than 65-years strong, with an exponential track record of sales growth, integrity and business acumen.  Signature Travel Network is reinventing the retail travel landscape.

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Avoya Travel names Phil Cappelli as Chief Sales Officer

Avoya creates new executive leadership role to further drive growth and opportunity.

FT. LAUDERDALE, FLA. – Avoya Travel announce the engagement of Phil Cappelli as the company’s Chief Sales Officer (CSO). The addition of Cappelli, a highly respected executive leader across the travel industry, will propel Avoya’s ascension as it continues to deliver record-breaking results. The CSO role is a new addition to Avoya’s Strategic Leadership Team and demonstrates Avoya’s forward-thinking ambitions and tremendous opportunities for top-tier talent in the travel industry.

Cappelli’s stellar reputation, relationships, and experience will play a pivotal role in ensuring Avoya continues to flourish in an evolving marketplace. As CSO, Cappelli will lead and accelerate the growth of the company through the planning and execution of high-growth initiatives such as expanding the company’s Independent Agency Network, deepening partnerships with suppliers, opening doors for the company to make strategic acquisitions, and developing the products and services that set Avoya apart. Cappelli will oversee an extensive team of over 100 employees including Steve Hirshan , Senior Vice President of Sales; Ashley Hunter , Senior Vice President of Partnerships; and their respective teams.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Phil to the Avoya Team and this marks another significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence,” said Jeff Anderson , Co-CEO of Avoya Travel. “His unmatched qualifications and extensive experience will enhance operations and expand what we can deliver to travelers, Independent Agencies, and suppliers. Phil’s past accomplishments and future potential put him in a category of one and I have no doubt he will embody Avoya’s culture of excellence as he boldly pursues the vast ambitions we share together.”

Cappelli enters his new role with 25 years of experience in the travel industry, most recently serving as the Senior Vice President, Preferred Partnerships at Signature Travel Network . Prior to that, he held the position of USA President at Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold , as well as a number of management roles at Tauck World Discovery . Cappelli earned his Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Mount Ida College. Originally hailing from Wilton, Connecticut, he lives in Belleair, Florida with his wife and their three children.

“I am incredibly optimistic about what the future holds for Avoya Travel and am absolutely thrilled to take on the newly created position of Chief Sales Officer,” said Cappelli. “ Avoya’s peerless innovation, best-in-class marketing and technology capabilities, and pristine reputation in the industry made the opportunity a perfect fit. I’m honored to play a role in Avoya’s long-term plans for aggressive expansion and look forward to working with all of the exceptionally talented staff, Independent Agencies, and suppliers that make up the Avoya Family.”

Cappelli’s appointment comes as Avoya continues to see historic growth across its platform. Avoya recently announced that year-over-year bookings have increased by an impressive 78% from January to July when compared with 2022. Contributing to this growth is Avoya’s increasing investment in its people, leadership, and the development of talent from within the company to promote innovation in the future of vacation planning.

Vicky Karantzavelou

Vicky  is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the  Editor-in Chief . She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.

She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.

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Avoya Names Phil Cappelli as Chief Sales Officer

Photo: Avoya

Phil Cappelli, the former senior vice president at Signature and president of Insight USA, is joining Avoya as its new Chief Sales Officer (CSO). The CSO is a brand new addition to Avoya and part of its Strategic Leadership Team.

In the role, Cappelli will focus on Avoya’s growth, including expanding its Independent Agency Network, growing its partnerships with suppliers, and more. He will oversee a team of over 100 employees, including Steve Hirshan, senior vice president of sales; Ashley Hunter, senior vice president of partnerships; and their respective teams.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Phil to the Avoya Team and this marks another significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence,” said Jeff Anderson, Co-CEO of Avoya Travel.

Cappelli most recently spent four-plus years at Signature as senior vice president and before then spent almost seven years at Insight, including four years as president of Insight USA. Prior to that, he spent almost 13 years at Tauck, including two years serving as director, of North America Sales.

“I am incredibly optimistic about what the future holds for Avoya Travel and am absolutely thrilled to take on the newly created position of Chief Sales Officer,” Cappelli said in the announcement. “Avoya’s peerless innovation, best-in-class marketing and technology capabilities, and pristine reputation in the industry made the opportunity a perfect fit. I’m honored to play a role in Avoya’s long-term plans for aggressive expansion and look forward to working with all of the exceptionally talented staff, Independent Agencies, and suppliers that make up the Avoya Family.”

Cappelli joins Avoya after a period of change for the travel group—Avoya joined Travel Leaders Network last year, less than a year from taking on a new investor in Certare s, the private equity firm that holds investments in a number of travel companies including TLN parent-company Internova and AmaWaterways. The group is currently gearing up for its annual conference, which takes place next week.

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Home » Where to stay » Avoya names Phil Cappelli chief sales officer

Avoya names Phil Cappelli chief sales officer

Phil Cappelli has been named Avoya Travel’s chief sales officer.

Most recently, Cappelli was Signature Travel Network’s senior vice president of preferred partnerships. Before that, he was the U.S. president at Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold. He also held a number of management roles at Tauck World Discovery.

His role at Avoya is a new one for the Fort Lauderdale-based host agency, which sits at No. 28 on Travel Weekly’s 2023 Power List. 

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Avoya Travel Sells Out 2023 Avoya Conference In Less Than A Week

by Avoya Travel on February 16, 2023

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. – February 16, 2023 – Avoya Travel®, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, has just announced that the 2023 Avoya Conference, scheduled to take place September 24 – October 1, 2023 onboard the Discovery Princess, sold out less than one week after registration opened, with the highest cabin categories selling out in less than 24 hours. The event will be Avoya’s first-ever conference onboard Princess Cruises and Avoya’s first conference in Alaska. The unprecedented demand resulted in the fastest sellout in Avoya Conference history and the event is now projected to be Avoya’s largest-ever conference at sea.

Avoya attributes the extraordinary demand to its recent commitment to growing the Avoya Network™ at an aggressive rate coupled with above-industry levels of engagement from the Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network. Due to the expected growth of the Avoya Network over the coming months, in addition to the number of Independent Agencies already on the waitlist for a cabin, Avoya is hoping to secure even more cabins for the 2023 Avoya Conference than the original allotment.

“We are honored to host the 2023 Avoya Conference onboard the magnificent Discovery Princess this fall for Avoya’s first-ever conference onboard Princess Cruises,” said Carmen Roig, Vice President, North America Sales at Princess Cruises. “With our unmatched legacy showcasing the wonders of the Great Land, we’re proud to offer this experience to the Avoya Network as part of Avoya’s first conference in Alaska. The incredible demand for this conference really highlights the power of the partnership between Princess and Avoya.”

Thanks in part to the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the Avoya Network and Avoya’s preferred suppliers on the hybrid format employed for the 2022 Avoya Conference, 2023 will also feature a virtual segment from August 28 – 31. As with the 2022 Avoya Conference, the virtual portion in 2023 will feature mainly brand and product education, leaving the in-person event to focus on valuable face-to-face interactions like networking and developing collaborative working relationships between Independent Agencies, Avoya’s preferred suppliers, and Avoya support staff.

New to Avoya’s offerings this year is a two-day event pre-conference dubbed “The Million Dollar Showcase”, an invitation-only event offered to those Independent Agents in the Avoya Network that generate at least $1 Million in leisure sales between July 2022 and June 2023. Qualifying network members will enjoy a complimentary all-inclusive experience in Seattle leading up to the 2023 Avoya Conference in addition to a free balcony cabin onboard the Discovery Princess for the conference.

“We are thrilled with how quickly the 2023 Avoya Conference sold out and are hopeful we can add more space to meet the demand of the Network and for new Independent Agencies that join Avoya in the coming months,” said Ashley Hunter, Senior Vice President of Partnerships at Avoya Travel. “We have some exciting things up our sleeve for this event that will be sure to wow attendees, and the feedback from our top-producing agencies has been incredibly positive for the inaugural ‘Million Dollar Showcase’. Our preferred suppliers will be truly impressed by the caliber and sales volume of the Avoya Network and will benefit greatly from the sheer number of Avoya members they can connect with both virtually and in-person this year.”

To learn more visit: www.AvoyaNetwork.com

About Avoya Travel Avoya Travel® is redefining how vacations are booked by providing unmatched resources, services, proprietary technology, and patented solutions to thousands of companies including cruise lines, tour companies, resorts, and the Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network. Through its innovative vacation platform model and vast demand channels, Avoya utilizes powerful marketing technology and data intelligence, alongside its patented Live Leads™ program, to connect travelers with independent travel advisors who deliver personalized service and value throughout the vacation planning and booking process. Avoya continues to develop groundbreaking technology solutions to offer travelers access to exclusive discounts and amenities in partnership with travel suppliers. Avoya has won numerous awards for its technology and innovation, including holding multiple patents, and serves travelers in North America and beyond.

Travel agency owners, travel professionals, and others interested in receiving the unmatched services, marketing, support, and technology needed to own and operate their own travel business should contact Avoya Travel at 800-521-2597 or visit www.AvoyaNetwork.com . Travelers interested in booking their next vacation with an expert Independent Agency in the Avoya Network should call 800-753-1463 or visit www.AvoyaTravel.com .

Media Contact: [email protected]

On March 24, Avoya Travel hosted its second Avoya Social event of 2024, held at Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. 

Avoya Travel is excited to share that it held its second Avoya Social of the year on March 24 at the Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Avoya Travel held its second Avoya Social of the year on March 24 at the Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada following the first day of the annual Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum.

This four-part virtual series provides educational opportunities for new Independent Agents in the Avoya Network to build foundations for success.

Avoya Travel just held two successful inaugural Avoya Regional and Avoya Social events, which took place Feb. 2-3 at the Avoya Innovation Center in San Marcos, Calif. and The Woodshed in Vista, Calif., respectively. The immersive two-part event brought together independent agencies in the Avoya Travel Network, Avoya's supplier partners and Avoya staff for unique learning and networking opportunities.

Avoya Travel is excited to share the success of its inaugural Avoya Regional and Avoya Social events.

The industry's most innovative host agency, Avoya Travel, just proudly announced the success of its first-ever Avoya Regional and Avoya Social events, held on February 2-3 at the Avoya Innovation Center in San Marcos, California, and The Woodshed in Vista, California, respectively.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s top host agencies, unveiled a dynamic calendar of in-person and virtual events slated for 2024.

Avoya Travel, one of the industry's most innovative brands, recently announced a dynamic calendar of in-person and virtual events slated for 2024.

Avoya Travel, the industry's most innovative host agency, has just unveiled its highly anticipated calendar of events for 2024, offering a blend of in-person gatherings and virtual experiences.

As we step into 2024, we wanted to recap a few of the forward-thinking initiatives Avoya Travel is implementing to build the host agency of the future.

From Sept. 24 to Oct. 1, Avoya Travel hosted its 2023 Travel Conference onboard Discovery Princess. With more than 500 travel advisor and supplier attendees, it marked Avoya’s largest conference at sea.

