TRAVELINK News

This week, TRAVELINK is proud to announce that we have been named the recipient of the ASTA Corporate Strategic Impact Award, a prestigious honor presented by the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) recognizing organizations that demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation, and positive influence within the travel industry.

TRAVELINK Co-Owner & Managing Partner Bill Haire accepting the Corporate Strategic Impact Award.

The Corporate Strategic Impact Award is focused squarely on results, recognizing organizations whose deliberate actions translated strategy into execution, delivering measurable outcomes in direct support of ASTA’s mission.  TRAVELINK was recognized for its continued commitment to empowering travel advisors through forward-thinking programs, meaningful partnerships, and a business model built on collaboration, education, and sustainable growth.

“This award is an incredible honor and a reflection of the dedication of our entire TRAVELINK team,” said Michael Dixon, President and Managing Partner. “We continue our commitment to supporting our advisors with the tools, relationships, and guidance they need to thrive in the rapidly evolving travel landscape. To be recognized by ASTA is both humbling and energizing.”

ASTA, the world’s largest association of travel professionals, presents the Corporate Strategic Impact Award to organizations that have made a measurable, positive difference through innovation, advocacy, and leadership. TRAVELINK's recognition underscores its role as a trusted partner to advisors and preferred suppliers alike, as well as its continued focus on shaping a stronger, more connected future for travel.

We are honored by this recognition and grateful to ASTA for acknowledging TRAVELINK's impact. We look forward to continuing to lead with purpose in the years ahead.

TRAVELINK, a Virtuoso member agency, is pleased to announce we have been named to Travel Weekly’s 2025 Power List. This acknowledgment highlights the dedication of our advisors, the loyalty of our clients, and the strength of our partnerships, especially within Virtuoso and GBTNetwork. As a Power List honoree once again, we’re energized to deliver unparalleled service, elevated travel experiences, and exceptional value for every journey we craft.

The annual Power List, which ranks agencies that report annual travel sales in the previous year of $125 million or more, ranked TRAVELINK #69 on the prestigious list this year.

To read more about Travel Weekly’s 2025 Power List click here.

About TRAVELINK:

TRAVELINK, a proud member of Virtuoso® and the GBT Network, is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, and serves business, leisure, and group travel clients through a national network of experienced travel advisors. As a Travel Weekly Power List of themost influential leaders for 2024, we specialize in creating exceptional leisure travel experiences from luxury getaways and family vacations to milestone celebrations and bespoke journeys. At the same time, we remain a trusted provider of corporate and group travel management for Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized businesses, entertainment professionals, sports teams, and nonprofit organizations. With a commitment to personalized service and industry expertise, Travelink is your partner in navigating both the professional and personal sides of travel.

About Travel Weekly:

Travel Weekly and TravelWeekly.com are the most influential B2B news resources for the travel industry. Via a multimedia portfolio of products, Travel Weekly and TravelWeekly.com deliver all the late-breaking news, analysis and research that travel professionals need to succeed.

In a rapidly changing and competitive marketplace, Travel Weekly and TravelWeekly.com provide travel professionals with a necessary global perspective through in-depth coverage of every business sector, including airline, car rental, cruise, destination, hotel and tour operator as well as technology, economic and governmental issues.

Through its leadership events and key industry alliances, Travel Weekly extends its position as the most influential business publication in the industry.

Following the Spring 2022 announcement by American Express Travel that it would dissolve its Representative Network at the end of this year, Travelink embarked upon a deliberate and in-depth analysis for a new vacation consortium partner who would share in our strong brand principles and innovate with us to improve processes, training, and technologies for our travel advisors and customers.

We quickly narrowed our prospects to three industry giants, all of whom responded with impressive detail and tremendous insights into their organizations. We are thankful to each of the consortia we engaged in this effort for their patience and support as we completed our due diligence.

We are pleased to announce that after 23 years with American Express, we have chosen to become a Member of Virtuoso^®, whom we believe is best suited for Travelink’s next chapter and will complement our American Express Global Business Travel Network affiliation.

Travelink and its advisors now have direct access to a portfolio of more than 2,200 of the world’s finest hotels, resorts, spas, cruise lines, airlines, tour operators and premier destinations. As a network, Virtuoso’s combined annual sales of $25–$30 billion allow the group to negotiate enhanced traveler advantages. For clients of Travelink, this means complimentary upgrades, daily breakfast and Wi-Fi as well as additional perks that enrich the overall stay, such as private airport transfers, special dining experiences, and spa treatments. These traveler bonuses are valued up to $550 per stay at over 1,500 properties in more than 100 countries. 

 

“This is the most important business decision we’ve made coming out of the pandemic,” shared Sandy Schadler, CMO & EVP of Vacation Travel Services, “We are thrilled to launch the next evolution of our global leisure business with the Virtuoso team by our side.”

 

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Virtuoso is the leading and most recognized of global network agencies, specializing in luxury and experiential travel, with more than 20,000 advisors across 50 countries. Virtuoso partners with over 2,200 of the world’s best travel suppliers such as hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, and destination specialists. Virtuoso advisors use their personal connections and firsthand expertise to craft bespoke trips for discerning travelers, including unique VIP experiences, special values, and rare access.

