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  Pleasant Holidays and its luxury brand, Journese, today expanded their lineup of vacations and experiences in Europe’s Nordic countries, now available for booking with new hotels and tours added in Bergen and Oslo, Norway; Helsinki, Finland, Reykjavik, Iceland; Copenhagen, Denmark and Stockholm, Sweden.   “Scandinavia offers the chance to explore majestic fjords and mountains, sample New Nordic cuisine at some of the world’s most innovative restaurants, view the mesmerizing northern lights, pursue wellness at natural hot springs and embrace the warm, cozy Scandinavian lifestyle known as hygge,” said Jack E. Richards, President and CEO. “Europe enters 2024 as one of the most popular destinations, and Pleasant Holidays and Journese continue to add travel products to ensure that they are the first choice for travel advisors booking Europe vacations and cruises for their clients.”   Pleasant Holidays and Journese offer more than 25 hotels in the Nordic countries along with cruises on Atlas Ocean Voyages, Iceland ProCruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Windstar Cruises. With more than 70 commissionable private and shared excursions to choose from, travelers can partake in immersive experiences such as a private bicycle tour of Oslo, a castle tour in Stockholm, a classic Danish afternoon tea or a private tour to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon in Iceland.   Pleasant Holidays and Journese offer custom travel itineraries, including flights from major gateways throughout the United States with premium economy and business-class seating for maximum comfort on transatlantic flights, arrival and departure services and ground transportation. Travelers have the option of an impressive selection of hotels near Europe airports and accommodations close to cruise ports for pre- and post-cruise vacation extensions to maximize travelers’ vacation value and convenience.   With the addition of Finland, Norway and Sweden, Pleasant Holidays and Journese now offer 27 countries in Europe and a total of 78 countries worldwide, along with river and ocean cruises, plus rail travel. Pleasant Holidays and Journese highly recommend travel protection coverage for international vacations with up to 100% commission protection and Cancel-For-Any-Reason options to protect travelers’ vacation investment. Travel protection coverage also is available for Europe river and ocean cruise vacations.

Pleasant Holidays and luxury sister brand, Journese are adding Celestyal Cruises to their European cruise lineup. Now available for booking, Celestyal’s midsize ships offer eastern Mediterranean, Ionian, Adriatic and Greek cruises. "Celestyal Cruises puts the ancient world at travelers' fingertips with showcasing the history of Greece, Italy, Croatia, Turkiye, Montenegro and the eastern Mediterranean," said Jack E. Richards, President and CEO. "This region offers an appealing mix of Greek hospitality, cuisine and culture." Itineraries range from a three-night Iconic Aegean cruise to a 14-night Legendary Ionian cruise featuring Greece, Turkiye and Montenegro. Celestyal Cruises offers itineraries aboard Celestyal Journey, with a maximum of 1,260 passengers, and Celestyal Discovery, which will join the fleet in 2024. All sailings include port charges, gratuities, dining, onboard entertainment, daily activities and select beverages with meals, plus $80 shore excursion credit. The Enhance fare plan includes additional perks like a premium drinks package, doubled shore excursion credit, one hour of complimentary Wi-Fi and more. Shore excursions include tours of the Acropolis and Parthenon, the House of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus, and the Turkish Erbu painters. Pleasant Holidays and Journese offer 27 countries in Europe and a total of 78 countries worldwide, along with cruise lines offering ocean voyage and river cruise options.

Luxury operator Journese has unveiled its latest travel agent incentive. In partnership with over 200 Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, travel advisors earn 500 Bonus TRIP Points for every new Hyatt Hotels & Resorts booking in the US and globally. Registered bookings must be made by November 5, 2023 for travel through December 31, 2024 at partner resorts. Travel agents will earn an additional 100 bonus TRIP points for bookings registered on the same day they are confirmed. They also get 1,500 bonus TRIP points after making 10 confirmed, qualifying bookings. Agents must register new bookings by November 20, 2023 to be eligible for the bonus points. Journese TRIP points can be redeemed for personal travel to any Journese destination including Europe, Hawaii, Caribbean and Mexico. "Journese is excited to partner with these popular resorts in some of our most requested destinations," says Amy Comparato, Senior Brand Director, Journese. "We are also delighted to reward our travel advisor partners for their partnership with Journese."