David Levine and Ryan Warshaw of Epic Jaunts, an independent agency in the Avoya Network, talk with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about how Avoya's support and technology have helped them achieve over $5 million in sales in only a year and a half.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry's most innovative brands, celebrates the success of its 2023 Avoya Travel Conference onboard the Discovery Princess. With over 500 attendees, the conference was Avoya's largest at sea and received rave reviews from both travel advisor and supplier attendees on the networking and collaboration opportunities, keynote and workshop topics, innovative social elements, and the news and announcements surrounding Avoya's future as a host agency.

Steve Hirshan, Senior Vice President of Sales at Avoya Travel, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about the rapid growth of independent agencies in the Avoya Network and how they are seeing record-setting bookings. Hirshan also discusses Avoya's education and training program, supplier partnerships and commission split changes.

Avoya Travel successfully hosted the 2023 Avoya Travel Conference onboard the Discovery Princess from September 24 to October 1. With over 500 attendees, the conference was Avoya’s largest at sea.

Avoya Travel, one of the top host agencies in travel, celebrated the success of its 2023 Avoya Travel Conference, immediately preceded by Avoya's first-ever Million Dollar Showcase, which was an exclusive event for Avoya Network members who reached the sales threshold of at least $1 million from July 2022-June 2023.

Phil Cappelli, the new chief sales officer for the Avoya Network, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about his career highlights and how he joined Avoya specifically because of the host agency's technology, which he calls "the best in class". 

Find a Host Travel Agency attends the 2023 Avoya Travel Conference on a 7-night cruise to Alaska onboard the magnificent Discovery Princess, the newest ship in the Princess fleet.

Travel Professional NEWS attends the 2023 Avoya Travel Conference on a 7-night cruise to Alaska onboard the magnificent Discovery Princess, the newest ship in the Princess fleet.

Jeff Anderson, co-CEO of Avoya Network, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about the growth of independent affiliates in the Avoya Travel Network due to its proprietary technology and training programs. 

Innovative host agency Avoya Travel recently wrapped up its inaugural 'Million Dollar Showcase' for independent agencies (IAs) of the Avoya Network that have logged $1 million or more in sales this year.

Avoya Travel recently celebrated the successful conclusion of its 2023 Avoya Conference event, following a week's worth of company updates and announcements, partners panels and presentations, educational workshops, professional networking sessions, awards recognitions and prize giveaways, complemented by exclusive happy hours, social mixers and soirees.

Avoya's annual conference featured workshops and general sessions focused on what is to come for independent agencies in the Avoya Travel Network.

Avoya is pushing its technology-first approach to create new tools for its IAs and to become, as co-CEO Jeff Anderson said, "the guiding light for agents".

During the 2023 Avoya Travel Conference, which took place aboard the lovely Discovery Princess as it sailed in Alaska, we got a chance to chat with Steve Hirshan, SVP of sales for Avoya Travel, who gave us some "tips and tricks" of the trade.

Avoya Travel is going where few host agencies have gone before, offering 100% commission splits to agencies within its network that meet a specific sales criteria.

In a major change to its business model, Avoya Travel this weekend announced a new program that offers 100% commission on some bookings to its top agents. Under the Elite 100 program, top-producing Avoya agents who book a customer of their own, and not an Avoya lead, will keep 100% of the commission rather than the current 80%.

Phil Cappelli has been named Avoya Travel's chief sales officer. Most recently, Cappelli was Signature Travel Network's senior vice president of preferred partnerships. Before that, he was the U.S. president at Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry's most innovative brands, is thrilled to announce the engagement of Phil Cappelli as the company's Chief Sales Officer (CSO). The addition of Cappelli, a highly respected executive leader across the travel industry, will propel Avoya's ascension as it continues to deliver record-breaking results. 

Avoya Travel hired Phil Cappelli, formerly of Signature Travel Network, as chief sales officer. The position is a new addition to Avoya's strategic leadership team.

Avoya Travel  announce the engagement of Phil Cappelli as the company’s Chief Sales Officer (CSO). The addition of Cappelli, a highly respected executive leader across the travel industry, will propel Avoya’s ascension as it continues to deliver record-breaking results.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry's most innovative brands, is thrilled to announce the engagement of Phil Cappelli as the company’s Chief Sales Officer (CSO). The addition of Cappelli, a highly respected executive leader across the travel industry, will propel Avoya’s ascension as it continues to deliver record-breaking results.

Phil Cappelli, the former senior vice president at Signature and president of Insight USA, is joining Avoya as its new Chief Sales Officer (CSO). The CSO is a brand new addition to Avoya and part of its Strategic Leadership Team.

Avoya Travel has announced the appointment of Phil Cappelli as the company's chief sales officer. The CSO role is a new addition to Avoya's Strategic Leadership Team and signal's the company's ambitions and opportunities for top-tier talent in the travel industry.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry's most innovative host travel agencies, has named veteran travel executive Phil Cappelli as chief sales officer. The addition of Cappelli, a highly respected executive leader, will propel Avoya’s ascension as it continues to deliver record-breaking results. The chief sales officer role is a new addition to Avoya’s Strategic Leadership Team and demonstrates Avoya’s focus on hiring top-tier talent in the travel industry.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry's most innovative brands, is thrilled to announce the engagement of Phil Cappelli as the company's Chief Sales Officer (CSO). The addition of Cappelli, a highly respected executive leader across the travel industry, will propel Avoya's ascension as it continues to deliver record-breaking results. 

The Avoya Travel Conference was a four-day virtual event that took place August 28-31, 2023. This was the virtual educational event which will be followed by the in-person Alaska Cruise on board the Discovery Princess cruising Alaska in September. The theme of the virtual conference was "Reach New Heights".

Bookings are up, and travel advisors' clients are spending more money on trips than they did before the pandemic, according to Avoya Travel's co-CEO Jeff Anderson. Anderson spoke Monday during the Fort Lauderdale-based host agency's virtual conference.

Chuck Conine, owner of Travel with Charley, a top-producing independent affiliate with Avoya Travel, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about his life in hospitality, the history of his agency, what Avoya does for him and his agency, and what it means to win Avoya’s Flowerfly Award. Conine also discusses Avoya's "Leave it to the Experts" marketing campaign and why it is the perfect message to send to travelers at this time.

Ashley Hunter, SVP of Partnerships for Avoya Travel, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about how partnerships with Certares (a major investor in the company), Travel Leaders Network, the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) help Avoya to secure new products, programs and professional development in support of its independent affiliates. Hunter also discusses Avoya's newest programs, including Avoya Flight and Avoya Hotels.

Sam McCully, SVP of Marketing for Avoya Travel, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about how Avoya is supporting travel advisors with its "Leave it to the Experts" campaign, which comically depicts what can go wrong without a travel advisor's assistance. McCully also explains how Avoya-affiliated travel advisors can use the tools in Avoya's Marketing Resource Center, as well as what sets Avoya apart from other host agencies.

Avoya Travel has just completed the  2023 Avoya Travel Land Forum , which took place virtually May 23 – 25, and in person June 20 – 24 at Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Hundreds of Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network participated between the virtual and in-person events which featured the sponsorship of nearly 40 of Avoya’s preferred land partners, a robust offering of networking opportunities and an agenda full of educational and professional development options. 

Boundary-breaking vacation planning platform  Avoya Travel  is this week celebrating the successful completion of its 2023 Avoya Travel Land Forum, the second half of this year's hybrid event model. Avoya had already wrapped up the  virtual portion  of this year’s Land Forum on May 25.

Avoya Travel has just completed the 2023 Avoya Travel Land Forum, which took place virtually May 23–25, and in person June 20–24 at Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Hundreds of independent agencies in the Avoya Travel Network participated between the virtual and in-person events, which included a robust offering of networking opportunities and an agenda full of educational and professional development options.

Steve Hirshan, SVP of Sales for Avoya Travel, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about Avoya's Land Forum, including who attended, what new technology and partnerships were revealed, and how land sales have been explosive since 2019. Hirshan also details what makes Avoya different, specifically all the ways advisors get leads, including live leads, smart leads, leads from partner Travel Leaders Network's Agent Profiler and, of course, support for the advisors' own leads.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry's most innovative brands, has just completed the 2023 Avoya Travel Land Forum, which took place virtually May 23 – 25, and in person June 20 – 24 at Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

A few years back host agency Avoya Travel was known mostly as a major seller of cruises, but even before the pandemic it has focused on growing its land sales, something that proved crucial during the two years when cruising was paused. Last week Avoya Travel held its 2023 Avoya Travel Land Forum in person June 20-24 (it held a virtual version of the event May 23-25) at Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Highly innovative host agency  Avoya Travel  last week successfully completed the virtual portion of its annual Land Forum event, which took place over three days, from May 23 – 25. Hundreds of Independent Agencies (IAs) of the Avoya Network, Avoya staff and land supplier representatives were in attendance.

It's not a year to be shy about upselling, said virtually every supplier at the Avoya Travel Land Forum earlier this week. Travelers are eager to extend their land and sea vacations, and to try unique and upscale experiences. It's up to their travel advisors to point them in the right direction—and that direction is up.

May 23 - 25, 2023, marked the Avoya Travel Virtual Land Forum where attendees heard from Avoya's Preferred Sponsors, experienced a virtual expo, speed dating and other innovative virtual experiences as well as virtual cocktail parties. It was a great gathering of suppliers, staff and Avoya Independent Agents.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry's most innovative brands, was just honored with the 2023 Travel Leaders Network Affiliate 'New Agency of the Year Award' at the annual EDGE Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. The prestigious 'New Agency of the Year Award' recognizes the top new Affiliate Member agency to join Travel Leaders Network (TLN) and underscores the immediate impact Avoya has had since affiliating with TLN in September 2022.

What makes a great travel advisor? While skill sets can vary greatly from advisor to advisor, the best tend to have three things in common, according to Avoya Travel co-CEO Jeff Anderson: reliability, product knowledge and understanding people.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry's most innovative host agency brands, just released the 100th episode of "On Deck With Avoya: Your Weekly Travel Update," a weekly web series that has been broadcast through Facebook Live and Zoom, with all episodes housed on YouTube and posted on LinkedIn.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry's most innovative brands, recently released the 100th episode of "On Deck With Avoya: Your Weekly Travel Update", a weekly web series that has been broadcast through Facebook Live and Zoom, with all episodes housed on YouTube and posted on LinkedIn.

Avoya Travel  has added three new executive roles to its leadership team.

Avoya Travel has added three new executive roles to its Strategic Leadership Team, including a new CFO, senior vice president of people operations, and senior vice president of strategic operations.

Avoya Travel added three new executive roles to its strategic leadership team during an aggressive growth phase. Filling those positions are Mark Francone as chief financial officer, Melody Goldman as SVP people operations and Nathan Osborne as SVP strategic operations.

Looks like Avoya Travel is starting to use the investment it got from Certares last year as it grows is host travel agency business. Avoya just announced the addition of three new executives in its strategic leadership team. The new appointments come at a time when Avoya is delivering record-breaking results as it continues its aggressive growth plan.

