AC Race Ready For Take-Off In Kissimmee

Thirty-four travel agents from across the country have touched down in Kissimmee, Florida, ready to participate in the 2018 edition of the Air Canada Race.

The Amazing Race-style competition for travel agents officially gets underway today, but the trade were treated to a welcome reception and dinner at Reunion Resort last night (Aug. 26), which included views of the fireworks at Walt Disney World Resort.

“It is a very prestigious event and it is a well sought-after event so congratulations to all of you,” Steve Goodfellow, director of sales, Eastern Canada at Air Canada, said as he greeted participants gathered from Prince Rupert, BC to Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. “What I really want to do is thank all of you. Air Canada, Air Canada Vacations couldn’t be as successful without all of you. You are such a true important part of our distribution.”

Over the next few days eight teams of five will battle it out for a chance to claim win one of five prizes, all of which include air seats for two to Orlando International Airport, accommodations in Kissimmee, and theme park tickets.

“The Air Canada Race, what the goal is, is to support Air Canada and our partner, in this case Experience Kissimmee,” Goodfellow told PressToday. “The whole idea is to engage the agents and have them have a great experience, no pun intended with it being Experience Kissimmee this year, and then be able to go back and sell Kissimmee and Air Canada.”

Air Canada has from 37 up to 67 flights a week to Orlando in peak season.

“Kissimmee is kind of like, I feel, they’re under the shadow of Orlando and that’s why we partnered with Kissimmee to help expose to our agency partners what Kissimmee has to offer,” he says. “Kissimmee is a great place.”

PressToday is on hand for the eighth edition of the race so stay tuned for more updates as we recap the action, and follow along with #ACRaceKissimmee.

In total, 34 agents, six Air Canada/ACV staff, three media and two Experience Kissimmee representatives from Canada are on hand for the event.

Let the games begin!

Pictured at top are: Air Canada’s Simona Cercel and Steve Goodfellow; Denise Graham, Experience Kissimmee; Air Canada’s Jamie Fox, Chris Geraghty and Braeden Corbeth, and Federico Berardinucci of Air Canada Vacations. Middle: the gang gathers at the gate before embarking on the Air Canada rouge flight to Orlando.