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By Nishang Narayan
Published on June 30, 2024
World Travel Holdings has proudly announced its ranking at #16 on Travel Weekly's 2024 Power List, an annual survey recognizing the largest and most successful retail travel agencies in the industry based on full-year 2023 sales.
As the nation’s largest cruise agency and an award-winning leisure travel company, World Travel Holdings boasts a portfolio of nearly 40 diverse brands. The company’s consistent inclusion in this prestigious list underscores its significant impact on the travel industry.
"Being named to this list year after year is a true honor," said Co-CEO Jeff Tolkin. "It is a testament to every single person who works with our company – our employees, suppliers, villa travel advisor partners, and all our customers including our Dream Vacations and CruiseOne franchise owners and their associates, partner brands, and those who book their vacations directly with us. My brother Brad and I thank each person who plays a role in our company's success."
Privately held and owned by Co-Chairmen/Co-CEOs Brad and Jeff Tolkin, World Travel Holdings operates 19 travel brands, including three in the United Kingdom, and a top-rated travel agency franchise. Their Dream Vacations franchise provides owners with extensive training opportunities, robust marketing assets, a dedicated Business Development Manager, and support services. Each year, the franchisor funds $4 million in exclusive promotions, national branding, and marketing programs to help its network of travel advisors grow their business.
World Travel Holdings also manages a comprehensive cruise vertical for various private-label partnerships with top leisure travel providers, including almost every U.S. airline, leading hotel brands, and prominent corporations. These corporations outsource their cruise and villa verticals to World Travel Holdings due to its size, which maximizes buying power and value creation for their customers, its purpose-built technology, and its customer-centric reservations and operations.
Notable Developments in 2023:
Franchise Brands Performance: Dream Vacations and CruiseOne land sales surpassed pre-pandemic numbers, ending 2023 up more than 100% compared with 2019 and 21% compared with 2022.
Record-Breaking Group Sales: Dream Vacations and CruiseOne achieved record-breaking affinity group sales in 2023, thanks to a new groups application.
New Partnership Launch: World Travel Holdings launched a cruise vertical for Booking.com.
Expansion of Signature Villas Brand: Villas of Distinction doubled its on-site concierge staff in Italy and Jamaica.
The Power List has tracked the sales of travel agency organizations for over 30 years, reflecting the rebound of travel post-pandemic. To qualify for the 2024 Power List, a company had to record a minimum of $110 million in travel sales in 2023. Sales are defined as gross sales of travel products worldwide, whether to consumers or corporate travelers, and the company must be the agent of record on the transactions from a supplier's perspective. At least 15% of the sales volume must have been generated in the U.S.
For a complete list, visit Travel Weekly's Power List 2024.
About World Travel Holdings
World Travel Holdings is the nation's largest cruise agency and award-winning leisure travel company with a portfolio of nearly 40 diverse brands. The company owns major brands distributing cruises, villas, resort vacations, car rentals, resort day passes, and luxury travel services. Additionally, World Travel Holdings has a vast portfolio of private-label partnerships with top leisure travel providers, including almost every U.S. airline, leading hotel brands, and prominent corporations. The company operates a top-rated travel agency franchise and is recognized as an industry leader in employee engagement and work-at-home employment. Its global presence includes operating multiple cruise brands in the United Kingdom. World Travel Holdings has offices in Wakefield, Mass.; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; and Chorley, England. For more information, visit WorldTravelHoldings.com.
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By Manu Vardhan Kannan
Published on August 13, 2025
Bird Travels has announced its exclusive collaboration with AEGEAN, Greece’s flag carrier, to operate direct flights from New Delhi and Mumbai to Athens beginning in the first quarter of 2026. The flight schedule and ticket sales will be officially unveiled by the end of September.
AEGEAN will introduce two new Airbus A321neo XLR (Extra Long Range) aircraft, boasting a range of up to 10.5 hours. These aircraft feature enhanced comfort with only 138 seats, including 24 Business Class Suites equipped with fully lie-flat beds, aisle access, and modern amenities such as 4K inflight entertainment screens, satellite Wi-Fi, USB charging, and spacious overhead bins designed for long-haul comfort.
The airline plans to operate five weekly flights to New Delhi starting March 2026, followed by three weekly flights to Mumbai from May 2026. Bird Travels will act as the General Sales Agent (GSA) for AEGEAN in India, managing sales, marketing, customer service, and distribution.
