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OASIS Travel Network is pleased to share that we’ve been recognized as a Travel Weekly Magellan Awards Gold Winner for Individual Travel Advisor - Overall-Virtual Experiences/Events. The honor comes as a result of our steadfast commitment to providing high-quality virtual events that spurred continued connection and advisor growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the year, OTN hosted approximately 29 live virtual events, nine of which included three new event formats. The virtual events are among the many educational opportunities we regularly make available for our members, with the most recent example being a Member Appreciation Amadeus River Cruise in Germany that offers members a chance to mingle with OTN staff, suppliers, and other advisors. “We’re honored to be recognized for our efforts in this space and want nothing more than to see our travel advisor members grow and succeed,” said Lee Smolinski, Chairman and CEO of OASIS Travel Network. “We know how absolutely crucial it is to offer frequent, high-quality programming that provides our members with the knowledge they seek, the connections they crave and the opportunities for growth necessary for moving the industry forward to a brighter future.” With entries from across the U.S. and around the world, the Magellan Award winners represent the best in the travel industry and salute the outstanding travel professionals behind it all. The awards honor outstanding design, marketing and services in a broad range of industry segments including Hospitality, Travel Destinations, Cruise Lines, Online Travel Services, Airlines and Airports, Travel Agents and [...]

We’re beyond pleased to share Kelly Bergin, President of OTN, and Kareem George, Principal at Culture Traveler, LLC and OTN member, have been elected to serve as Directors-at-Large on the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) Board of Directors! Their two-year terms will officially begin at the close of ASTA’s Global Convention in Chicago in August. Among the new faces being welcomed to the ASTA Board of Directors, Bergin and George will join three newly elected Directors-at-Large and six returning Board Members, including Eddie Woodham of Palm Coast Travel, who is also an OTN member. “I am so excited that Kelly and Kareem will be joining me on the ASTA Board of Directors,” Woodham said. “I've worked with them both through OASIS Travel Network for many years and look forward to sharing time with them as fellow ASTA board members.” Bergin understands firsthand the challenges travel advisors and agency owners face. “I bring experience and perspective which will help me promote and advance the needs of independent travel agencies and professionals,” said Kelly Bergin, President of OASIS Travel Network. “I’m thrilled to be joining ASTA’s Board of Directors because I want to give back to the industry that has been so good to me and to the people that have made my journey possible. I’m ready to get to work and further expand my involvement and advocacy in the industry.” In addition to serving on several advisory boards and councils, Bergin’s more than 30 years of experience selling and [...]

Recently, we were fortunate to be able to host our first in-person “Chairman’s Club” Top Producer’s Trip since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The successful gathering took place from June 5 – June 8 at the Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya Resort along the famed white-sand beaches in the heart of Riviera Maya. Our Chairman’s Club uses a points-based system to establish, recognize and rank its top performing members. Members earn points by selling OTN’s preferred suppliers, with the top point earners for the year becoming eligible for OTN’s luxurious and complimentary bonus Chairman’s Club recognition trip. “When another planned Europe trip was cancelled, our amazing partner—American Airlines—stepped up!” said Lee Smolinski, CEO of OASIS Travel Network. “They partnered with AMResorts as major sponsors to host the 2020 award winners.” The trip was an opportunity to celebrate the successes of our Chairman’s Club advisors and the challenges they were able to overcome during an undoubtedly difficult 2020. “Our top producers had a chance to connect with their colleagues, as well as develop business plans with our supplier partners, which was just the boost they all needed,” said Kelly Bergin, President of OASIS Travel Network. “Our partners—AAV, AMResorts, Chubb Insurance, TTC (Trafalgar, Brendan, Costsaver, Contiki, etc.), and Virgin Voyages—helped make this a very special Chairman's Club Trip.” John Diorio, Associate Vice President – North American Sales, Virgin Voyages, echoed that sentiment. “The OTN Chairman’s Club event in Akumal, Mexico was a wonderful opportunity to engage and build strong relationships with [...]

We’re proud to share five of our members have been recognized among the top travel specialists for 2021 by Condé Nast Traveler! Those selected are chosen by the publication’s editors, who sorted through and evaluated thousands of qualified travel professionals worldwide to pinpoint the leaders in the field. OTN members who were selected are: Laurel Brunvoll of Unforgettable Trips; Sheila Cannon of Carefree Romantic Vacations, Inc.; Lauren Cardinale, CTA of Travel Design Co.; Debbi Claxton, CTA of Luxury Travel By Debbi, LLC; and Shelly Riedemann of Castaway Dream Travel. Claxton said because she has a high-end luxury clientele base—many of whom subscribe to Condé Nast Traveler—she knew recognition from the publication would be well perceived and highly respected. “My clients love seeing me thrive and succeed and be recognized for my efforts,” said Claxton, whose specialty is the British Virgin Islands, St. Lucia, Italy, Greece and Hawaii. “I’m always thinking of ways to take my clients' experience to a different, higher level and offering and executing ideas they wouldn't think of themselves. No matter what they do or where they go, I want them to come back exclaiming, ‘that was the BEST’ or ‘I had the time of my life!’” Cannon applied to be recognized because she wanted to start 2021 off with something motivating that would energize her about helping her clients travel the world in a big way. “This did the trick!” said Cannon, whose specialty is Tahiti, Fiji and Switzerland. “I strive to make my client [...]

We’re so honored to have received the news that OTN has been recognized as the Travel Weekly 2020 Magellan Awards Silver Winner for Travel Agent Organizations – Overall – Travel Agent Innovation for our “Build-A-Plan” program. The Travel Weekly Magellan Awards honor outstanding design, marketing and services in a broad range of industry segments including Hospitality, Travel Destinations, Cruise Lines, Online Travel Services, Airlines and Airports, Travel Agents and Agencies, Tour Operators and Ground Transportation. We’ve been recognized by Travel Weekly’s Magellan Awards in the past, receiving Silver Awards for our New2Travel program and our Diamond Plan. “We feel truly privileged to be once again named among the best of the best within the industry,” said Kelly Bergin, President of OASIS Travel Network. “Receiving an accolade such as this during what has been an undoubtedly challenging year is an incredible honor and motivator to continue to help members within our network adapt and thrive.” The Magellan Awards are judged and overseen by a one-of-a-kind panel of top travel professionals representing the best names and most accomplished leaders from the industry. In determining winners, entries do not compete with one another, instead they are judged against a standard of excellence based on the long experience of Travel Weekly. To uphold this high standard of excellence, a category may have multiple winners, or may have no winners at all. “Magellan winners are those in the industry who communicate travel’s promise, through words, images and design, in ways that ring true and [...]