Pleasant Holidays and luxury sister brand, Journese announced the launch of the Maui Strong Vacation Sale to support West Maui's economic recovery. There are exclusive offers for clients and a travel agent incentive to boost sales. The Maui Strong Vacation Sale haa offers such as up to 40% off hotel room rates, free nights, food & beverage credits and more at 15 participating hotels on Maui. These include Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui; Kapalua Villas Maui; Grand Wailea Maui, A Waldorf Astoria Resort; Hotel Wailea, Relais & Chateaux; and Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui. Pleasant Holidays and Journese offer flights on all major airlines to Maui and inter-island flights. They also have various Maui experiences, events and Hertz Car Rentals to book. The travel agent earning the highest qualifying sales to Maui will receive a future travel credit of $1,000 along with 5,000 bonus TRIP Points for their personal travel. The second, third and fourth-highest selling travel advisors earn future travel credit prizes of $500, $250 and $100, respectively. Future travel credits can be redeemed for personal travel or gifted to a client for travel to any destination offered by Pleasant Holidays & Journese. The vacation sale is valid on new bookings made through December 31, 2023 for travel through December 31, 2024. Individual offers vary by hotel and travel dates, and require advance booking and/or require a minimum night stay. "Pleasant Holidays and Journese are committed to supporting Maui's tourism economy," said Jack E. Richards, President and CEO. "The West Maui communities of Kaanapali, Napili and Kapalua will reopen throughout October with only the town of Lahaina closed to the public.  

  Pleasant Holidays and its luxury brand, Journese added Atlas Ocean Voyages to its worldwide cruise portfolio, featuring intimate yachts with fewer than 200 guests and all-inclusive onboard dining, unlimited beverages, gourmet canapes and afternoon high tea with a focus on luxury, adventure and cultural immersion experiences.   Three yachts span the globe to Antarctica, the Arctic, northern Europe, Iceland & Greenland, the Mediterranean, South America, transoceanic voyages, the Holy Land & Egypt, the Caribbean and Patagonia & The Falklands. Special Cultural, Epicurean and Polar expeditions offer additional inclusions such as cultural immersion, culinary journeys and wildlife viewing excursions. Guests who sail in suites enjoy butler service and an expanded room-service menu. The ships accommodate a maximum of 198 passengers with luxuries including L'OCCITANE bath amenities, a stocked in-room minibar and 24-hour room service, including spirits, wine and craft beer. Cruise vacations are now available for booking for sailings through 2024.   “Atlas Ocean Voyages indulges passengers with an intimate and enriching experience and a broad collection of itineraries that visit places larger cruise ships cannot reach,” said Jack E. Richards, President and CEO. “Their focus on sustainability and unique experiences set them apart and appeal to today’s travelers who seek new and exciting experiences in travel.”   Pleasant Holidays and Journese offer all itineraries on all Atlas Ocean Voyages yachts: World Voyager™, World Traveller™ and World Navigator^®. Atlas’ yachts employ fuel-efficient and noise-reducing technology to protect and preserve the waters they visit. Guests also receive a free reusable water bottle to help reduce waste.   Pleasant Holidays and Journese offer vacations to 76 countries worldwide, along with ocean and river cruise options, pre- and post-cruise extensions and flights on all major airlines with Business Class and Premium Economy options featuring flat-bed seats, fine dining and other amenities. Plus, Pleasant Holidays and Journese bookings made through Dec. 31, 2024 receive an exclusive $150 per person onboard credit based on double occupancy for select reservations.

