The three winners were Lee Rabbidge of Infinity Holidays, Swapnil Bhate of Flight Centre Auckland, and Gianfranco Belloli of Flight Centre Wellington. They were accompanied by Karen McCardle of Canuckiwi (account director for Anchorage in Australia and New Zealand) and Nadia Paulsen of Adventure World.
Over six days, the group explored Anchorage, Talkeetna and the surrounding wilderness, taking part in a mix of adventure, local cuisine and iconic Alaskan activities. From glacier landings to dog mushing, aurora chasing and alpine wellness, the itinerary demonstrated the selling points and value of Southcentral Alaska experiences.
Throughout the itinerary, the travel professionals secured vital product knowledge through immersive experiences, including landing on Knik Glacier with Outbound Heli’s Knik Glacier Explorer; a remote overnight wilderness stay at Bluewater Basecamp following an evening of exploration with Adventures by True North; experiencing the Aurora Borealis; dog mushing with Alaskan Husky Adventures; a Denali flightseeing experience with K2 Aviation; rejuvenation at Alaska’s first Nordic Spa at Alyeska Resort, and getting into Anchorage’s vibrant food and cultural scene with Alaskan Sights & Bites culinary tour and various dining experiences throughout the region.
En route home, the group enjoyed a festive stopover in Grapevine, Texas – the Christmas Capital of Texas®.
Before their onward flight, the agents also experienced premium comfort at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport with access to the American Airlines Flagship Lounge, the airline’s premier international lounge experience at its DFW hub.