Avoya Travel has just announced the addition of three new executive roles to its Strategic Leadership Team. Filling these new roles are Mark Francone as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Melody Goldman as Senior Vice President of People Operations, and Nathan Osborne as Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations. The new appointments come at a time when Avoya is delivering record-breaking results as it continues its aggressive growth plan.

Avoya Travel has launched a new multichannel brand campaign, "Leave It to the Experts." The campaign consists of a series of advertisements that will run on digital channels, including connected TV, online video, social media and podcast networks in video and audio form. In each, the commercial describes how travel can be overwhelming to plan, and it shows consequences of booking without an expert's help.

Avoya Travel. one of the travel industry's most innovative host agencies, has just launched a multi-channel brand campaign called “Leave It To The Experts,” which highlights the ease and importance of using a travel advisor, will be both traveler- and industry-facing in terms of showcasing the Avoya difference both in booking with Avoya and in affiliating with the Avoya Network as a new Independent Travel Advisor.

Avoya Travel. one of the travel industry's most innovative host agencies, has just launched a multi-channel brand campaign called "Leave It To The Experts," which highlights the ease and importance of using a travel advisor, will be both traveler- and industry-facing in terms of showcasing the Avoya difference both in booking with Avoya and in affiliating with the Avoya Network as a new Independent Travel Advisor.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry's most innovative brands, has just launched a multi-channel brand campaign named "Leave It To The Experts" which will feature a series of advertisements across a broad range of digital channels including connected TV, online video, social media, podcast networks, and more.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry's most innovative host agencies, announced that the 2023 Avoya Conference, scheduled to take place Sept. 24-Oct. 1, 2023 onboard the Discovery Princess, sold out less than one week after registration opened, with the highest cabin categories selling out in less than 24 hours. The event will be Avoya’s first-ever conference onboard Princess Cruises and Avoya’s first conference in Alaska.

Avoya Travel  announced that the 2023 Avoya Conference, scheduled to take place September 24 – October 1, 2023, onboard the Discovery Princess, sold out less than one week after registration opened, with the highest cabin categories selling out in less than 24 hours.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry's most innovative host agencies, recently concluded the 2023 Avoya Travel Independent Agency Recognition Reward Trip celebrating the success of top-producing independent agencies in the Avoya Network. The event was hosted in partnership with Sandals and Beaches Resorts from Jan. 30-Feb. 3, 2023 at Beaches Turks & Caicos.

Avoya Travel has launched the beta test for Avoya Flights, an air program that was initially teased during the 2022 Avoya Conference. The program includes a robust and easy-to-use booking engine, dedicated support desk staffed by experienced airfare experts, and a vast selection of commissionable airfares.

Avoya Travel's new Avoya Flights program, which launched this month in its beta version, will give the network's Independent Agencies a new way to book their clients' air. The program will include a flight-booking engine, a dedicated service desk (via phone or email), competitive rates and commissionable airfares.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry's most innovative brands, has just launched the beta test for Avoya Flights™, the highly-anticipated air program that was initially teased during the 2022 Avoya Conference. The program features a robust and easy-to-use booking engine, dedicated support desk staffed by experienced airfare experts, and a vast selection of commissionable airfares.

Avoya Travel (No. 22 on Travel Weekly's 2022 Power List) has launched the beta test for its new air booking platform, Avoya Flights. The platform was teased during Avoya's conference last fall, when it was referred to as "Project Eagle."

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry's most innovative host agencies, has launched the beta test for Avoya Flights, its highly-anticipated air program that was initially teased during the 2022 Avoya conference. The program features an easy-to-use booking engine, dedicated support desk staffed by experienced airfare experts, and a vast selection of commissionable airfares.

Host agency  Avoya Travel  has just launched beta testing for Avoya Flights, the highly-anticipated new air travel booking capability teased during its  2022 Avoya Conference  this past November.

Avoya Travel has launched a new travel advisor education platform named "Travel Agent Education Powered by Avoya" in partnership with The Travel Institute. The education platform is designed for entrepreneurs who are new to the travel industry and seeking a comprehensive educational resource that prepares them to successfully own and operate an independent travel business.

Avoya Travel, a top host travel agency, has just launched a new travel advisor education platform named Travel Agent Education Powered by Avoya. The education platform is designed for entrepreneurs who are new to the travel industry and seeking a comprehensive educational resource that prepares them to successfully own and operate an independent travel business.

Avoya Travel has launched a training program, Travel Agent Education Powered by Avoya, designed for new-to-the-industry travel advisors. The program is online and self-paced, and it was launched in partnership with the Travel Institute.

Avoya Travel  has launched Travel Agent Education Powered by Avoya, a new education platform designed for newcomers to the travel industry seeking the comprehensive educational resource required to own and operate a successful independent travel business.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry's most innovative brands, has just launched a new travel advisor education platform named Travel Agent Education Powered by Avoya™. The education platform is designed for entrepreneurs who are new to the travel industry and seeking a comprehensive educational resource that prepares them to successfully own and operate an independent travel business.

Avoya Travel  recently completed its 2022 Avoya Conference on  Celebrity Cruises'  newest Celebrity Beyond. The in-person event, which took place earlier this month from on Nov. 8-13, was the second part of a conference that began virtually on Oct. 18-21.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry's most innovative brands, recently concluded part two of the 2022 Avoya Conference, which took place onboard the Celebrity Beyond November 8 – 13, 2022. Part one of Avoya's first-ever hybrid conference took place virtually from October 18 – 21, 2022.

Part II of  Avoya Travel Network' s annual  Avoya Conference  took place last week from November 8 - 13 aboard  Celebrity Cruises' stunning brand-new ship,  Celebrity Beyond . As the in-person portion of the company's first-ever hybrid conference, the event carried on from the Part I virtual component of Avoya’s 2022 Conference, which concluded back on October 21.

Avoya Travel, which has focused on the cruise, hotel and tour portion of leisure vacations, announced 'Project Eagle' to add an air component to its sales. The company historically wrestled with finding the most efficient and lucrative way for its network to sell flights within the Avoya platform.

At Avoya Travel’s 2022 Conference, which took place virtually from October 18 – 21, the travel agency network unveiled plans to integrate air bookings into its platform, making it “a future powerhouse in the complete vacation package segment of leisure travel,” according to a press announcement.

With the announcement of “Project Eagle”, Avoya introduces itself as a future powerhouse in the complete vacation package segment of leisure travel. Avoya’s long-term goal is for its book of business to be representative of the product mix that makes up the leisure travel industry as a whole, with airfare being a vital component to nearly all vacation types.

Avoya Travel has announced its partnership with travel agency consortium, the Travel Leaders Network (TLN). Following months of research and vetting of potential partners, Avoya made the decision to affiliate with TLN based on a multitude of well-aligned visions and goals for both organizations, including aggressive growth plans and mutually beneficial partnership programs for travelers, travel advisors, and suppliers.

Avoya Travel is joining the Travel Leaders Network (TLN), the largest travel agency consortium, the two groups announced on Thursday. Avoya, which is less than a year from taking on a new investor in Certares, the private equity firm that already holds investments in a number of travel companies including TLN parent-company Internova and AmaWaterways, made the decision after months of research and vetting, it said on Thursday.

Avoya Travel will now affiliate with Travel Leaders Network (TLN), the largest travel agency consortium, owned by Internova Travel Group. Avoya says it spent months researching and vetting potential partners and made the decision to affiliate with TLN based on a multitude of well-aligned visions and goals for both organizations.

Avoya Travel has announced its affiliation with the Travel Leaders Network (TLN). Avoya made the decision to affiliate with TLN based on a multitude of aligned visions and goals for both organizations, including aggressive growth plans and mutually beneficial partnership programs for travelers, travel advisors and suppliers, said the company.

Host agency Avoya Travel (No. 22 on Travel Weekly's 2022 Power List) is now affiliated with Travel Leaders Network. For years, Avoya had been a member of the American Express Representative Network, but American Express is discontinuing its agency affiliate program this year. 

Mega-agency Avoya Travel joined Travel Leaders Network, North America's largest travel agency network. The two companies were already linked, from an ownership perspective, by Certares Management, the New York-based private equity firm that became a co-owner of Avoya in November and owns Internova Travel Group, which includes Travel Leaders Network.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, has just announced its affiliation with the Travel Leaders Network (TLN), the largest travel agency consortium. Avoya spent months meticulously researching and vetting potential partners and made the decision to affiliate with TLN based on a multitude of well-aligned visions and goals for both organizations, including aggressive growth plans and mutually beneficial partnership programs for travelers, travel advisors, and suppliers.

Travel Leaders Network (TLN) announced that Avoya Travel has joined its travel agency network. The new relationship between TLN and Avoya was designed to benefit both companies by providing additional opportunities for growth and delivering even more value to consumers.

Affiliations with Avoya Travel are up, which the Fort Lauderdale-based host agency attributes to growth in first-time travel advisors. New affiliates are up 28% from a year ago and 10% from 2021. The majority of new affiliates, 85%, are new to travel.

Avoya Travel has reported substantial growth in the size of the Avoya Network in 2022. The brand attributes the majority of the growth to new-to-travel independent agency affiliations, which are up over 28 percent year-to-date compared to 2021, and over 10 percent compared to 2020.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, has announced significant growth in the size of the Avoya Network in 2022, attributing the majority of the growth to new-to-travel Independent Agency affiliations.

Avoya Travel , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, has announced significant growth in the size of the Avoya Network in 2022, attributing the majority of the growth to new-to-travel Independent Agency affiliations.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s most innovative host agency brands, has announced significant growth in the size of its network in 2022, attributing the majority of the growth to new-to-travel independent agency affiliations. Avoya reports new independent agency affiliations are up over 28 percent year-to-date compared to 2021 and over 10 percent compared to 2020.

Avoya Travel has announced the introduction of the Avoya Flowerfly Award, an honor given to the Avoya Network member who best represents the integrity, professionalism and character that define the essence of the Avoya Travel community.

Avoya Travel announced the creation of the new Avoya Flowerfly Award, an honor given to the Avoya Network member who best represents the integrity, professionalism and character that define the essence of the Avoya Travel community.

Avoya Travel, the innovative host agency, announced the creation of the new Avoya Flowerfly Award, an honor given to the Avoya Network member who best represents the integrity, professionalism and character that define the essence of the Avoya Travel community.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, has just announced the creation of the new Avoya Flowerfly Award, an honor given to the Avoya Network member who best represents the integrity, professionalism, and character that define the essence of the Avoya Travel community.

As we’ve said in the past, we try not to cover events that have already taken place, unless it’s to relate significant news. Well, this is another exception, as host agency Avoya Travel just send out a release about its April 12-14 virtual land forum and May 1-4 in-person event May 1 at Hilton Cancun, an All-Inclusive Resort.

Land vacations are selling well for Avoya Travel’s network of independent agents. According to the Fort Lauderdale-based host agency, commissions on year-to-date resort sales are up 80% compared with 2019. More than half, 57%, of land booking sales to date are new-to-Avoya customers. That, Avoya said, signals “substantial growth in Avoya’s book of land business.”

