Tell us a little about Downtown Travel / AvantGarde Vacations:
Downtown Travel is one of the largest Air Consolidators offering fares on over 130 + airlines. Our Sister company is AVANTGARDE VACATIONS a USTOA active member Tour Operator. We serve 35 plus destinations with 200  readymade tours . All of our tour products can be customized.

Please share a little about the culture of your organization and what resonates with you most as a team member:
Downtown Travel and AVANTGARDE is a family owned and managed company. Senior management is readily availa.ble as needed. We have also continued to add to needed services and products

What unique value proposition sets your brand apart from the competition?
A booking engine that is point and click,24/7 live help desk,

Staffing for AVANT GARDE VACATIONS AND GROUPS we offer a specialist for every group or tour. Continually add and expand our products and services for our agent partner. A one stop shop in our online portal which offers 8 commissionable services and products

What is new and exciting that you're looking forward to sharing with this year's delegates?
We rebranded AVANT GARDE VACATIONS offering We serve 30 plus destinations with 200 readymade tours. All of our tour products can be customized and modified for your  clients dream package, A new level of service 4 star and above ,private guides and drivers , In country 24/7 help desk , and offering more than a tour AN EXPERIENCE

Downtown Travel has added a one stop portal with 8 commissionable services and products, all major carriers and a 24/7 Help Desk

The travel industry is forever evolving.  What are some of the trends you're seeing, and what initiatives is your brand developing to support travel agency owners and their teams' sales efforts?
We see more and more clients looking for a customized vacation . Smaller group size, more personalized service and more of an interest in private packages. The entire rebranding new innovations was for answering this desire. We have gone as offering pre and post customizable packages for clients taking cruises

What are your traditional commission structures?
Tour packages start at 12%

Why should travel agency owners encourage their frontline sales force to book your brand as a preferred partner?
The personalized service, 24/ 7 help desk manned by travel experts, Our assigned specialist programs for all groups and tours. A dedicated Air group desk staffed by some of the best experts in the industry. The access we offer all agents to senior management. And one of the biggest pluses we are a strict B to B company. We work only with the Travel Advisors not the consumer

What tools/technologies do you have in place to support travel advisors; and do they integrate into current available technologies?  If yes, which ones?
Both the divisions have online portals that work with all the technology. With Downtown it is THE BEST AGENT.PRO our totally online booking engine . Point and click , None GDS language  ( English), everything can be booked directly online. AVANTGARDE VACATIONS has the most up to date Website for a great level of information distribution..

When communicating with your company, what can travel advisors expect (ie turnaround time, dedicated point person, etc.)?
Communication is one of our best features. We have a 24/7 help desk, a team of group specialists and destination specialists who the TA has direct virtual connection to, both divisions provide direct connection for TA to senior management.

The Help desk is manned live communication system response time is 15 – 2 0minutes.

In Downtown Travels point person is Bill Gardiner Senior Director of National and Key Accounts. AVANTGARDE VACTIONs Point person is Lori Smith General Manager.

Downtown Travel can be booked on the portal at The Best agent.pro ‘AVANT GARDE VACATIONS can be reached at www.avantgardevacations .com or by reaching out to Bill Gardiner or Lori Smith directly