Court grants Travel Leaders Group right to use Travel Leaders name in Canada

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Travel Leaders Group, LLC has won the right to use the Travel Leaders trademark in Canada.

The win is a major victory for the company, and caps a six-year legal battle.

In a decision handed down in early March, the Federal Court of Canada determined that the Travel Leaders trademark registration, owned by an Ontario numbered company since 2011, had been abandoned and should be cancelled.

“We’re extremely gratified by the court’s decision,” said Roger E. Block, President, Travel Leaders Network. “This is a tremendous win for our company. Our brand is vitally important to us, and we’ve invested a great deal of time and energy defending it. We’ve already spoken to our Canadian members, and they’re excited to start using the full official Travel Leaders Network name.”

Travel Leaders Group, a division of Internova Travel Group, has filed new applications in Canada for the Travel Leaders trademark and has a pending application for the Travel Leaders Network trademark. Out of an abundance of caution, Travel Leaders Group will not be adopting the trademark in Canada until the decision is final. The Ontario numbered company has sought an extension of time to file an appeal but has failed to retain counsel and is unlikely to be allowed to proceed without counsel.

Travel Leaders Network expects to issue a further update once the appeal motion is resolved. In the meantime, the ability to use the Travel Leaders brand name in Canada has been granted by the court in unequivocal terms. Planning is underway to use the single Travel Leaders brand throughout North America in the future.

The news was a highlight of Travel Leaders Network’s annual EDGE conference in Nashville. Some 1,700 TLN members, staff and supplier partners were in attendance, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.

Canadian travel agencies honoured at the ‘Power of the Partnership (POP) Awards’ event during EDGE included: Chairman’s Pinnacle Award: Travel Best Bets, Burnaby, BC; Chairman’s Elite Award: KVI Travel, Victoria, BC; Chairman’s Host Award: Centre Holiday Inc., Mississauga, ON; President’s

Circle Award, Large agency: Northstar Travel, Kitchener, ON; President’s Circle Award, Midsize agency: Cruise Holidays, Oakville, ON; President’s Circle Award, Small agency: McPhail Travel, Moosomin, SK; Member of the Year Award: The Travel Agent Next Door Inc., Surrey, BC; and New Member Award: 510 Travel, Scarborough, ON.

On the supplier side, winners were chosen based on providing tremendous support in areas of agent interest such as marketing, technology, sales support and education and training.

This year’s Sales and Service Partner of the Year was awarded to TravelBrands, while the Overall Support Partner of the Year went to Sunwing. Other supplier winners included: Mass Market Tour Partner - WestJet Vacations; Escorted Tour Partner of the Year - Globus family of brands; Top Resort/Hotel Partner - Sandals Resorts; Adventure Tour Partner - G Adventures; Best Educational Programmes - Manulife; and Most Creative Marketing - AmaWaterways.

“This year’s supplier partner honorees continually go above and beyond for our TL Network Canada agencies and their clients,” said Christine James, Vice President of Travel Leaders Network Canada. “These awards are voted in by our membership, recognizing these suppliers for their commitment to our industry and our Travel Leaders Network family as inspiring, powerful and woven within our most cherished value – our partnerships.”