Avoya Travel®, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, recently concluded the 2022 Avoya Travel Land Forum, which took place virtually April 12 – 14, and included an in-person event May 1 – 4 at Hilton Cancun, an All-Inclusive Resort. Hundreds of Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network participated between the virtual and in-person events which featured the sponsorship of nearly 40 of Avoya’s preferred land partners, a wide array of networking opportunities, and a plethora of educational and professional development options.

Avoya Travel recently concluded the 2022 Avoya Travel Land Forum, which took place virtually April 12–14 and included an in-person event May 1–4 at Hilton Cancun, an All-Inclusive Resort. Hundreds of Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network participated between the virtual and in-person events which featured the sponsorship of nearly 40 of Avoya’s preferred land partners, a wide array of networking opportunities, and a plethora of educational and professional development options.

Avoya Travel has deepened the marketing assets available for its independent contractors. The host agency on Wednesday detailed some of its marketing initiatives, including more than 160 new marketing assets that advisors can send to clients with their agency's logo and information.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, has announced a new series of initiatives and enhancements designed to position the Avoya platform at the forefront as a source of information for travelers throughout the vacation planning process and empower the Avoya Network to develop the mix of branding and marketing tactics that best suits their independent businesses.

Avoya Travel , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, has announced a new series of initiatives and enhancements designed to position the Avoya platform at the forefront as a source of information for travelers throughout the vacation planning process and empower the Avoya Network to develop the mix of branding and marketing tactics that best suits their independent businesses.

Avoya Travel has announced a new series of initiatives and enhancements designed to position the Avoya platform as the primary source of information for travelers throughout the vacation-planning process and empower advisors to develop the mix of branding and marketing tactics that best suits their business.

Avoya Travel has unveiled the complete lineup of events for this year. The schedule includes in-person, virtual and hybrid events, with attendance to all events being optional for the independent agencies in the Avoya Travel Network and some discounts being offered to those who choose to attend multiple events.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s most innovative host travel agencies, has just announced a full lineup of events for the 2022 calendar year. The schedule includes in-person, virtual and hybrid events ranging from educational and professional development opportunities to networking and sales recognition events, with attendance to all events being optional for the independent agencies in the Avoya Travel Network.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative companies, has just announced its full lineup of events for the 2022 calendar year. The schedule includes various in-person, virtual, and hybrid events ranging from educational and professional development opportunities to networking and sales recognition events, with attendance to all events being optional for the Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network™ and some discounts being offered to those who choose to attend multiple events.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s most innovative companies, has just announced its full lineup of events for the 2022 calendar year. The schedule includes various in-person, virtual, and hybrid events ranging from educational and professional development opportunities to networking and sales recognition events, with attendance to all events being optional for the Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network and some discounts being offered to those who choose to attend multiple events.

Avoya Travel, one of the industry’s most innovative travel agencies, just concluded the 2021 Avoya Conference, which took place virtually from December 6-10, 2021. The 2021 Avoya Conference was highlighted by presentations and panels featuring senior level executives from suppliers spanning the travel industry.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative companies, recently concluded the 2021 Avoya Conference, which took place virtually from December 6-10, 2021. The 2021 Avoya Conference was highlighted by presentations and panels featuring senior level executives from suppliers spanning the travel industry.

Avoya Travel recently concluded the 2021 Avoya Conference, which took place virtually from December 6–10, 2021. The 2021 Avoya Conference was highlighted by presentations and panels featuring senior-level executives from suppliers spanning the travel industry.

We will kick off our media coverage of the Avoya 2021 Virtual with a brief overview of some of the announcements that were shared with us and other members of the industry press. Avoya Smart Leads launched in 2021, with a focus on the connection between a client and the top agent that fits their needs best.

We will kick off our media coverage of the Avoya 2021 Virtual with a brief overview of some of the announcements that were shared with us and other members of the industry press. Avoya Smart Leads launched in 2021, with a focus on the connection between a client and the top agent that fits their needs best.

On the heels of news that  Certares has acquired an ownership stake in Avoya Travel , the vacation platform and network of independent travel advisors said this week that it expects to grow faster than at any time in its history but that it will not alter the trajectory of that growth.

Bookings for a number of categories of travel have exceeded 2019 levels, Avoya Travel said, and 2022 is shaping up to be a strong year, especially in the third and fourth quarters. In fact, on Dec. 1, the host agency had a $2 million booking day, according to Ashley Hunter, senior vice president of partnerships.

Ahead of the 2021 Avoya Travel Conference - taking place next week -  Avoya Travel  is celebrating a pretty major moment for the COVID-19 era. On Dec. 1, the company did $2 million in bookings, “a monster sales day,” as Jeff Anderson, co-CEO, put it. 

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s most innovative companies, is pleased to announce that it has closed on an investment from funds managed by Certares Management LLC, a global travel, tourism, and hospitality investment firm.

Avoya Travel has announced that it has closed on an investment from funds managed by Certares Management LLC, a global travel, tourism and hospitality investment firm. Certares joins brothers, Jeff and Michael Anderson, as co-owners of Avoya and together are committed to long-term growth and scaling its vacation platform.

Avoya Travel, one of travel’s most innovative agencies, in a surprise move announced on Nov. 19 that it has closed on an investment from funds managed by Certares Management LLC, a global travel, tourism, and hospitality investment firm. Certares joins brothers Jeff Anderson (pictured above) and Michael Anderson, as co-owners of Avoya and together are committed to long-term growth and scaling its vacation platform.

From Oct. 24-28, Avoya Travel hosted its first in-person educational and networking event since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, welcoming nearly 200 independent agencies and licensed agents — along with some 20 preferred supplier partners — onboard Celebrity Apex. 

Avoya Travel, the vacation planning company that includes Avoya Travel Network, is taking on a new investor. Avoya’s Jeff Anderson announced that Certares, the private equity firm that already holds investments in a number of travel companies including Internova and AmaWaterways, has taken a stake in Avoya.

Jeff Anderson, co-president of Avoya, hosted a virtual chat to discuss Avoya’s “Next Chapter,” as they’re calling it. “In an effort to collaborate with the most brilliant, we are bringing in a new partner,” said Anderson, “a new shareholder, into the business.” This new shareholder will be Certares, which is a private equity firm with offices in New York, Luxembourg and Dubai.

Avoya’s Jeff Anderson announced that Avoya Travel has a new shareholder:  Certares,  a global private equity firm that is invested in fellow travel brands such as G Adventures, Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings, Internova Travel Group, AmaWaterways and others.

Award-winning host agency  Avoya Travel Network  announced some major news that will have a profound, positive impact on the family-run company’s future trajectory. With 57 years as one of the world’s most innovative travel marketing and technology companies under its belt, Avoya has just gained a new shareholder and investment partner in  Certares .

Private equity firm Certares has become a shareholder in Avoya Travel, a host agency that is No. 29 on Travel Weekly's 2021 Power List. Certares joins two other shareholders: co-presidents Jeff Anderson and Michael Anderson.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, has just concluded its first in-person educational and networking event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic onboard the Celebrity Apex from October 24 – 28, 2021.

Avoya Travel has just concluded its first in-person educational and networking event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic onboard the Celebrity Apex from October 24–28, 2021.

Avoya Travel®, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, has been honored with four of  Travel Weekly  magazine’s esteemed 2021 Magellan Awards. The prestigious awards distinguish Avoya as a travel industry leader with innovative initiatives and effective responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, has been honored with four of  Travel Weekly  magazine’s esteemed 2021 Magellan Awards. The prestigious awards distinguish Avoya as a travel industry leader with innovative initiatives and effective responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, recently concluded its first ever Back to Cruise Event, which took place virtually from September 22 – 23, 2021. Hundreds of Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network™ registered and attended the event which featured the participation of 20 of Avoya’s preferred cruise partners.

Avoya Travel is celebrating the return of cruising with its Back to Cruise Event. The virtual meeting took place September 22-23, 2021 and connected  Avoya  travel advisors and Avoya preferred suppliers, including 20 of Avoya’s preferred cruise partners, such as Oceania Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, AmaWaterways and more.

More than 97% of the Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network that sold over $1m in 2019 have remained affiliated with Avoya throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Avoya Travel is seeing positive results from its support during the COVID-19 pandemic. The network announced that more than 97 percent of its independent agencies that sold over $1 million in 2019 have remained affiliated with Avoya throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, just announced that over 97% of the Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network that sold over $1 Million in 2019 have remained affiliated with Avoya throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Avoya Travel aims at supporting independent agencies with a series of initiatives aimed at adding additional support and educational opportunities for the independent agencies in the Avoya Travel Network, as well as expanding the size of the Avoya Network.

Avoya Travel recently announced a series of initiatives aimed at adding additional support and educational opportunities for the Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network as well as expanding the size of the Avoya Network.

Avoya Travel, one of the top host travel agencies in the business, unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at adding additional support and educational opportunities for its independent agencies in the Avoya Travel Network as well as expanding the size of that network.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, recently announced a series of initiatives aimed at adding additional support and educational opportunities for the Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network™ as well as expanding the size of the Avoya Network.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, was honored as a finalist for the 2021 Torch Award for Ethics from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The prestigious honor takes into consideration the ethical business practices of a company as well as the character of its leadership and the values instilled in the company’s culture.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, was honored as a finalist for the 2021 Torch Award for Ethics from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The prestigious honor takes into consideration the ethical business practices of a company as well as the character of its leadership and the values instilled in the company’s culture.

Despite the challenges of dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and recovering from the losses of 2020, some travel companies are still logging in big wins for the year. The latest to celebrate a milestone achievement is travel advisor network Avoya Travel.

Avoya Travel announced that June 1, 2021 was the largest single day of sales in the company’s long history. The record-breaking day was highlighted by a 21 percent increase in sales volume compared to  Avoya’s  previous benchmark set in May of 2019.

Avoya Travel, one of the most innovative host agencies in the business, said June 1, 2021 was the largest single day of sales in its long history. The record-breaking day was highlighted by a 21 percent increase in sales volume compared with Avoya’s previous benchmark set in May 2019.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, just announced that June 1, 2021 was the largest single day of sales in the company’s long history. The record-breaking day was highlighted by a 21% increase in sales volume compared to Avoya’s previous benchmark set in May of 2019.

Avoya Travel just announced that June 1, 2021, was the largest single day of sales in the company’s long history. The record-breaking day was highlighted by a 21 percent increase in sales volume compared to Avoya’s previous benchmark set in May of 2019.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s most innovative host travel agencies, recently concluded its third annual Avoya Mastermind Land Forum, which took place virtually May 4-7, 2021. Nearly 350 independent agencies in the Avoya Travel Network attended the event, which featured more than 40 of Avoya’s preferred land partners, myriad networking opportunities, and a vast array of educational and professional development options.

