ALG Vacations’ 2023 Bookings Are Pacing Double-Digits Over 2022

ALG Vacations is continuing its post-pandemic recovery, and while 2022 is continuing to trend strongly for the company, 2023 is expected to be even better.

In an end-of-summer update, executive vice president Jacki Marks said that the company’s new policies, programs, and platforms are helping to drive those strong 2023 numbers. That includes a number of new initiatives including:

• Low deposit policy program for Mexico/Caribbean bulk airfares that launched in July, only for advisors booking through VAX Vacation Access.
• The reinstatement of Mexico packages via Southwest Airlines, which means that Apple, Funjet, and Travel Impressions are all once again selling packages via Southwest Airlines to Mexico, almost 21 months from when the airline removed access to Mexico flights for traditional tour operators.
• The launch of ALGV’s new TikTok channel (@AskaTravelAdvisorALGV), which helps promote the value of using a travel advisor as part of Apple’s year-long campaign.

Marks said that, with those changes, ALG Vacations is pacing double-digits ahead of this year’s numbers, and that is largely driven by one segment in particular.

“Looking ahead to 2023 travel, we are currently pacing double-digits ahead in passengers vs. 2022 largely driven by groups—both Contracted Groups and GroupEase®,” she said.  

“We expect growth to continue building while comparing to prior year challenges with Omicron and Delta variants.”     

ALG Vacations also continues its work to finalize the Hyatt deal. Even with a lot going on to finalize the Hyatt deal and a rapid expansion outside of Mexico and the Caribbean—two years ago, the AMR Collection had no properties outside of that region and now, around 50% are.

“I think you’re going to see us continue to expand, you’ll see properties in Asia at some point,” Ray Snisky, the group president at Apple Leisure Group Vacations, said at ALG Vacations’ executive advisor retreat earlier this year.  

As for how Hyatt is going to interact with ALGV’s travel advisors, there are still details to work out but Snisky said that all interactions he’s had with Hyatt’s CEO Mark Hoplamazian, who is expected to speak at this year’s Ascend conference, has been positive.

“He’s made that commitment and he has a tremendous amount of respect for the advisor community,” he said. “We won’t be successful without a fantastic relationship with the travel advisors.”