Pleasant Holidays and luxury sister brand, Journese have added luxury cruise operator Atlas Ocean Voyages to its worldwide cruise portfolio. It offers small ship yacht style sailing with fewer than 200 guests and all-inclusive service. This comprises inclusive dining, unlimited drinks, and afternoon high tea. Three yachts explore Antarctica, the Arctic, northern Europe, Iceland and Greenland, the Mediterranean, South America and beyond. Guests who sail in suites enjoy butler service and an expanded room-service menu. Atlas Ocean luxury cruise vacations are now available for booking for sailings through 2024. “Atlas Ocean Voyages offers an intimate and enriching experience and itineraries that visit places larger cruise ships cannot reach,” said Jack E. Richards, President and CEO. Pleasant Holidays and Journese offer all itineraries on all Atlas Ocean Voyages yachts

Pleasant Holidays and luxury sister brand, Journese have launched Egypt, Jordan and Nile River Cruises. They now offer custom vacations to 76 countries worldwide. In addition, Pleasant Holidays has added Dubai and Abu Dhabi to its product offering in 2023 and 2024. Travel agents can customize itineraries to combine Egypt and Jordan with a Nile River Cruise and dinner with a local family in Amman. Over 30 hotels and 40+ destination experiences with local guides are available in the program. Flights to Cairo and Amman are offered on EgyptAir and all major airlines with Business Class and Premium Economy options. Pre and post Nile River cruise extensions can be booked for additional time to explore the destinations. Custom itineraries in Egypt can include Cairo and Luxor as well as Nile River cruises. In Jordan, they include Amman, Petra, and the Dead Sea. Suggested itineraries include a six-day, five-night excursion to Aswan with a three-day Nile River cruise ending in Luxor. Vacation packages to Egypt, Jordan, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi can be booked online at PleasantAgent.com  "Each year, thousands of Americans visit Egypt and Jordan to explore the unique cultures," said CEO Jack E. Richards.

Luxury operator Journese just rolled outa new travel agent incentive to boost premium bookings. Advisors will earn 500 Bonus TRIP Points for every new registered Journese booking with any Bucket List partner resort or cruise. It is valid for bookings made by September 30, 2023 for travel through September 30, 2024. The top two revenue producers will earn a three-night stay at either The Royal at Atlantis in the Bahamas or at all-inclusive Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino in the Dominican Republic. In addition, travel agents will earn 100 Bonus TRIP Points for each booking registered the same day it is confirmed. A further 1,500 Bonus TRIP Points are given after registering 10 qualifying bookings. They must register bookings by October 15, 2023 to qualify for additional bonus TRIP points. Bucket list partner experiences include a safari with a stay at One&Only Cape Town; and the volcanic hot springs of Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa in Costa Rica. There are more than 100 participating resorts and cruises across Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe, and Africa. Bookings can be combined with all classes of airline service including Business & Premium Economy. All bookings are combinable with all relevant resort promotions.

Pleasant Holidays and luxury sister brand, Journese rolled out a new destination wedding promotion, offering free airfare to Los Cabos. The Love Is in the Air promotion gives couples free flights for qualifying destination wedding travel bookings. It includes free economy-class airfare up to $1,500 for couples who book a travel package to Los Cabos through December 31, 2023. It is valid for travel bookings of 10 rooms or more with stays of four nights or longer. It is available at any of the 60 hotels or resorts in the companies’ Los Cabos portfolio. Travel must be contracted through the Pleasant Holidays and Journese Wedding Desk to qualify. “Los Cabos is home to some of the top luxury hotel brands as well as all-inclusive and adults-only options,” said Jack E. Richards, President and CEO. The Wedding Desk at Pleasant Holidays and Journese can arrange wedding and honeymoon travel for parties of all sizes. Hotel options include resorts such as One&Only Palmilla, Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal and Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. Bookings also may qualify for a group booking bonus up to $1,000 for stays at hotels and resorts, in addition to the standard commission. Pleasant Holidays offers group travel for as few as 10 rooms or boutique groups for five rooms or more.

