Redding Local, Jason Olson Recognized with 2016 Trendsetter Award from Travel Age West
JUNE 23, 2016 (Redding, CA) — Jason J. Olson of True Vacation Travel was honored with the 2016 Trendsetter Award in the category of Upward Bound, Rockstar Agent Under 40 on June 16 in Marina del Rey, California as part of the TravelAge West WAVE (Western Agents’ Votes of Excellence) Awards.
The Trendsetter Awards are presented to travel professionals who have shown exceptional success in one of four categories. These agents submit their success stories to TravelAge West and a winner and runner-up are selected in each category. Travel prizes are provided by the sponsor of each category to all finalists. This year’s awards went to:
2016 Trendsetter Award Recipients
Best Group Booking Sales Effort:
Winner: April Schmitt, Divine Destination Weddings
Runner Up: Montrose Travel
Upward Bound, Rock Star Agent Under 40
Winner: Melissa Varela, Modern Romance Travel
Runner Up: Jason J. Olson, True Vacation Travel
Best Targeted Marketing Idea
Winner: Robin Hawkey, Virtual Honeymoon
Runner Up: Alexis Lee, Avenues of the World Travel
Best Use of Social Media
Winner: David & Carol Porter, The Roaming Boomers
Runner Up: Tom Chongruk & Lora Chow, Travel 4 Food Fun
At the WAVE Awards ceremony, more than 170 companies, individuals and destinations were celebrated by the readers of TravelAge West. Honorees were recognized in 68 categories that spanned the cruise, tour operator, airline, rail, car rental, travel insurance, GDS, hotel and resort and destination travel fields. The awards gave travel agents in the Western U.S. the opportunity to recognize the outstanding qualities and services of their travel supplier partners.
Travel agent professionals throughout the 15 Western states and readers of TravelAge West were invited to vote on the best-of-the-best from a list of Editor’s Pick award recipients that were chosen after careful review by Editor-in-Chief Ken Shapiro and the editorial team of TravelAge West. Review methods included product analysis, on-site visits, a survey of a select group of travel agents and online research.
“The WAVE Awards are a great gauge of how travel companies are perceived by agents,” said Shapiro. “Our readers are always enthusiastic about supporting the companies that are great to work with and that consistently deliver for travelers.”
And, again this year, TravelAge West awarded their ‘Excellence in Leadership’ Award honoring individuals who, in the course of their careers in travel and tourism, consistently have demonstrated leadership and insight, effected change or innovation and made extraordinary contributions to both organizations and the industry at large. The 2016 TravelAge West Excellence in Leadership Award honorees are Brad Anderson and Van Anderson, co-president and co-founder at Avoya Travel.
At the black-tie event, guests dined on a four-course meal while being treated to a multimedia presentation of the award recipients.
“The WAVE Awards are the top travel industry award for the Western market,” said Bruce Shulman, Publisher of TravelAge West. “It’s an honor for us to host so many great suppliers each year at our awards gala. It’s a real who’s-who in travel.”
TravelAge West will also feature Jason J. Olson in a special WAVE Awards Spotlight Issue due out on July 18, 2016.
“It is a high honor to be recognized within the industry for excellent in travel,” says Olson. “I am thankful for all of my peers who have supported me in becoming the agent I have become today.”
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TravelAge West (www.travelagewest.com) has been serving the travel industry for over 46 years as a leading source of travel industry news and product information. Read by travel agents, travel suppliers and travel industry professionals, the publication has a circulation of 20,000 in 15 Western United States.