Frank DeMarinis Returns to Industry with shoptravel

Returning from a two-year sabbatical after three decades of shaping the Canadian travel industry, Frank DeMarinis, co-founder of Belair Travel and Redtag.ca, and former President & CEO of TravelBrands, is back with a new venture called shoptravel®.

The company is described as a “transformative new venture set to redefine how travel is discovered, booked, and experienced.” 

The two-year break gave DeMarinis time to focus on family, travel for pleasure and experience the joy of becoming a grandfather. But this self-described “incurable entrepreneur” never took his eye off the industry —  watching with great interest as it stumbled, evolved and adapted through unprecedented challenges. 

DeMarinis also saw extraordinary opportunities emerging, powered by cutting-edge technology, evolving traveller expectations, and a growing demand for transparency and trust.

He says travellers now expect smarter, more personalized ways to explore the world, while travel agents need innovative tools to operate more efficiently and build deeper personal connections with their clients to deliver a more holistic travel experience. 

“This is not about recreating the past, it’s about reshaping the future,” said DeMarinis. “The market is ready. The technology is here, And the timing could not be better.” 

“The shoptravel mission is to empower travellers to explore with confidence, while providing agents with powerful, technology-driven solutions to elevate their service and relationships,” the company says in a press release.“ More than a platform, shoptravel is building a movement to modernize and transform the way travel is experienced by both travellers and the professionals who guide them.”

In a conversation with TMR Canada, DeMarinis advised that the company will release a detailed plan outlining various opportunities in the coming weeks. “I believe the North American travel industry is going love what we are going to be delivering,“ he said.