This year’s AIC Hotel Group Showstopper Awards, a three-day extravaganza held earlier this month at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, was an event travel advisor Melissa Varela circled on her calendar quite some time ago.
“I always look forward to the AIC Showstopper Awards — it’s the only event where you truly party like a rockstar,” said Varela, who is the president and CEO of Modern Romance Travel in San Ramon, Calif. “AIC always pulls out all the stops. Showstoppers is an event advisors really strive for and want to attend because they know it’s going to be over-the-top amazing.”
Hosting more than 200 of its top-producing travel advisors from the U.S. and Canada, the 2023 rendition of the annual AIC event featured a lively collection of themed parties, punctuated with plenty of downtime for beach or pool time and rejuvenating spa sessions.
The shimmer-and-shine Showstopper Awards evening, meanwhile, offered advisors a chance to step out in their glittering finest to enjoy a cocktail gala and opulent dinner before taking the stage to collect their top-selling honors and hardware. The night wrapped up with an electric afterparty celebration, capped off with a performance by R&B performer Sean Kingston.
The 2023 Showstopper Awards wrapped with an afterparty.
Credit: 2023 Shane Nelson“We make it fun,” said Ash Tembe, AIC’s vice president of global field sales, who acknowledged that several travel companies host awards events annually for advisors. “We just try to make ours really different. There's always a lot of music infused throughout, and we do a concert with an artist every single year."
Karen Rose, owner of Legendary World Travel by Karen in Anacortes, Wash., gave this year’s Showstopper Awards high marks.
“Every year is fabulous,” Rose said with a chuckle. “AIC puts on a great event for us, and they do their best recognizing us. … It makes you say, ‘They see me, and they value me.’ Everybody likes that."
How to Become a Top Seller
Rose took home platinum agent honors during this year’s Showstopper Awards ceremony, and she said familiarizing herself firsthand with AIC Hotel Group products was critical to her sales strategy.
“I've been to all of their properties,” Rose said, noting she puts reward points earned from her AIC bookings toward those stays. “I stay there, and I taste the food. I see how the service is. I see what activities they have going on, and I try to immerse myself just like any other guest. I really don’t sell what I don’t know.”
I stay there, and I taste the food. I see how the service is. I see what activities they have going on, and I try to immerse myself just like any other guest.
Modern Romance’s Varela, who took home triple platinum honors and was a top-five U.S. wedding producer, agreed that extensive product knowledge is vital, but she also pointed toward building trust with clients as a crucial component of her success.
This year’s Showstopper Awards was held at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya.
Credit: 2023 AIC Hotel Group“Clients have choices,” Varela explained. “We want our clients to feel confident that if they choose to work with us, they know we have their best interests in mind.”
Both advisors insisted strong industry partnerships are extremely important, and Rose noted that’s an area where she feels AIC excels with its team of business development managers (BDMs).
I don't want to be left in a lurch and not have support from my BDM. If something is going wrong, I want somebody on the other end to really support me and help me support my client.
“For me, BDM relationships are really important — they’re make or break,” Rose explained. “I don't want to be left in a lurch and not have support from my BDM. If something is going wrong, I want somebody on the other end to really support me and help me support my client. To me, that relationship is very, very important.”
Sales Are Strong, But Mexico Costs Are Increasing
Overseeing sales and marketing for Hard Rock Hotels, Eden Roc, Nobu Hotels and Unico 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya, AIC Hotel Group has properties in the U.S., Mexico and the Dominican Republic, and Tembe said his company’s performance so far this year has been terrific.
Mexico used to always be a far cheaper all-inclusive way to go, but prices have started to climb.
“Remember, 2022 was a fantastic year, and we're pacing about the same right now,” Tembe said. “So, it should be another great year.”
Rose and Varela, meanwhile, both sell a great deal of romance travel and weddings in tropical locations, and while each noted their Mexico business has been strong thus far in 2023, they each have seen bookings dip some year over year to that destination.
“One of the reasons why wedding guests are hesitant to commit to the trip is because of the rising cost of airfare to Mexico,” Varela said.
Increasing costs within Mexico are also impacting Rose’s business.
“Mexico used to always be a far cheaper all-inclusive way to go, but prices have started to climb,” Rose explained. “The difference between Mexico and some place like St. Lucia isn't as great as it used to be. And some people are deciding it’s okay to go to St. Lucia. It's okay to go to Antigua or Aruba or Curacao and those places that have, in my mind, always been way more expensive than Mexico. Now, they're still more expensive, but not by as much.”