Avoya Travel recently concluded its third annual Avoya Mastermind Land Forum, which took place virtually May 4–7, 2021. Hundreds of independent agencies in the Avoya Travel Network attended the event, which included the participation of over 40 of Avoya’s preferred land partners, a mix of networking opportunities, and an array of educational and professional development options.

Avoya Travel concluded its third annual Avoya Mastermind Land Forum, which took place virtually from May 4–7, 2021. The event highlighted Avoya’s accelerated land vacation sales growth and offered educational and networking opportunities.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, recently concluded its third annual Avoya Mastermind Land Forum, which took place virtually from May 4 – 7, 2021. Hundreds of Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network™ attended the event which featured the participation of over 40 of Avoya’s preferred land partners, a myriad of networking opportunities, and a vast array of educational and professional development options.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s most innovative host agencies, announced the successful conclusion of the first quarter 2021, which included the completion of several key initiatives and a significant increase in sales volume compared to previous months during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, just announced the successful conclusion of the first quarter of 2021, which included the completion of several key initiatives and a significant increase in sales volume compared to previous months during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Avoya Travel just announced the successful conclusion of the first quarter of 2021, which included the completion of several key initiatives and a significant increase in sales volume compared to previous months during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, just launched a new marketing campaign highlighting destinations currently open for leisure travel with an emphasis on vacations customers can take this Spring and Summer.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s most innovative host agencies, just launched a new marketing campaign highlighting destinations currently open for leisure travel with an emphasis on vacations customers can take this spring and summer.

Avoya Travel, No. 30 on  Travel Weekly's 2020 Power List , is looking to tap into pent-up demand among North Americans with its new "Vacations to Take Now" marketing campaign. The campaign highlights destinations leisure travelers can currently visit, such as Mexico, Hawaii and Florida.

Avoya Travel just launched a new marketing campaign highlighting destinations currently open for leisure travel with an emphasis on vacations customers can take this Spring and Summer.

Avoya Travel announced it will be paying additional commission overrides to qualifying independent agencies in the Avoya Travel Network based on 2020 earned commission levels. Avoya launched the commission growth incentive in the first quarter of 2020 to extremely positive feedback from the Avoya Network.

Host agency Avoya Travel announced it will be paying additional commission overrides to qualifying independent agencies in the Avoya Travel Network based on 2020 earned commission levels. Avoya says it launched the independent agency commission growth incentive in the first quarter of 2020 to extremely positive feedback from agencies in the Avoya Network.

Avoya Travel just announced it will be paying additional commission overrides to qualifying Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network based on 2020 earned commission levels. Avoya launched the Independent Agency commission growth incentive in the first quarter of 2020 to extremely positive feedback from the Avoya Network.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, just announced it will be paying additional commission overrides to qualifying Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network™ based on 2020 earned commission levels.

Not surprisingly Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s top host agencies, has not been standing still during the COVID-19 crisis. The agency recently concluded its Avoya Mastermind Virtual Success Academy, which took place Feb. 8-12, 2021.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, recently concluded its Avoya Mastermind Virtual Success Academy™, which took place over the course of February 8-12, 2021.

During the fourth quarter of 2020, Avoya Travel saw a significant increase in sales compared to other months during the COVID-19 pandemic. December marked the best month of sales for the brand since April.

Avoya Travel is seeing the first signs of a travel recovery: The network reported an increase in sales in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to previous months during the COVID-19 pandemic, with December seeing the best month of sales since April of 2020.

Avoya Travel says that is has experienced a significant increase in sales in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to previous months during the COVID-19 pandemic, with December seeing the best month of sales since April of 2020. Avoya is optimistic about its position of strength heading into 2021 and the recovery of the travel industry.

Avoya Travel is reporting a significant increase in sales in the fourth quarter of 2020. December was the company’s best month since April 2020 when travel was sidelined due to the coronavirus.

Avoya Travel®, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, experienced a significant increase in sales in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to previous months during the COVID-19 pandemic, with December seeing the best month of sales since April of 2020.

Avoya Travel, one of the most innovative host agencies, says it saw a significant increase in sales in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to previous months during the COVID-19 pandemic, with December being the best month for sales since April 2020.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, experienced a significant increase in sales in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to previous months during the COVID-19 pandemic, with December seeing the best month of sales since April of 2020.

Avoya Travel recently launched new communication technology, named Avoya Conversations. The new tech offers independent agencies in the Avoya Network the option to communicate with customers via text message through an easy-to-use system that is integrated into Agent Power, Avoya’s patented SaaS technology.

Avoya Travel, one of travel's most innovative hosts with just over 1,000 independent agencies, just launched new communications technology as part of the Avoya platform called Avoya Conversations. This offers independent agencies in the Avoya Network the option to communicate with customers via text message through an easy-to-use system that is integrated into Avoya's patented SaaS technology, Agent Power.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, recently launched new communication technology as part of the Avoya platform named Avoya Conversations™. Avoya Conversations offers Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network™ the option to communicate with customers via text message through an easy-to-use system that is integrated into Avoya’s patented SaaS technology, Agent Power™.

Avoya Travel recently launched new communication technology as part of the Avoya platform named Avoya Conversations. Avoya Conversations offers Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network the option to communicate with customers via text message through an easy-to-use system that is integrated into Avoya’s patented SaaS technology, Agent Power.

Avoya Travel®, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, is proud to announce that Co-Founders Brad and Van Anderson have been honored with  Travel Weekly ’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Presented with the award at  Travel Weekly ’s 2020 Reader’s Choice Awards virtual ceremony on December 17, 2020, the highly esteemed Anderson brothers celebrated the Anderson family’s legacy in the travel industry and Brad and Van’s significant footprint on travel.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, recently concluded Part Two of its annual Avoya Conference, marking the successful completion of the two-part virtual conference which spanned eight total days, October 19-22, 2020 and December 1-4, 2020.

Avoya Travel is introducing a feature in its technology platform that enables advisors to chat with clients via SMS text messages on their computers. The ability to message clients in different services, like WhatsApp, is expected to be available toward the end of next year. Avoya co-president Jeff Anderson introduced Avoya Conversations during the host agency's virtual conference Tuesday.

Avoya Travel is set to kick off Part Two of its annual Avoya Conference, which takes place December 1-4, 2020, with a newly added pre-conference event on Monday, November 30. Understanding the financial difficulties travel agencies are experiencing due to the global pandemic and the importance of being prepared for the resumption of leisure travel in a post-COVID-19 world, Avoya said in a press announcement that it will offer attendance to Part Two of the conference to independent agencies in the Avoya Network free of charge.

Avoya Travel®, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, just launched a new promotion offering travel agencies the ability to affiliate their businesses with Avoya as an Independent Agency at no cost. During this new limited-time promotion qualified agencies will have the normal $495 affiliation fee waived by Avoya.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, concluded Part One of its annual Annual Conference, the first time Avoya has hosted the annual conference virtually, which spanned four days from October 19-22, 2020.

Jeff Anderson, co-president of Avoya Travel, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about why his innovative host agency sees light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, when cruising will be back, how Avoya is positioned to get through the crisis, and how it is using new technology and marketing programs to help its independent agency affiliates deal with the downturn.

Avoya Travel’s new Instant Commission 2.0 initiative aims to rally the travel industry around a new type of commission structure — one that gives travel advisors a portion of their supplier payout when a booking is made (called “booking commission”), followed by the rest of the payment at the time of travel (called “departure commission).

Avoya Travel unveiled Avoya Smart Leads, a new optional lead category that focuses on past clients within the Live Leads system. Avoya Smart Leads “uses proprietary algorithms to identify and proactively alert an independent agency [as to] which of their past clients is the most likely to book a vacation next,” the company said.

Avoya Travel®, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, recently launched an upgraded suite of marketing campaigns, collateral, and assets for the Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network™, easily accessible on the Avoya platform — the newly-established Avoya Marketing Resource Center™.

Avoya Travel, one of the host travel agencies in the U.S., has announced it is changing the venue for its annual Avoya Conference to an online platform following the recent success of its first-ever Avoya Mastermind Virtual Land Forum. Originally scheduled to take place onboard the Celebrity Equinox Oct. 20-26, 2020, the 2020 Avoya Conference will now feature two separate events spanning eight total days, Oct. 19-22, 2020 and Dec. 1-4, 2020.

Avoya Travel®, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, hosted its first-ever Avoya Mastermind Virtual Land Forum June 22 – 25, 2020. This successful event provided Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network™ access to top land and destination suppliers, focusing on brand education, sales, and new safety protocols for resuming travel.

Jeff Anderson, co-president of Avoya Travel, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how his innovative host travel agency is helping its independent agency affiliates survive and how cruise lines and the rest of the travel industry can come back as we emerge from the coronavirus crisis.

Avoya is kicking off 2020 with a win. The company took home top honors at the 6th Annual Travvy Awards. Avoya Travel once again took home the top prize in the category Best Host Agency. This is the 6th year in a row that this honor was bestowed upon Avoya.

Sporting a fresh rebranding, Avoya Travel has officially opened its new Innovation Center in San Marcos, Calif., as part of its master plan to become the world’s No. 1 vacation platform. During the grand opening event in North County San Diego, I saw firsthand how much the company’s philosophy is centered around people and collaboration.

From bright, airy new offices in San Marcos, CA, Avoya Travel execs last week gave a preview of their growth plans for the next 18 months to supplier partners, travel advisors and media representatives who were on hand to join in grand opening celebrations of the firm’s new “innovation center.”

Avoya Travel’s most recent Avoya Network survey found that 95 percent of Avoya owners feel the company’s exclusive resources provide them with the means to save time and assist them with running their businesses more efficiently.

Avoya Travel reveals that in a recent Avoya Network survey 95 percent of independent agency owners feel  Avoya’s exclusive resources  save them time and help to run their businesses more efficiently. The results are another proof point of the momentum behind Avoya’s 2025 growth plan, and have inspired a new marketing campaign titled “More Time” to position the Avoya Network as the best choice for entrepreneurs who want more control of their time and income potential.

Avoya Travel® will host its 2020 Avoya Conference October 20 – 26 onboard the recently refurbished Celebrity Equinox. The Avoya Conference is set to celebrate the success of Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network™ and announce the next phase of Avoya’s 2025 plan.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, has won three prestigious Travel Weekly 2019 Magellan Awards. The awards recognize Avoya’s innovation and overall leadership in the travel industry. The marketing and brand initiatives honored were products of  Avoya 2025 , the company’s ambitious growth plan to becoming the world’s number one vacation platform.

It was truly an honor and an amazing experience to have been able to attend the Avoya Travel 2019 Conference at the Hyatt Regency Miami and then on board the newly revamped Navigator of the Seas, a Voyager Class Ship in the Royal Caribbean Fleet. I was nominated by my company partners to cover this event for Travel Professional NEWS and it was a spectacular experience.

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, will host its first-ever Land Forum. Held at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort August 27–29, 2019, the event will offer Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network product and sales education and networking opportunities with more than 50 land and destination supplier representatives.

