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Vision 2000 has grown steadily to over fifty million dollars of annual sales. Growth in the corporate travel sector has enabled Vision 2000 to develop expertise and unique products for this market. Our aim has been to operate as the travel management partner for each of our clients, developing relationships on their behalf with suppliers and negotiating preferred arrangements. In the leisure sector, we have grown through initiatives including unique products such as custom group tours and through membership in Virtuoso. A key to our growth has been our ability to not only provide leading technology, but our long time staff relationships, which has led to exceptional customer service and retention. April 2001 brought an exciting opportunity, and the agency joined the Vision 2000 Travel Group. Vision 2000 is a partnership of independently owned agencies across Canada with main offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto and Montreal. It is Canada’s largest independent travel management company. Vision 2000 is a member of Radius, a global network of over 6000 travel agencies in over 80 countries. Radius offers an excellent preferred hotel and car rate program and an exclusive hotel block space program. In 2006, we became a member of Virtuoso, which provides us with excellent added value in high end leisure products and access to on-site travel companies in countries through the world. In October 2001, Kensington Travel in Calgary joined the group. With this development, Doug Boyd, who co-owned Kensington Travel since 1987, became a co-owner of Vision 2000 Alberta. In summer 2004, Vision 2000 Alberta expanded to Edmonton with the acquisition of Wallace Travel and Tours. Janet Wallace, who owned Wallace Travel and Tours, has extensive experience with custom escorted tours to exotic destinations, and remains affiliated with Vision 2000. In spring 2005, Vision 2000 Alberta acquired CDN Travel in the Shell Centre in Calgary, and in summer 2006, we expanded to Fort McMurray with the acquisition of Harold Smith Travel. In fall 2006, Carter's Travel and Cruises in Edmonton joined the group, and Peter Carter, the owner of the agency since 1990, became a co-owner of Vision 2000 Alberta. Peter brought his extensive experience with developing and leading deluxe escorted group tours to Vision 2000. Peter currently operates Carter's Tours to provide these exclusive tours to Vision 2000 clients. The most recent acquisition, in summer 2007, was JR Canada Travel, located in Calgary Place, in downtown Calgary. JR Canada has extensive experience with travel to Latin and South America. In addition to the Dragon City, Shell Centre and Calgary Place offices in Calgary, and offices in Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Vision 2000 Alberta has travel counsellors working on the premises of corporate accounts including the Saddledome for the Calgary Flames, and in various home office locations, including Saskatoon and Sylvan Lake. Terra Travel in Drayton Valley joined Vision 2000 Alberta as an affiliate agency in summer 2007. Vision 2000 Travel Group is now operated by five managing directors: Anthony Tonkinson, Michael Broadhurst, Doug Boyd, Rick Goebel and Peter Carter. |
