It was a relaxed evening of conversation and good food shared with good friends as Visit Portugal teamed up with Transat to showcase what both Portugal and Transat had to offer to Canadian travel advisors’ clients all year round.
Visit Portugal’s Director Canada, Ines Almeida Garrett and Transat’s Commercial Director, Julie Sareault and her team hosted the evening, welcoming a small group of VIP travel advisors to Chiado, in Toronto’s Little Portugal.
While Portugal has always been on the radar of Canadian travellers, it has become increasingly popular in the last few years as those look for something different in a vacation.
Visit Portugal’s Ines Almeida Garrett told Travel Press Today (TPT) that in the last couple of years, the numbers out of Canada have been good, growing between 5% to 10% in both bed nights and guests.
Outdoor activities, local culture, history, food, wine, walking, cycling, sun, beaches and lots more can be found in Portugal’s main regions that include North, Centre, Lisbon and the Tagus Valley, Alentejo and Algarve, as well as the Azores and Madeira – with each one of these regions providing visitors with something unique.
Visitor Portugal’s Canadian Director also told TPT that long-stay holidays in Portugal were becoming increasingly popular with Canadians as they look to the destination for its fine weather and wealth of activities.
Transat’s Julie Sareault offered the gathering a little history, telling them that Air Transat was officially designated to serve Portugal and operate scheduled international flights back on May 21, 2002.
Said Sareault: “This marked the beginning of a long and successful relationship with a destination that has since become one of the most important and cherished in our network.”
Talking with TPT, Sareault said that Portugal has been “a strong seller” for Transat, which offers a range of programs to the destination, including long stays and serves Lisbon, Porto and Faro.
From YYZ Air Transat flies year-round to :
- Faro (Algarve region) 2 weekly direct flights in winter & 3 weekly direct flights in the summer
- Lisbon 3 weekly direct flights in winter & 5 weekly direct flights in the summer
- Porto 2 weekly flights in winter & 5 weekly direct flights
The company offers packages to Lisbon, Porto, and to Faro in the Algarve.
Sareault said that Faro is a region that: “Our customers absolutely adore. We take great pride in our carefully curated hotel partners, our thoughtfully designed itineraries, and of course the warm, friendly onboard service that Air Transat is known for. All together, it’s a combination we work hard to deliver so that our guests enjoy the very best possible experience when traveling to Portugal.”
As well, Transat offers 2-, 3- and 4-week packages in Portugal, catering to the growing demand in the Canadian market for long stay vacations.
Sareault also noted that Transat’s “Our Portugal your Way” provides a more “at leisure” pace and appeals to couples, families or traveling with friends.
She continued: “Our popular multi-city packages Lisbon to Porto / Porto to Lisbon both 9 days, 7 nights stays, 7 meals and include train transportation between both cities are perfect for travelers wanting to discover Portugal for the first time at an affordable price.”
To check out what Transat has to offer in Portugal, CLICK HERE.
As for the message that Ines Almeida Garrett delivered to the advisors attending it was a big thank for their support and their recommendation of Portugal to their clients.