What will leisure travel distribution look like in 2025? How will consumers want to buy cruise vacations? Will today's processes change that dramatically in six years, and if they do, how can agencies prepare for what consumers might want? These are important questions, and they're driving a strategic initiative launched in 2018 by Fort Lauderdale-based host agency Avoya Travel, a leisure agency with an emphasis on cruise travel that lands at  No. 28 on the 2019 Power List .

There’s a new co-president, a new focus on land vacations, a new office, and new technology. But at Avoya Travel, the purpose is the same as ever: To enrich lives through inspiring travel experiences. The Anderson family business has just passed to the third generation, with Michael and Jeff as co-presidents. Brad now has joined Van as Avoya’s co-founders no longer running things day-by-day but never out of reach.

Avoya Travel co-president Mike Anderson and Daniel Rego, vice president of business intelligence, the travel agency’s two top tech gurus, talk with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about Avoya Top Picks, a new initiative to deliver cruises with the best value to Avoya’s independent travel agency affiliates and their customers.

Jeff Anderson and Mike Anderson, new co-presidents of host agency Avoya Travel, talk with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the progress they've made with their team on Avoya 2025, a strategic plan launched last year that will roll out in five phases tying together Avoya's independent agencies, preferred partners and travelers. 

Mike Anderson and Jeff Anderson, newly named as co-presidents of high-tech host agency Avoya Travel, talk with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the transition in management from their father Brad and their Uncle Van, newly named as co-founders of the agency, and how they are taking Avoya into the next generation in technology and marketing. 

When you sit down to speak with the Strategic Leadership team at Avoya Travel, the excitement over the incredible platform they’ve created for their Independent Agencies to succeed is not only palpable, it’s intoxicating. It’s easy to get swept up in their positive energy, and you leave the conversation rooting for their success, even if you are only an outsider looking in.

Travel advisors from more than 400 independent agencies in the  Avoya Travel  network are attending the 12th annual Avoya Conference, which kicked off Sunday, June 2, at the Hyatt Regency Miami. After a two-day land conference—which included a tradeshow featuring more than 100 suppliers and keynote addresses from top cruise line executives—the event returned to sea for the first time since 2014 onboard the newly renovated Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas for a four-night Caribbean sailing, with attendees experiencing the recently opened  Perfect Day at CocoCay .

Avoya Travel, one of the travel industry’s most innovative host travel agencies, kicked off its 12th annual conference on June 2 with roughly 500 independent agencies in its network in attendance along with preferred suppliers and media. Indeed, the first Avoya conference general session began with a video parody of the Brady Bunch highlighting how the agency was founded by the late Pal and Pat Anderson, who were celebrated during the first evening event, and then taken to new heights by their children, Brad and Van Anderson.

Avoya Travel®, one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, announces several executive promotions, including both Jeff Anderson and Michael Anderson to Co-Presidents and Brad Anderson to Co-Founder. The company confidently makes the C-level management moves as part of its aggressive growth plan to become the number one vacation platform, which creates better vacation planning experiences for travelers, Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network™ and supplier partners.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has announced the 2019 Hall of Fame Cruise Industry Awards. The awards identify individuals and organizations whose efforts and accomplishments represent a significant contribution to the cruise industry.

Avoya Travel marked its best year in 2018 with the network experiences major increases in members, leads and sales. Among the causes for this growth, the travel company highlighted its new-to-travel program and its Live Lead system, a program matches new and existing customers with the most-suited agent.

We are deeply saddened to share that Avoya Travel Chairman and Founder Pal Anderson passed away Sunday, February 10 at the age of 96. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Pat; his sons, Van and Brad; and his eight grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.

Avoya Travel took home two gold Travvy statues at travAlliancemedia’s annual awards ceremony, which took place on January 23, 2019, at Gotham Hall in New York City. The host agency took home honors for Best Host Agency as well as Best Host Agency Website, AvoyaTravel.com, during the fifth annual Travvy Awards.

Avoya Travel®, one of the world’s most innovative travel brands, has been honored with Norwegian Cruise Line’s esteemed 2018 Online Partner of the Year award. The award acknowledges Avoya’s top sales achievements and its innovative customer experience that combines cutting-edge website technology and online search with the personalized service of expert travel professionals in the Avoya Network™.

Avoya Travel recently released booking insights from its 2019 Wave Season Survey in which they asked agencies within the network to forecast sales and booking trends for the busy booking period starting in January.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the world’s most innovative travel brands, has been recognized by Travel Impressions, one of the country’s largest tour operators selling destinations worldwide, as a “Best of the Best” travel partner. The honor is bestowed on a limited number of agencies and consortia partners whose knowledge and expertise planning and executing memorable vacation experiences on behalf of clients has contributed to their status as a top performer for Travel Impressions.

Wave season is right around the corner, and travel agents who prepare ahead of time to reach out to clients could have unprecedented success, starting the New Year off on the right foot professionally.  Avoya Travel has released its insights from the 2019 Wave Season Survey of the network’s top producing Independent Agencies and found that 80 percent have a plan to prepare their business for Wave, which is one of the busiest times for bookings in the industry. 

Earlier this year, Avoya Travel rebranded its Mastermind Academy program and its August event, onboard the MSC Seaside wrapped in August with great success. Forty agents attended the event, which took place August 18-25, 2018, which was hosted by Tammie Richie, associate vice president of the Avoya Mastermind, who has more than 35 years of travel industry experience and more than 30 years as a sales and business coach.

This August, Avoya Travel hosted the first-ever Avoya Travel Institute to give Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network exclusive networking with the company’s Diamond Level Preferred Suppliers. The Avoya Travel Institute was created as a reaction to feedback from Independent Agencies who wanted more in-person interaction with Avoya’s high-level supplier partners.

Each and every year, Avoya Travel® hosts a spectacular conference bringing together Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network™, supplier partners, and support staff for a few days of education, networking, and celebration. Last year, the annual event was located at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, California, and this year it was held both on land and at sea from May 22 – 27.

Avoya Travel announced Wednesday it has partnered with The Mark Travel Corporation to expand its product portfolio and accelerate growth. The deal will give Avoya access to new customer bases and make more resort vacations available to customers, which will enhance the consumer experience and increase sales opportunities for Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network.

If you think it sounds like some kind of sci-fi movie, you’re not too far off. Host travel network Avoya Travel last month revealed its five-phase plan to become the number one vacation platform in travel by 2025—a goal it’s describing as its Mars mission.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the world’s most innovative travel brands, closed its annual Avoya Conference with big momentum as Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network™, industry leaders, suppliers, and support staff celebrated continuing record sales and Network growth.

Avoya Travel's Mastermind Academy has been rebranded and expanded. The program, which provides tailored education and support to travel agents, includes new courses and more dates. Avoya has updated the educational program due to its popularity with agents, who often repeat the courses.

MSC Cruises USA has announced the honorees of the company’s fifth annual MSC True Partnerships’ Awards for travel agents. “We have an incredibly positive outlook for the coming year, and we are thankful to our incredible partners for their hard work and continued effort in propelling MSC Cruises forward,” said Joe Jiffo, senior vice president of sales, MSC Cruises USA.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and Avoya Travel have partnered on a new professional development program targeted toward new-to-travel professionals who are affiliating with Avoya. The new educational series arms travel agents with knowledge about selling skills, customer service, cruising, geography and more through courses designed by CLIA.

Travel agencies are a critical part of the travel experience, providing invaluable expertise and guidance. While the role of agencies may be evolving with technology, the knowledge and insight they offer is more critical than ever at a time when the amount of information available online to travelers is overwhelming.

Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, shares how Independent Agency owner Janel Fidalgo turned her love for contemporary cruising into a $2 million a year business. Leveraging Avoya’s Live Leads™ program, group space, and Avoya exclusive deals, Janel has built an award-winning, top producing business.

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Avoya travel names phil cappelli as chief sales officer.

Avoya Creates New Executive Leadership Role to Further Drive Growth and Opportunity

Phil Cappelli Headshot

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avoya Travel ® , one of the travel industry’s most innovative brands, is thrilled to announce the engagement of Phil Cappelli as the company’s Chief Sales Officer (CSO). The addition of Cappelli, a highly respected executive leader across the travel industry, will propel Avoya’s ascension as it continues to deliver record-breaking results. The CSO role is a new addition to Avoya’s Strategic Leadership Team and demonstrates Avoya’s forward-thinking ambitions and tremendous opportunities for top-tier talent in the travel industry.

Cappelli’s stellar reputation, relationships, and experience will play a pivotal role in ensuring Avoya continues to flourish in an evolving marketplace. As CSO, Cappelli will lead and accelerate the growth of the company through the planning and execution of high-growth initiatives such as expanding the company’s Independent Agency Network, deepening partnerships with suppliers, opening doors for the company to make strategic acquisitions, and developing the products and services that set Avoya apart. Cappelli will oversee an extensive team of over 100 employees including Steve Hirshan, Senior Vice President of Sales; Ashley Hunter, Senior Vice President of Partnerships; and their respective teams.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Phil to the Avoya Team and this marks another significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence,” said Jeff Anderson, Co-CEO of Avoya Travel. “His unmatched qualifications and extensive experience will enhance operations and expand what we can deliver to travelers, Independent Agencies, and suppliers. Phil’s past accomplishments and future potential put him in a category of one and I have no doubt he will embody Avoya’s culture of excellence as he boldly pursues the vast ambitions we share together.”

Cappelli enters his new role with 25 years of experience in the travel industry, most recently serving as the Senior Vice President, Preferred Partnerships at Signature Travel Network. Prior to that, he held the position of USA President at Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold, as well as a number of management roles at Tauck World Discovery. Cappelli earned his Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Mount Ida College. Originally hailing from Wilton, Connecticut, he lives in Belleair, Florida with his wife and their three children.

“I am incredibly optimistic about what the future holds for Avoya Travel and am absolutely thrilled to take on the newly created position of Chief Sales Officer,” said Cappelli. “Avoya’s peerless innovation, best-in-class marketing and technology capabilities, and pristine reputation in the industry made the opportunity a perfect fit. I’m honored to play a role in Avoya’s long-term plans for aggressive expansion and look forward to working with all of the exceptionally talented staff, Independent Agencies, and suppliers that make up the Avoya Family.”

Cappelli’s appointment comes as Avoya continues to see historic growth across its platform. Avoya recently announced that year-over-year bookings have increased by an impressive 78% from January to July when compared with 2022. Contributing to this growth is Avoya’s increasing investment in its people, leadership, and the development of talent from within the company to promote innovation in the future of vacation planning.

To learn more visit: www.AvoyaNetwork.com

About Avoya Travel Avoya Travel ® is a vacation platform company which is redefining how vacations are booked by providing unmatched resources, services, proprietary technology, and patented solutions to thousands of companies including cruise lines, tour companies, resorts, and the Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network. Through its innovative model and vast demand channels, Avoya utilizes powerful marketing technology and data intelligence, alongside its patented Live Leads™ program, to connect travelers with independent travel advisors who deliver personalized service and value throughout the vacation planning and booking process. Avoya continues to develop groundbreaking technology solutions to offer travelers access to exclusive discounts and amenities in partnership with travel suppliers. Avoya has won numerous awards for its technology and services, including holding multiple patents, and serves travelers in North America and beyond.

