24 | InteleTravel

T0627INTELETRAVEL_C_350 [Credit: InteleTravel]
2021 sales: $300 million
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Employees: 93

1625 S. Congress Ave.
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone: (800) 873-5353
Website

Executives

PRESIDENT: James Ferrara
SVP, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS: Tara Minson
VP, INDUSTRY RELATIONS: Dave Spinelli
VP, OPERATIONS: Dayna Smith
VP, TRAVEL MARKETING: Jessica Deverson
VP, ADVISOR EDUCATION & SUCCESS: Jessica Sitomer
CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER: Susan Petrillo

Company facts

* Host agency with a network of 70,750 independent contractors.

* Sales split of 70% leisure, 30% business travel.

* Majority-owned by Joseph R. Traina and James R. Ferrara.

2021 developments

* Achieved the highest travel revenue in the company's 30-year history, surpassing 2019 (the previous best year) by 30%.

* Coached advisors to pivot to domestic, Mexico and Caribbean products. Sales of land-based vacations more than doubled from 2019, more than making up for a recovering cruise market. Cruising was 80% of 2019 sales.

* InteleTravel said it was the top-selling agency for several major suppliers and as a result has earned a voice on multiple industry advisory boards, including CLIA, ASTA, American Airlines Vacations and Apple Leisure Group.

* Installed a new in-house CRM system and new booking engines for hotel, air, activities (with Tripadvisor) and short-term rentals (with Booking.com and others). Improved cybersecurity and fraud protection.

* Amplified advisor education with a mix of virtual and eventually in-person events.

* Paid profit-sharing bonuses to all employees. Added 15 employees in 2021 and thousands of new advisors as the business grew.

* Launched a consumer-marketing program driving leads to independent advisors.

Looking ahead

* Expects a full recovery of cruising this year and another record year for the host agency.

* A consumer survey completed last November showed 86% of respondents saying they plan to use a travel agent for their trips this year.

* Plans specialized events and training programs focusing on advisor certifications for sustainable travel, LGBTQ+ travel, accessible travel, wellness tourism and millennial/Gen Z travel.

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