Last month, travel advisors, suppliers and ALGVacations (ALGV) team members gathered in Cancun for the 2024 Ascend Conference. During the event, ALGV reiterated its ongoing commitment to supporting advisors through operational improvements, expanded product offerings and continued education.
"ALGVacations is committed to enhancing support for travel advisors and is prioritizing their feedback in planning for 2025,” said Jacki Marks, global head of trade brands for the company. “This includes hiring additional U.S.-based support staff — and prioritizing advisor calls in their call centers — and a dedicated team focusing on New Distribution Capability integration.”
ALGV's Ray Snisky (third from left) and Jacki Marks (fourth from left) shared news about operational improvements, expanded product offerings and continued education.
Credit: 2024 ALGVacations
To further enhance advisor support and streamline the booking process in 2025, ALGV is developing Virtual Assistant capabilities to provide on-demand assistance with ALGV bookings. Named Amelia, the Virtual Assistant will complement the customer care team and is expected to be “the kindest AI assistant of its kind,” according to Marks.
Advisors also learned about two additional AI tools: a Shopping Assistant chat-based bot designed to help customers find vacation packages and an Itinerary Generator to help advisors plan client activities in a destination. Ray Snisky, group president for ALGV, also announced a multimillion-dollar investment in the brand’s VAX platform.
Expanding Product Offerings in 2025
Next year, ALGV plans to expand Luxe by ALGVacations, a curated collection of 450 luxury hotels worldwide (including Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton properties), which offers exclusive client amenities such as early check-in and spa credits, in addition to a dedicated advisor concierge desk.
"Since its launch [in 2024], the program has seen impressive growth, and ALGV expects that momentum to continue,” Marks said. “This program not only adds an elevated hospitality experience to its portfolio; it also opens access to new destinations that are increasingly in demand among travelers, particularly in Europe.”
Marks notes that more than 10,000 agents booked European packages with ALGV this past year. As a result, the company has plans to expand its European offerings, ensuring travel advisors have options for any clients looking to experience new destinations, multi-destination itineraries and pre- or post-cruise extensions.
While Europe consistently appeals to high-value travelers looking for elevated experiences, ALGV also promoted all-inclusive options in destinations such as Spain and Portugal. The company plans to build on that type of “value product” in 2025.
“As ALGV expands its European offerings, we are equally committed to enhancing advisor resources and education in the region to ensure they are well-equipped for success,” Marks said.
And while ALGV continues to lead in Mexico and the Caribbean, the brand is also seeking opportunities to diversify its destination portfolio and, in particular, capitalize on increased interest in destinations such as Dubai and the Maldives.
ALGVPro Active
ALGVacations recently launched ALGVPro Active, an updated “refresher course” to its 2022 ALGVPro program, designed to keep travel advisors "in the know" about the company's latest updates and enhancements, plus new programs and booking tools.
Sample courses include an overview of the new Luxe by ALGVacations program, how to use the Group Customization Tool and updates to ALGV's 2025 Exclusive Nonstop Vacation Flight (ENVFs).
The Key to the World Travel team at Ascend: Leah Ferguson, Jeff Williams, Heather Straight and Erin Jensen
Credit: 2024 Leah Ferguson"One of the first things we ask our advisors to do is to take ALGVPro training,” said Leah Ferguson, a travel advisor and educational development director for Key to the World Travel, who attended the Ascend conference. “The more we can have a program or supplier in our minds, the more likely we are to use them, so having the ALGVPro refresher is not only a great way to keep our brand knowledge current, but also keeps them on the forefront of our minds — and continuing education is always a bonus in my book.”
The new component of the self-paced, on-demand online education program does not require advisors to revisit past courses but instead features short modules covering new updates since their last certification. ALGVPro-certified advisors can earn two Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by completing ALGVPro Active.
The content covered in ALGVPro Active was rolled into the main certification on Oct. 1. Advisors who are not yet certified simply need to complete that core curriculum to gain ALGVPro-certified status and eligibility for benefits.