With the increasing complexities of planning and booking vacations, the travel agency profession has experienced an extraordinary comeback. Professionals interested in starting their own travel business should contact Avoya Travel at 800-521-2597 or visit  www.AvoyaNetwork.com . Travelers interested in booking their next vacation with an expert Independent Agency in the Avoya Network should call 800-753-1463 or visit  www.AvoyaTravel.com .

Media Contact: [email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5701325b-a633-4b8f-8a49-0a723e52b623

How to get free WiFi in Moscow

Moscow is the largest city of Russia and holds a prominent place in the country as the main economic, cultural, political andresearch centre.

There couldn’t be a better spot to spend your vacations than the artful city of Moscow; the reasons being many but the major one for being among one of the cities where free WiFi connections are blessed. The city being vastly connected to the World through various international airports and railways has an amazingly extensive internet connection around the city for the tourists who might want an access to the media zone as well as to their social network, but would appreciate to cut back on those awful internet charges, while delighting in the beauties of this city like Moscow Kremlin orIntourist Hotel Volgograd.

Moscow had been ranked as one an alpha global city streaming with countless tourists all-round the year, hencefinding free WiFi is not as difficult as it might sound. The capital of Russia has been conveniently blessed with 1178 free WiFi hotspots including various restaurants, coffeehouses, pubs, hotels; and quite surprisingly yet delightfully enough, these free WiFi connections are in access to public transportation, parklands, Moscow metro buses and many such open places where tourists and locals alike, pass through frequently and would want to enjoy their meals or coffees while posting check ins and photos for their Facebook circle!

The main internet service provider within the entire city is Beeline, Megafon and MTS. If curious about the connection’s security with respect to your personal details, for that is quite natural, have a look at the related websites and find out the best tariffs.

However, in the historical Moscow city, free wireless connections is operative only through the Beeline which is readily spread in many areas of the city. The only effort you need to put in is connect to the internet by the name of “Beeline WiFi” or “Beeline WiFi WPA “and experiment around a bit like putting up your laptop on the window-sill for a few minutes, orswinging around the mobile phone in blank airuntil you start getting a stable reception; and you’re all good to go. Beeline WiFi is the only service provider if you are travelling a bus or a trolleybus, which is quite common in Russia. Moreover, 300 routers providing free internet access have been allocated on public transportation. Another free WiFi arrangement could be leisurely enjoyed while moving in and out of the city through Moscow’s underground Metro system.As of now, MTS has taken the initiative to equip four out of fourteen  Moscow metro stations in the city, erasing off all that weariness of a subway, and what’s more; the data transfer is estimated to be more than 100Mb/s per train!

Fortunately, there are various places in Moscow covered soundly with commercial WiFi network, where you could freely relax, sipping on those savory Mors with your laptop connecting you to the social webs or checking up on your mails and letting you keep track of this fast-paced modern world that would definitely help in easily recording and creating a memorable travelogue.

• Contributed to TheBackpackers by ‘StagHorn’; contact him here .

Most Beautiful Metro Stations in Moscow

Visiting Moscow? Get yourself a metro card and explore Moscow’s beautiful metro stations. Moscow’s world-famous metro system is efficient and a great way to get from A to B. But there is more to it; Soviet mosaic decorations, exuberant halls with chandeliers, colourful paintings and immense statues. Moscow’s metro is an attraction itself, so take half a day and dive into Moscow’s underground!

The best thing to do is to get on the brown circle (number 5) line since the most beautiful metro stations are situated on this line. The only exception is the metro stop Mayakovskaya one the green line (number 2). My suggestion is to get a map, mark these metro stops on there and hop on the metro. It helps to get an English > Russian map to better understand the names of the stops. At some of the metro stops, the microphone voice speaks Russian and English so it’s not difficult at all.

Another thing we found out, is that it’s worth taking the escalator and explore the other corridors to discover how beautiful the full station is.

Quick hotel suggestion for Moscow is the amazing Brick Design Hotel .

These are my favourite metro stations in Moscow, in order of my personal preference:

1. Mayakovskaya Station

The metro station of Mayakovskaya looks like a ballroom! Wide arches, huge domes with lamps and mosaic works make your exit of the metro overwhelming. Look up and you will see the many colourful mosaics with typical Soviet pictures. Mayakovskaya is my personal favourite and is the only stop not on the brown line but on the green line.

2. Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya metro station is famous for its yellow ceiling. An average museum is nothing compared to this stop. Splendour all over the place, black and gold, mosaic – again – and enormous chandeliers that made my lamp at home look like a toy.

3. Novoslobodskaya Station

The pillars in the main hall of Novoslobodskaya metro station have the most colourful stained glass decorations. The golden arches and the golden mosaic with a naked lady holding a baby in front of the Soviet hammer and sickle, make the drama complete.

4. Prospect Mira Station

The beautiful chandeliers and the lines in the ceiling, make Prospekt Mira an architectural masterpiece.

5. Belorusskaya Station

Prestigious arches, octagonal shapes of Socialistic Soviet Republic mosaics. The eyecatcher of Belorusskaya metro station, however, is the enormous statue of three men with long coats, holding guns and a flag.

6. Kiyevskaya Station

The metro station of Kiyevskaya is a bit more romantic than Belorusskaya and Prospect Mira. Beautiful paintings with classical decorations.

7. Taganskaya Station

At the main hall Taganskaya metro station you will find triangle light blue and white decorations that are an ode to various Russians that – I assume – are important for Russian history and victory. There is no need to explore others halls of Taganskaya, this is it.

8. Paveletskaya Station

Another and most definitely the less beautiful outrageous huge golden mosaic covers one of the walls of Paveletskaya. I would recommend taking the escalator to the exit upstairs to admire the turquoise dome and a painting of the St Basil’s Cathedral in a wooden frame.

Travelling with Moscow’s metro is inexpensive. You can have a lot of joy for just a few Rubbles.

• 1 single journey: RMB 50 – € 0,70
• 1 day ticket: RMB 210 – € 2,95

Like to know about Moscow, travelling in Russia or the Transsiberian Train journey ? Read my other articles about Russia .

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Wow! It is beautiful. I am still dreaming of Moscow one day.

It’s absolutely beautiful! Moscow is a great city trip destination and really surprised me in many ways.

My partner and I did a self guided Moscow Metro tour when we were there 2 years ago. So many breathtaking platforms…I highly recommend it! Most of my favorites were along the Brown 5 line, as well. I also loved Mayakovskaya, Arbatskaya, Aleksandrovski Sad and Ploshchad Revolyutsii. We’re heading back in a few weeks and plan to do Metro Tour-Part 2. We hope to see the #5 stations we missed before, as well as explore some of the Dark Blue #3 (Park Pobedy and Slavyansky Bul’var, for sure), Yellow #8 and Olive #10 platforms.

That’s exciting Julia! Curious to see your Metro Tour-Part 2 experience and the stations you discovered.

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Travel & Food, Itineraries & Guides, Hotel Reviews

The Perfect Itinerary for Russia – St. Petersburg to Moscow in One Week

May 31, 2018 by Bino 7 Comments

Given the vastness of Russia, a visitor can come here for any number of days and find that they’ve barely scratched the surface of what this northern country has to offer. A cross country trip would easily entail a medium-haul flight so it is perhaps not surprising that most visitors concentrate in the main touristic centers between St. Petersburg and Moscow, the capital. If you are visiting Russia and have around one week to spare, here is a suggested itinerary for you to follow.

Table of Contents

Day 1 – St. Petersburg

exterior of the hermitage

You could start in St. Petersburg or Moscow, it doesn’t really matter. During my trip, I entered Russia via St. Petersburg. One of the most visually stunning cities in Europe, St. Petersburg was the capital during the Tsarist era when Russia was still a monarchy. Today, remnants of these imperial splendors are very much evident through the baroque and neoclassical architecture within the city center.

Tip: Much of St. Petersburg’s historic center is comprised of small islands connected by drawbridges. These are drawn daily from around 1:20AM until just before day break. If you find yourself in one of these islands during the wee hours of the morning, you might end up getting stuck until sunrise so be mindful of the schedule.

Obtain your bearings at the Hermitage (skip queues and purchase discounted tickets here ) which houses a massive collection of art from around the world. This museum houses works by Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Leonardo da Vinci among others. When visiting the Hermitage, it is advisable to purchase a ticket online to avoid the long queues. If possible, ask a local to help you book or get the hotel concierge to help you in order to buy at a cheaper rate from the Russian language version of the website. If you are a real museum buff, you can easily devote a today exploring the many nooks and crannies but if like me, you are a casual visitor then 2 hours should be enough.

A lunch option I would recommend is Duo Gastrobar (8A Kirochnaya Street, +78129945443). Do call in advance to reserve a table. My favorites include the beef tartar and crunchy pork ribs.

After having your fill in the museum, head to the St. Petersburg Mosque . Built in the Uzbek style, the mosque was patterned after the tomb of Tamerlane in Samarkand. It was closed during the communist era until Sukarno, the former president of Indonesia, requested it to be reopened during a state visit to Russia.

From the mosque, it is just a short walk to the Peter and Paul Fortress . The impressive complex houses a church containing the tombs of Russia’s czars. Entrance is free though you need to pay admission to enter some of the churches.

views of st. petersburg from the observation deck of st. isaac’s cathedral

Head back to the historic center by late afternoon to admire the low-rise skyline of St. Petersburg from the observation deck of the St. Isaac’s Cathedral . From there, it is a short walk to Gorokhovaya Street , the hipster district of the city. It would well be dinner time by the time you get here. A restaurant I highly recommend is Clean Plates Society  (13 Gorokhovaya Street) with its delicious array of steaks, burgers and even local food.

Day 2 – Peterhof and Pushkin

The two main day trips from St. Petersburg that most visitors take are Peterhof and Pushkin for the splendid palaces found in these towns. Peterhof (discounted tickets here ) is known for the Russian-style Versailles that was built during the reign of Peter the Great. While it is possible to enter the palace, the highlight is undoubtedly the gardens featuring a cascade with golden statues and chessboard flooring. Allow at least a few hours to soak in the grandoisity of the lanscaped areas.

From Peterhof, you can easily take an UBER to Pushkin which is home to the Catherine Palace.

Day 3 – St. Petersburg

church of the savior on spilled blood

This day can be spent visiting the attractions you missed out during the previous days. A stroll through the main drag, Nevsky Prospekt , is worthwhile for the stunning architecture. You will also encounter the Kazan Cathedral and the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood . The latter is highly recommended and well-worth the admission to enter. The interiors are as stunning as the colorful bulbous domes you see from the outside.

Although not typically included in the standard tour of St. Petersburg, a visit to Yusupov Palace is a must. Historically, the house is known as the place where Rasputin was murdered but the interiors offer a peek at how late 19th/early 20th century Russian nobility lived. The palace has plenty of impressive rooms including the Moroccan-inspired drawing room and the humongous theater.