Travelink is a privately held travel agency headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee with a national virtual network of hosted and employee business, group, and leisure travel advisors servicing clients globally. Travelink’s client base includes a range of Fortune 500 Corporations and small to mid-market companies, as well as VIP clients from the entertainment industry, sports teams, religious, and non-profit organizations. Travelink has been a winner of the prestigious American Express Rep Excellence Award for the past 22 years, been twice named the prestigious AMEX Agency of the Year, and has been a perennial on Travel Weekly’s Annual Power List.

ALG Vacations^® (ALGV), the nation’s leading leisure tour operator and part of the Apple Leisure Group family of companies, has honored Travelink as a 2022 ALGV Elite Diamond travel agency. This highly coveted honor is based on achieving exceptional sales in 2021 with ALG Vacations, whose highly respected brands include Apple Vacations, Funjet Vacations, Travel Impressions, Southwest Vacations, Blue Sky Tours, and United Vacations. Less than 10% of travel agencies nationwide selling leisure travel have been honored with the ALGV Elite distinction, which consists of several tiers: Sapphire / Sapphire Select, Emerald, and Diamond / Diamond Preferred.

“I would highly recommend agencies that have earned the status of ALGV Elite to any traveler in the market for a domestic or international vacation,” said ALGV’s Jim Tedesco, Vice President, Sales. “Achieving the required level of sales to be an ALGV Elite agency is a strong indicator that the agency not only is highly familiar with the ALG Vacations brands, but offers superior service, knowledgeable and experienced travel advisors, and a high percentage of client satisfaction,” he added.

ALGV Elite agencies are rewarded with a variety of benefits and perks from ALG Vacations, including in-resort training, exclusive promotional codes to pass on to their customers, and access to a VIP support desk, enabling them to deliver superior service to the end-consumer.

During the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) Global Convention in August, it was announced that Travelink President and Managing Partner, Michael Dixon, would be joining the Executive Committee of ASTA’s national Board of Directors. This assignment is in addition to his current role as Chair of the ASTA Corporate Advisory Council (CAC). Mr. Dixon will serve a two-year term as Chair, completing his seven-year commitment to helping guide the CAC. 

Formed in the early 2000’s, the CAC is made up of the heads of the largest travel agency/TMC, consortia, franchise organization, host agency and supplier members of ASTA to provide a support system for ASTA’s federal, state, and industry advocacy efforts.

The CAC focuses on issues of common interest to the travel agency community, formulating a strategy to speak with one voice before federal regulators, Members of Congress, state legislators as well as other industry groups.

The Travelink family is proud to have Michael’s voice as a critical part of the efforts to move our agency and the travel industry as a whole into the future.

See the full press release here.

Travelink is pleased to announce that it is a member of the Abercrombie & Kent 100 Club, a by-invitation-only program limited to just a handful of elite travel firms. As A&K 100 Club Members, Travelink is able to extend a special benefits to our clients traveling with A&K on a private journey, tour, or extreme adventure.

A&K 100 CLUB BENEFITS

• Reduced Marco Polo Memberships
• Priority Waitlist Clearance
• Advance Notice of Special Offers, Promotions and Discounts
• Priority Mailing of A&K Brochures

TRAVELINK is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The company operates nationally with a combination of boutique business call centers, vacation travel retail locations, and a national network of experienced virtual travel advisors. Travelink’s client base includes a range of Fortune 500 Companies, small to mid-market organizations, as well as the entertainment industry, sports teams, groups, and religious & non-profit organizations. The company is an exclusive provider of consumer travel services for American Express Gold Card Members. Travelink leverages the American Express brand and buying power to offer the best value and customer experience.

Travelink, is pleased to announce we have been invited to be a member of Marriott International's exclusive STARS program. This luxury hotel program was established for an elite group of top-producing luxury travel agencies. The program provides these agencies with benefits and access to value-added amenities for their customers along with an even deeper level of service from Marriott International luxury properties.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL STARS GUEST BENEFITS

TRAVELINK, is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The company operates nationally with a combination of boutique business call centers, vacation travel retail locations, and a national network of experienced virtual travel advisors. Travelink’s client base includes a range of Fortune 500 Companies, small to mid-market organizations, as well as the entertainment industry, sports teams, groups, and religious & non-profit organizations. The company is an exclusive provider of consumer travel services for American Express Gold Card Members. Travelink leverages the American Express brand and buying power to offer the best value and customer experience.

Travelink, an American Express Travel representative is excited to announce we have achieved the Viking River Cruises' Platinum Circle. This prestigious award is given to top-tier travel agencies that exemplify excellence in sales and provide outstanding support of the Viking River Cruises^® product.

TRAVELINK, an AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL representative is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The company operates nationally with a combination of boutique business call centers, vacation travel retail locations, and a national network of experienced virtual travel advisors. Travelink’s client base includes a range of Fortune 500 Companies, small to mid-market organizations, as well as the entertainment industry, sports teams, groups, and religious & non-profit organizations. The company is an exclusive provider of consumer travel services for American Express Gold Card Members. Travelink leverages the American Express brand and buying power to offer the best value and customer experience.

Travelink, an American Express Travel representative is pleased to announce we have been named to Travel Weekly’s 2019 Power List for the 8th consecutive year.

The annual Power List, which ranks agencies that report annual travel sales in the previous year of $100 million or more, ranked Travelink #49 on the prestigious list this year.

Travelink remains one of the exclusive American Express Travel Representative Network agencies managing the Gold Card Members travel program. The Vacation Travel Services Division deepened its engagement with luxury travelers and American Express Card Members in 2018. To read more about Travel Weekly’s 2019 Power List click here.