Sunwing Vacations Group Outlines Winter 2026-27 Strategy at Amplify Summit

Sunwing Vacations Group is sharpening its strategy for the upcoming 2026-27 winter travel season, with a renewed focus on cross-brand collaboration, loyalty benefits and operational improvements designed to enhance the guest experience.

The company brought together leaders from Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, Vacation Express and its retail partners this week for its annual Amplify leadership summit, where executives outlined priorities for the busy winter months ahead.

According to a press release, central to the discussions were opportunities to strengthen the group’s vacation offerings, expand the value of WestJet Rewards and improve service consistency across the customer journey.

“As we gear up for the winter season, our priority is on building on the strengths of our vacation brands, creating more value for Canadian guests and equipping our teams and travel advisor partners for continued success,” said Marek Andryszak, president of Sunwing Vacations Group, in a statement. “Amplify is an important opportunity to bring our teams together, celebrate our achievements and align on the priorities that will shape the season ahead.”

Collaboration across brands

The summit featured strategic updates from Andryszak, who outlined the company’s direction for winter and its efforts to strengthen its competitive position in the Canadian vacation market.

John Weatherill, WestJet Group’s executive vice-president and chief commercial officer, and Samantha Taylor, executive vice-president and chief experience officer, also addressed the group’s commercial priorities and its push to deliver a more connected, end-to-end vacation experience.

Another key focus was the growing role of WestJet Rewards in the vacation booking process.

Jennifer Callegaro, director of marketing, and Patrick Boydell, marketing director, discussed how the loyalty program is creating more opportunities for travellers to earn and redeem rewards while saving on vacation packages.

The event also featured an interactive leadership panel, The Vacation Hot Seat, moderated by Marina Piccioni, gift card program director.

Participants included Lyne Chayer, vice-president, vustomer experience & vacations – Quebec, WestJet Group, alongside representatives from Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, Vacation Express, SellOffVacations, Groups, and Weddings and Events.

The discussion explored how the various brands and business units can work more closely together to better serve travellers.

Operational reliability a winter priority

With peak winter travel approaching, operational readiness was another major topic.

Safa Yamach, vice-president, operations planning and performance, presented an update on the company’s operational improvements during a session titled Elevate Ops for Winter Season.

According to the company, those efforts have helped WestJet secure the top position for on-time performance in North America for five consecutive months, based on data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.

The presentation also addressed how WestJet plans to sustain those improvements during the high-demand winter period.

Meanwhile, Alejandro Vazquez, senior director of key strategic accounts at NexusTours, and Ruben Gutierrez highlighted the destination services provider’s role in supporting travellers throughout their vacations.

The discussion reinforced the importance of strong destination partnerships in delivering consistent service, from the initial booking to the in-resort experience.

“As the 2026-2027 winter season approaches, Sunwing Vacations Group remains focused on strengthening its vacation offerings and working alongside travel advisor partners to connect more Canadians with memorable vacation experiences,” the company said.