For lunch, I suggest heading to Restaurant Schengen (5 Kirochnaya Street), a casual cafe with everything from risotto to open-faced sandwiches in a cozy atmosphere. The tables facing the floor-to-ceiling windows are the best. This is a great place to visit for lunch as you get 20% off until 4pm if coming during a weekday.

The rest of the day can be spent strolling around the historic center to admire the many churches, palaces and museums or if you’re done with St. Petersburg, hop on a train or plane to Moscow.

Day 4 – Moscow (Kremlin, Red Square and Tverskaya Street)

The frenetic megacity that is the capital of Russia could not be more different than St. Petersburg. Moscow is Europe’s largest cities and its many ring roads personally give off reminders of other megacities such as Beijing. With gnarling traffic and an overwhelming road network, Moscow takes time to appreciate.

moscow kremlin

Start your trip in Moscow by visiting the Kremlin (discounted tickets here ). This is Russia’s seat of government and houses a number of churches and an armory aside from the parliament buildings and the president’s residence. You will need to book way in advance if you wish to enter.

gum department store

From the Kremlin, it is a short walk to the Red Square where Moscow’s famous military parades are held. During normal days, it gets overcrowded with tourists scrambling to get a shot of the colorful  St. Basil’s Cathedral . The nearby Lenin’s Mausoleum has free admission and is opened daily except for Sundays, Mondays and Fridays. Venture into the upscale GUM with its impressive architecture. The caviar shop at the ground floor is a popular place to bring pack some premium gifts for loved ones. For a bird’s eye view of the city, head up to the rooftop bar of Ritz Carlton Moscow called O2 Lounge . The drinks and bar food are pricey but the views are sublime.

saxon and parole moscow

Walk up Tverskaya Street to do some window shopping. This is one of Moscow’s main shopping streets and you can easily spend hours here. End the day at Patriarch’s Ponds just west of Tverskaya. The area offers a slower pace of life than what its downtown location suggests and in recent years, has become a magnet for hipsters. You will find no shortage of hip and happening bars and restaurants in this area but one I would recommend is Saxon + Parole (12/9 Spiridon’yevskiy Pereulok ) .

Day 5 – Moscow

Walk by the riverside until you reach the Cathedral of Christ the Savior . This relatively new construct was rebuilt only in the 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union, with the original church blown up on Stalin’s orders. This is the tallest Orthodox church in the world. From the pedestrian bridge leading to it, you can get some sumptuous views of the Kremlin.

From the cathedral, take either bus #255 or M3 towards the direction of the Novodevichy Convent . Its location just next to a pond makes it a wonderful photo opp especially with the convent’s array of towers and bulbous domes.

the wooden palace at kolomenskoye park

Among Moscow’s many parks, my favorite (aside from Patriarsky Ponds) is Kolomenskoye Park . Make no mistake about it – this is not your ordinary walk in the park! What makes the place special is the fairy tale-like wooden palace that was originally constructed during the time of Tsar Alexis I. It subsequently fell into disrepair and the current one you see is a reconstruction from 2010. Apart from this palace, the Ascension Church located within the park is also worth a look. It has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To get here, the nearest train station is Kolomenskaya.

For dinner, check out Probka (2 Tsvetnoy Blvd, +7 495 995 9045), an award-winning Italian restaurant opened by celebrity chef Aram Mnatsakanov. If you are able to make it for lunch instead, you get 20% off from 11AM to 4PM.

Day 6 – Moscow (Exploring the Metro)

komsomolskaya metro station in moscow

A trip to Moscow is not complete without exploring its marvelous metro stations. Visiting these stations on your own can be daunting especially if you don’t know how to read the Cyrillic alphabet. The major stations near the tourist spots have Roman alphabet as well but those outside the center usually don’t.

You can easily spend half a day exploring the metro stations which have some distinctive designs but if you need to cut it down to a few, you’ll need to check out the following: Mayakovskaya Belorusskaya, Prospekt Mira, Novoslobodskaya and Komsomolskaya with the last one being the grandest of all.

izmailovo kremlin

One of the most outrageous examples I’ve seen of Russian architecture is the Izmailovo Kremlin located in the east. Although looking more like a theme park these days, the buildings inside are colorful and instagram-worthy. You’ll also find a wooden church within the complex.

flacon in moscow

To check out where Moscow’s hipsters hang out, you’ll need to venture to Flacon , a series of warehouse converted into shops, art galleries, cafes and clothing stores. You’ll find plenty of brands here that are sold nowhere else in the city. Alternatively, you can also trying making the trip to Vinzavod in the Basmany District for its eclectic art galleries.

One of the poshest places to eat in Moscow is Cafe Pushkin and this is where most high end tourists go but I would suggest going instead to Bolshoi Restaurant  (Petrovka Ulitsa) if you are seeking for a fine dining place. The food here is loads better and less pretentious. It’s also around 30% cheaper than Cafe Pushkin without scrimping on the ambiance.

Tips for Traveling Around Russia

• Learn Cyrillic – Russia’s alphabet is easy to learn and will help you loads as you decipher shop and restaurant names and most importantly, metro station signs.
• Travel insurance – Depending on the trip, I may or may not buy travel insurance. If I am going for a short eating trip in Kuala Lumpur, I don’t but in the case of Russia where it’s a long trip in an exotic country, I decided to buy one. I usually buy here as it allows me to compare between insurance providers and I also get vouchers with each purchase.
• Use metro cards – Getting the metro cards in cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg will save you lots when it comes to transport cost and is far more convenient than buying tickets on the spot. For places that are not covered by the metro, you can consider ride-sharing apps like UBER.

Where to Stay in Russia

St. Petersburg – The Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg Ligovsky is very convenient with its located just across one of the biggest shopping malls in St. Petersburg. Nevsky Prospekt is also just a short walk away. Rooms are decked in palatial decor without losing out on modern creature comforts. Prices are also reasonable.

Moscow – I particularly liked the InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya  as the service there was the best I’ve encountered in an InterContinental hotel. Breakfast is overwhelming with plenty of choices while the location right smack in Tversakaya and a short walk from bus stops and the metro makes commuting extremely easy.

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Hi, my name is Bino and I started I Wander around 15 years ago with the aim of sharing about some of my personal journeys and experiences, hoping that the information may benefit readers like yourselves. Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below. Alternatively, you can also email me at b i n o (at) iwandered.net. You can follow I Wander on Facebook , Telegram , or Instagram . Also, if you liked this article, please feel free to SHARE or RETWEET

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June 1, 2018 at 9:21 am

Someday, maybe someday, I would like to visit there by train..!!! Thanks for sharing, B~*

August 10, 2018 at 9:54 am

I read your blog on Russia, it was wonderful and the photos you have taken was beautiful too!! May I know which month you went to Russia as I read somewhere you mentioned raining. It will be my 1st time going Russia and am super excited to start planning for my trip which is early June next year, hopefully the weather is cooling and not hot.

By the way, how do you travel from Moscow to St Petersburg? By train or by air plane?? So it is a must learn how to read cyrillic alphabet before going to Russia? As there isn’t any English words at at the metro station etc.

Oh lastly is there any special local food or dessert to recommend that is a must eat when you are at Russia?

Sorry for asking you lots of question and hope to hear from you soon.

August 10, 2018 at 10:00 am

Hi, I visited in June. I did not travel Moscow – St. Petersburg. I actually went to Kazan in between so my route was St. Petersburg – Kazan – Moscow. For these, I went by plane all the way.

Learning Cyrillic is not a must but would be extremely helpful. It is easy to learn anyway. There aren’t English words at the metro stations except for the ones located in the tourist areas.

Recommended food – balaclava, borsch, caviar. The food in Russia is quite good – especially their interpretation of Western European cuisine!

August 10, 2018 at 10:16 am

Hi Bino, thanks for your prompt reply. Ok noted that you did not travel Moscow – St. Petersburg =) Hmm…ok I will go learn Cyrillic and thanks for the food recommendation. Shall go and check it out!! Oh so in June how was the temperature like? 15 – 20 degrees celsius??

April 3, 2019 at 7:11 pm

Hi Bino – We are two old retirees thinking of going to Russia and the Baltic states on our own..and accidentally came across your blog..and we were excited that you are from Singapore.

We are just wondering how to apply the Russian visa and the Tourist Invitation letter from Singapore. We saw a number of the agents and are they reputable and trustworthy.

We really appreciate your response. Thanking you in anticipation of your reply.

May 24, 2019 at 11:26 pm

I my wife and daughter planning to visit moscow and spb. Fr 15 july to 24 july. I did not book anything . Can you tell me the names of any government tourist offices in moscow and spb with address and contact no. Can i get gIde book and metro map from them.

March 21, 2020 at 10:57 pm

Hi there! your blog provides so many good recommendations! can i ask how do you apply for the visa? did get an invitation letter from any tour agency?

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Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

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Home » Prices and Trans-Siberian Tickets » Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

Ticket prices for the Trans-Siberian Railway also depend on the current ruble exchange rate.

Is the Trans-Siberian Railway expensive?

Before starting on your Trans-Siberian Railway adventure you naturally want to know what the entire trip will cost. Although this sounds like a simple question, it is pretty difficult to answer. The Trans-Siberian Railway price of travel depends on the following factors:

• Which travel class do I want to use? The price for a first class ticket is about three times the price of a 3rd class ticket
• Am I willing to buy the tickets myself and assume responsibility for the organisation of the trip?
• How many stopovers do I want to make? The more breaks, the higher the total price.
• What sort of accommodation do I want? Will it be a luxury hotel or will a hostel dormitory be sufficient?
• What tours and excursions would I like to go on?
• What is the current exchange rate for rubles?

Basically, everything from a luxury to a budget holiday is available. If you buy yourself a 3rd Class nonstop ticket at the counter, a few hundred Euros will cover the price. All you will experience is a week on the Trans-Siberian train and will see nothing of the cities on the way. There is, however, any amount of room for upward expansion. Everyone makes different choices about which aspects they are willing to spend money on. I personally prefer to save money on accommodation and railcar class, visit as many cities and do as many trips as possible. To enable better classification of your travel expenses I have contrasted two typical traveler types. In the third column you can calculate the total cost of your own journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that these are only rough estimations and not exact prices.

The all-in costs seem fairly high at first. However, they cover everything and it is quite a long journey taking four weeks. Many people forget to consider that when looking at the list. We should also deduct the running costs for food and leisure at home. I think most visitors to this page will classify themselves somewhere between the two categories, that is around the € 2,000 – € 2,500 range. When comparing these prices with other travel packages, you get the impression that it is hardly worthwhile travelling individually on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that most packages last no more than 14 days and you are herded like cattle through the most beautiful locations.

If you spend less time on the Trans-Siberian Railway you will, of course, pay less. I chose this particular travel length because I prefer not to do things by halves. If you fulfill your dream of travelling on the Trans-Siberian Railway, enjoy it and don’t rush things. But it’s up to you, of course. Try playing around with the form a bit to find the appropriate price for your trip.

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