With Martha Chapman
06DEC07
Jonathan Savedra, and Thomas Cook/MyTravel's Oilyan Yee Savedra
and Wayne Noseworthy
Ron Webb
Schmooze-a-thon
I sense there may be a few sore heads around the Greater Toronto Area this morning.
After all, how can you invite some 400 travel industry types to an edgy downtown club called Schmooze, put “from 6:00 to 1:00” on the invite, add music, great food and lots of adult beverages, and not have some casualties?
Must be the annual iTravel Christmas bash at which Jonathan Carroll and his team welcome not just industry honchos but the “regular” people like res agents, customer relations personnel and techies.
“It’s our 14th annual,” said the jovial Carroll, “And it’s a great opportunity to thank our partners for all their hard work and favours.” The hardest part, he admitted between animated chats with almost everyone in the room, is hanging in there for seven hours.
Thomas Cook/Sunquest’s Jill Wykes loves coming to these parties because “You see a lot of people – not just the execs and sales types. It’s always a great time to see people you used to know.” Sunwing’s Deana Murphy calls it “The party you don’t want to miss” while Signature’s Mike Price commented on the “lively company.” (And that was early on in the game!)
Sadly, 2007 marks the year when MyTravel has morphed into Thomas Cook, staunching speculation that Jonathan will buy MyTravel and merge it with iTravel to become OurTravel.
Never mind, in 12 months time there is bound to be party #15 – sure to be another blast!
© Open Jaw