  Pleasant Holidays and its luxury brand, Journese, today announced the launch of a newly refreshed Pleasant Pro Academy, the brands’ shared Travel Advisor education and resource platform, plus updated content in their Social Media Toolkit to help Travel Advisors boost sales and income through online platforms.   “These newly upgraded and more powerful tools will help Travel Advisors enhance their sales performance,” said Jack E. Richards, President and CEO. “From recorded webinars featuring a wealth of information on the destinations, hotels and resorts we offer to instant social media content to engage with clients, they can use these tools to help their clients choose the ideal vacation and maximize their earning potential.”   The Social Media Toolkit, the award-winning collection of content for Travel Advisors from Pleasant Holidays and Journese, has been updated with fresh content. It allows Travel Advisors to easily engage with their clients with ready-made content including images, messaging and descriptions, all ready for immediate posting on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. It can be found at PleasantAgent.com in the Travel Agent Resource Center or Journese.com at the Pleasant Pro Academy link, along with other useful marketing materials, with new content added regularly.   According to a recent Phocuswright report, more than half of all leisure travelers use social media in some part of their travel planning process, so having a robust social media presence is a huge benefit for Travel Advisors.   The improved Pleasant Pro Academy includes a new look, updated information, expanded product and adds a third course focused exclusively on Journese, while the original two courses have been refined for a better user experience. The Social Media Toolkit also can be accessed via Pleasant Pro Academy.   By completing the courses, Travel Advisors can earn a bonus 2,000 TRIP points for courses 1 (The World of Pleasant Holidays) and 2 (Global Portfolio), and an additional 1,000 TRIP points for course 3 (The Journese Advantage). TRIP is Pleasant Holidays’ travel reward incentive program, under which Travel Advisors earn points redeemable for personal travel with every qualifying booking.   Additional updates are coming to the Pleasant Pro Academy Resource Center, which will have an expanded selection of destination trainings in both the TRACK (Pleasant Holidays) and ELITE (Journese) sections. New training courses will continue to be added in all destinations throughout 2023.   Pleasant Holidays and Journese are a one-stop resource for complete vacation packages to 74 countries worldwide, including flights on all major airlines in all classes of service; 3,500+ vetted hotels and resorts, offering real-time rates and inventory; 17 cruise lines with ocean voyages and river cruise options; vacation rentals; Hertz car rentals and airport transfers; commissionable destination experiences and travel protection plans with Cancel-For-Any-Reason coverage including non-refundable flights, hotels and government imposed travel restrictions.

Journese announced a new travel agent incentive, offering 500 Bonus TRIP Points for new spa and wellness resort bookings. It is valid for bookings made by June 30, 2023 for travel through June 30, 2024, with a minimum three-night stay at wellness partner resorts, private resort residences and villas. Travel agents who register bookings on the same day they are confirmed with deposit will receive an additional 100 bonus TRIP points. After 10 registered bookings, advisors are awarded an additional 1,500 bonus TRIP points. Travel advisors can redeem their TRIP points for personal travel to any destination offered by Journese. In addition, the top travel advisor with qualified bookings will earn a complimentary two-night stay at the five-star Hotel Arts Barcelona in Spain. Journese offers a four- and five-star portfolio of spas and wellness resorts, all-inclusive options and private resort residences across Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe, and South Africa. Many resort partners also have dynamic rates, room inventory, and instant reservation confirmations. "With a portfolio of more than 70 countries, Journese offers the opportunity to replenish in some of the most sought-after destinations with unique treatments," says Amy Comparato, Senior Brand Director, Journese.  

Pleasant Holidays and luxury sister brand, Journese has added two new destinations in Northern Greece. Thessaloniki and Halkidiki have been added to the portfolio. A total of eight hotels – five in Thessaloniki and three in Halkidiki – are now open for 2023 booking. Inventory and instant reservations, as well as private and shared small-group activities are available. "With demand for Europe hitting record levels and flights being added, now is a perfect time to explore these new destinations in Greece," said CEO Jack E. Richards. Pleasant Holidays offers over 80 hotels and resorts in the Greek Islands including Athens, Santorini, Mykonos and Crete plus Greek Isles cruises on NCL and Windstar. Airfares in all seating classes are available daily into Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia with connections through major airports in Europe.