Alex Sharpe, president and CEO of Signature Travel Network, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how his travel agency cooperative successfully got through the COVID pandemic and how its helping its agency members meet the new challenges they face as the travel business returns with a vengeance and bookings soar. For more information, visit www.signaturetravelnetwork.com.
Signature Travel Network has brought together 435 agency owners, preferred partners, and travel industry leaders for its annual Owners’ Meeting from September 14-17 at the JW Marriott Nashville. Members attending include 35 of the 39 agencies that joined Signature since the last in-person Owners’ Meeting in 2019.
The three-day conference, which is taking place Sept. 14-17 at JW Marriott Nashville, brought together 435 industry professionals, marking the first in-person Owner’s Meeting since 2019’s event in Austin, Texas. In addition to member-only meetings, the members attended general sessions and were able to network and explore Music City with dinners at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Signature Travel Network has announced that Karryn Christopher, executive vice-president of preferred partnerships and marketing, has been named godmother of Viking Gersemi, one of Viking’s newest river ships. Christopher attended the naming ceremony held recently in Paris. The ceremony was also attended by several women who were named godmothers of other Viking ships. The celebration marked 25 years of sailing for the cruise line.
Signature Travel Network’s 2021 Conference kicked off on Wednesday, November 10, in Las Vegas. During the opening ceremony, Signature president and CEO Alex Sharpe told the 1,100 advisors (including over 400 first-time attendees) and nearly 600 supplier partners in attendance that “If there was ever a time to declare that we are ‘Signature Strong,’ is certainly now.?”
Andy Stuart, Norwegian Cruise Line's former CEO, told Signature Travel Network members to embrace the opportunities of the world's new normal rather than look for a return to the past. Speaking to Signature advisors virtually, Stuart said that the "the rebirth of the travel industry is coming."
With the surge of the delta variant in Hawaii forcing cancellation of its 2021 Owners’ Meeting, Signature Travel Network held the meeting virtually with hopes that this will be the last virtual gathering for the industry.
One year ago, scores of travel advisors responded to the CDC's request for public input on the resumption of cruising and told it that the cruise shutdown was a threat to their livelihood.
