Latest News, Offerings From Hawaii Tour Operators

It's been a week full of news and offerings from some of Hawaii's most notable tour operators and Travel Agent is here to break it all down. 

Pleasant Holidays Promotes Kim Daley, Reorganizes Sales Team

Pleasant Holidays announced this week four strategic company promotions in a reorganization of its sales team. This shakeup is part of Pleasant’s long-term strategic plan for its four brands (Pleasant Holidays, Journese, Pleasant Activities and Air by Pleasant) and its travel agency partners.

Leading the promotions is Kim Daley who will step up as the senior vice president of sales strategy. Daley previously served as the vice president and managing director of the Journese luxury brand since 2010. As part of her new role, Daley will be responsible for the sales of all Pleasant Holidays brands. Key focus areas will include growing existing relationships with national account partners and strategic growth through new business acquisition.

Jeff Petus will act as senior director of sales. As part of this role, he will lead the activities of Pleasant Holidays’ nationwide team of business development managers (BDMs) as well as the inside sales support team. His new focus will be on selling all brands to all retail travel agencies with targeted strategies for home based agents.

Chanda Vudmaska, new director of national account sales, will be responsible expanding key relationships with national account travel agency partners, working to enhance Pleasant Holidays’ position as a preferred supplier.

Rounding up the series of promotions is former Journese senior brand marketing manager Amy Comparato, who will now serve as brand director for Journese. As part of her new position, she will concentrate on the day-to-day management of sales, marketing, e-commerce and relationship management with key travel agency partners in the luxury travel segment with special attention to sales growth, product development and profitability. Visit www.PleasantAgent.com.

Travel Impressions Introduces Mobile-Friendly Digital Documents

Travel Impressions reports the introduction of its mobile-friendly Electronic Travel Documents (eDocs) system and Voucher-Free Travel program.

Launched last week, eDocs empowers agents and their customers with the flexibility of choosing mobile-friendly digital documentation while still providing the option for printed travel booklets.

Introduced in conjunction with eDocs, Travel Impressions’ new Voucher-Free Travel program eliminates of misplaced vouchers as clients can produce their paperwork on demand.

“eDocs and Voucher-Free Travel are more than just an environmentally friendly alternative to printed documents, they are tools which place everything clients need right at their fingertips,” said Tim Mullen, president and CEO of Travel Impressions.

Agents with clients who prefer the traditional printed materials will still have that option with no cost, Mullen said, but noted, “eDocs will more efficiently meet the needs of the tech-savvy traveler.” Visit www.TravelImpressions.com.

Blue Sky Tours' Free Hawaii Trip Contest Ends October 31

Blue Sky Tours' year-long educational program for agents about the Hawaiian Islands is winding down. Earlier in the year, Blue Sky Tours teamed up with the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau and some key hotel partners to offer an interactive training program for agents.

How to Play

1. Follow the program's teacher, "Kumu," a digital turtle, as he teaches you about the Hawaiian Islands. There will be a new lesson every month from now through October.

2. Take the related quiz after each lesson. All quizzes scoring 80 percent or better will be entered in a monthly drawing to win one of five $100 in Mahalo Money prizes. If you don't score 80 percent the first time, don't worry as you can take the quiz as often as you like.

3. Complete all the quizzes with scores of 80 percent or better. Note: you can go back and take previous months quizzes at any time.

4. Complete the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau’s Ke Kula O Hawaii Destination Specialist program and send a copy of your certificate to [email protected].

5. Upon completing all quizzes and the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau’s Destination Specialist program, you will be entered to win a spot on the Hawaiian Cultural Familiarization Trip hosted by Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau in December. Visit www.blueskytours.com.

Visit www.gohawaii.com