Roland Jaggi, Chief Commercial Officer of AEGEAN, said, “We are delighted to partner with Bird Travels as we prepare to launch direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Athens. This marks a significant milestone in AEGEAN’s international expansion and reinforces our commitment to strengthening ties between Greece and India. The addition of the new Airbus A321neo XLR aircraft allows us to enhance our service offering for long-haul routes, providing Indian travellers with a premium gateway to Europe and beyond.”
Gaurav Bhatia, Executive Director of Bird Group, commented, “Our partnership with AEGEAN heralds exciting times for Indian travellers. AEGEAN’s reputation for quality service and connectivity perfectly complements our expertise in the Indian aviation market. Together, we look forward to offering seamless and elevated travel experiences from New Delhi and Mumbai to Athens and further into Europe.”
About Bird Travels and AEGEAN Bird Travels, the flagship airline management company of India’s Bird Group, has over five decades of experience across airline representation, travel distribution, ground handling, and hospitality services. As AEGEAN’s exclusive GSA in India, Bird Travels will promote and manage the airline’s services across sales, marketing, and customer support.
Founded in 1999, AEGEAN is Greece’s largest and fastest-growing regional airline, serving 152 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa with a fleet of 83 modern Airbus aircraft. A member of the STAR ALLIANCE, AEGEAN has been named Europe’s Best Regional Airline by Skytrax 14 times in the past 16 years, underscoring its commitment to service excellence.
For more information, visit www.birdtravels.com.
By Hariharan U
August 15th brings more than a mid-week breather, it’s your cue to pause, reset, and indulge in travel that lingers long after you return. Whether it’s barefoot luxury by the sea, alpine stillness, or the charm of a storied European city, these curated escapes promise to make your long weekend unforgettable.
The Legian Seminyak, Bali
An oceanfront icon where timeless design meets Balinese soul. From vivid sunsets to indulgent spa rituals, every moment here feels like it’s just for you.Explore The Legian
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau ResortManta ray encounters, sunrise sandbank yoga, and villas designed for your pace. Even time slows to match your rhythm here. Discover Maamunagau
De L’Europe AmsterdamA landmark blending old-world charm with modern culture. Riverside calm, art, and the best of Amsterdam—right at your feet. Discover De L’Europe
Hotel Bellevue, Lošinj, CroatiaModern Mediterranean luxury wrapped in pine-scented air and crystal Adriatic waters.View Hotel Bellevue
Boutique Hotel Alhambra, Lošinj, CroatiaAn adults-only escape where refined heritage meets Adriatic elegance.Explore Alhambra
Kulm Hotel, St. Moritz An Alpine legend where understated glamour meets crisp mountain air and Swiss tradition even in summer, Explore Kulm Hotel
Galeries Lafayette Paris HaussmannMore than a department store—private salons, designer previews, and curated fashion experiences tailored just for you.Luxury Shopping Experience
Plan Your Bespoke BreakMake this Independence Day weekend count. Whether you dream of oceanfront tranquility, alpine retreats, or cultural immersion, we’ll curate a journey that feels entirely yours.
Published on August 11, 2025
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has ranked India as the fifth-largest aviation market in 2024, handling 241 million passengers, surpassing Japan’s 205 million. The data comes from IATA’s latest World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) report, which covers both international and domestic passenger movements.
India recorded an 11.1% increase from 211 million passengers in 2023, driven by strong domestic demand. The Mumbai–Delhi route emerged as the seventh busiest airport pair in the world, carrying 5.9 million passengers in 2024.
Globally, the United States retained the top spot with 876 million passengers (+5.2%), followed by China at 741 million (+18.7%), the United Kingdom at 261 million, and Spain also at 241 million.
IATA reported that Asia Pacific dominated the list of the world’s busiest airport pairs, led by Jeju–Seoul (CJU–GMP) with 13.2 million passengers. The only non-Asia Pacific route in the top 10 was Jeddah–Riyadh (JED–RUH).
Premium air travel also saw strong growth in 2024. International business and first-class travel rose 11.8%, slightly outpacing the 11.5% growth in economy travel. Asia Pacific recorded the highest growth in premium travel at 22.8%, with 21 million passengers, though economy class still expanded faster in the region. Europe remained the largest market for premium travel at 39.3 million passengers, while the Middle East had the highest premium share at 14.7% of all international travellers.
The report also highlighted aircraft utilisation trends. The Boeing 737 was the most widely used aircraft, operating 10 million flights with 2.4 trillion Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs), followed by the Airbus A320 with 7.9 million flights (1.7 trillion ASKs) and the Airbus A321 with 3.4 million flights (1.1 trillion ASKs).
IATA’s findings reflect India’s rapid ascent in global aviation, driven by expanding connectivity, a growing middle class, and increased fleet capacity.
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