It was tri-celebration for TravelManagers on the final day of the group’s annual three-day conference held in Adelaide this weekend.
Bringing days of supplier meetings, keynote/motivational speeches and information updates to a satisfying end, the group of agents cheered with delight when Executive General Managers closed the formal part off the conference by revealing that in 2016 the annual gathering will be held in… Thailand.
Although the specific location in Thailand is yet-to-be confirmed, Gazal said head office will work closely with the Thailand Authority of Thailand (TAT) to find the right location.
Speaking of TAT, they graciously offered to sponsor the home-based agency’s Gala Awards Night – which brings us to the second big celebration.
Held in the ballroom at the Adelaide Conference Centre, some 270 agents and key suppliers dressed in their best to find out who the best of the best were in the TravelManagers group during he 2014/15 year.
Comedian and ventriloquist Darren Carr hosted the event and kept attendees in stitches with his cheeky humour and his human doll.
That’s right, human doll.
Poor Tim from Air New Zealand was dragged up on stage and turned into Carr’s very own puppet. Carr talked on Tim’s behalf and even dressed him in Elvis gear to perform ‘Love Me Tender’.
It was hilarious.
The laughter continued when the guys from TravelManagers’ head office gave a big thank you to their consultants for all their hard work over the last year. This involved the management team breaking out into their annual flashmob.
This year, the guys and gals kept it funky with a well-choreographed performance to Mark Ronson’s ‘Uptown Funk’.
Check it out below.
TravelManagers flash-mobOnly at a TravelManagers Australia Conference do the guys from head office break out into a flash-mob dance.
Posted by KarryOn on Sunday, August 30, 2015
Awards and entertainment aside, TravelManagers took time out to celebrate one major milestone during its Gala Night, the company’s 10th anniversary.
To commemorate a decade of making people’s travel dreams come true, Gazal called upon the longest-serving PTM, Lisa Metzl, to cut a generous sized cake.
Congratulations to TravelManagers for building the business from 40 PTMs to over 400 in ten years.
Also a big congratulations to these PTMs for their hard work and success over the last year:
Inaugural Dedication Award: Lisa Metzl
New PTM Awards: WA/SA – Carl Retschlag; VIC/TAS – Mark Devers; QLD/NT – Shani Driver; NSW/ACT – Jason Smith; Nationally: Mark Devers.
Favourite Supplier to Work With: Qantas Holidays
Most Improved Personal TM by State: WA/SA: Barbara Turner; VIC/TAS: Melanie Whyte; QLD/NT: James Hermiston; NSW/ACT: Jennifer Dwyer; and Nationally: Melanie Whyte.
Innovation in Marketing aka the Clovermark Award: Simon Tinkler
TravelManagers Support Award– Jose Canas
Top Personal Travel Managers: WA/SA: Barbara Turner; VIC/TAS: Rebecca Crosbie; QLD/NT: James Hermiston; and NSW/ACT: Roc Pattaro.
Advocate Award: Melanie Carter
Recognition Award: Melanie Whyte
Best Customer Service Award for 2015: Karen Farley
Choice Award: Luke Vaughan
Spirit Award: Nicole Edgar
PTM Top 10: David Hull; James Hermiston; John Gazal; John Lengacher; Lea Burford; Maria Miller; Rebecca Cosbie; Ric Pattaro; Barbara Turner; and JP Boutefeu.
PTM of the Year: Rebecca Cosbie