Excellence in Leadership
TravelAge West’s Excellence in Leadership Award celebrates a long-standing icon of the travel industry, and recognizes their lifelong commitment to the betterment of the industry.
Each year, TravelAge West honors individuals with the Excellence in Leadership Award. These exceptional industry leaders not only demonstrate outstanding leadership, insight and innovation, but also positively impact both their own organizations and the travel industry overall.
For 2024, TravelAge West is honored to present this award to two worthy recipients, John Lovell with Travel Leaders Group and Christopher Prelog with Windstar Cruises. In addition, a new Legend of the West award was presented to Craig Pavlus of Pavlus Travel.
John Lovell
President, Travel Leaders Group
John Lovell, CTC and President of Travel Leaders Group, a
division of Internova Travel Group, is a travel industry veteran with more than
two decades of executive experience. He’s a respected voice on trends and a
leader in supporting the charitable needs of the travel community.
Based in Orlando, Florida, Lovell leads a division that
generates gross travel sales approaching $21 billion annually.
The division includes Internova’s consortia operation; its
large host agency; and its wholly-owned cruise, leisure and specialty agencies.
He oversees Travel Leaders Group’s partnerships with travel suppliers,
including cruise lines, tour operators, car rental companies and travel
insurance entities, working to strengthen their vital relationships with travel
advisors.
As President of Travel Leaders Group, Lovell is also
responsible for the strategic operations, sales, marketing and overall growth
of Travel Leaders Network, one of the largest travel agency organizations in
North America.
Prior to his current role, which he took on in 2020, Lovell
served as President, Leisure Travel, Supplier Relations & Networks for
Travel Leaders Group and as President of Vacation.com, formerly the largest
travel agency consortium in the U.S. In 2016, Travel Leaders Network was formed
when Travel Leaders Franchise Group and Vacation.com merged.
Before becoming President of Vacation.com in 2011, Lovell
held several other positions within the company, including Vice President of
Sales, Industry Relations and Revenue Management. He was originally hired in
2002 as Vice President of Sales and Business Development.
Before that, Lovell held the position of Director of Travel
Industry Sales at ANC Rental Corporation. He also worked as Vice President of
Sales and Marketing for Renaissance Travel Solutions. His first job in the
travel industry was at The Hertz Corporation, serving as Regional Sales Manager
for the state of Florida. Additionally, Lovell spent nine years at BAT
Industries, working his way up to Director of Global Accounts for the tobacco
giant while based in London.
Lovell is recognized within the industry for his expertise
on the growing popularity of travel advisors, as well as cruise and leisure
travel trends and the retail travel business. But he is also a leader in
connecting the travel industry with those in need at home and around the world.
In 2015, he founded the Family Bonds Foundation, the
nonprofit giving arm of Travel Leaders Group that supports the charitable needs
of those who work within the travel industry, as well as the broader community.
Christopher Prelog
President, Windstar Cruises
Christopher Prelog is no stranger to the high seas — in
fact, his career began more than 25 years ago onboard Seabourn Legend, when he
was a waiter caring for passengers while still finding his own sea legs.
Today, Prelog continues to shepherd explorers from his seat
as President of Windstar Cruises — and that is by design. While his first job
on the ocean may have been rocky — the story goes that he wanted to quit,
seasick and browbeaten, but that his father convinced him to stick it out — he
found his footing and came to love the cruise world, where he continues to
learn and grow as a leader and proud brand ambassador.
“Our guests bond with our crew, which is a rare relationship
in the hospitality industry,” Prelog said. “Our crew isn’t behind the curtain.
They are center stage, friendly, and there to connect with our guests. It is
not uncommon to see our returning guests and crew embracing each other like old
friends. That’s what keeps them coming back, and it keeps me excited to come to
work and foster these relationships while also taking our guests to some of the
best destinations on the planet.”
Whether they’re onboard a Windstar ship or working on land,
the brand team is
Prelog’s biggest motivator, he says. Advisors are included —
Prelog recognizes the strength of the travel advisor community, and the role
they play in influencing travelers to
try out new places and products.
“Not a day passes by when I am not in touch with an
advisor,” he said. “I recently sailed with a group of our top 50 advisors so we
could engage in an honest conversation about how Windstar can improve, hear
what their clients want and generally get to know each other better. Because really,
the best part of this work is the relationships we have.”
And Prelog’s personal history onboard ships informs his
decisions regularly. He prioritizes hiring executives and other team members
who have been at sea themselves, too. Building a team with ample onboard
experience has made the Windstar team “humble, extremely guest-centric and
focused on problem anticipation,” Prelog says.
While cruising may be a slower and more tranquil way to
travel, Prelog is up for a bit of adrenaline pumping every now and then. When
Prelog takes a break from his deck (or desk), it’s possible he’s cheering on
Formula 1 racers, queuing up for a roller coaster or getting behind the wheel
of a fast car.
He shares his adventures through his Instagram account
(@christopherprelog).
“It’s become a fun way to connect with the world, share my
experiences and engage with the larger cruise and travel community,” he
said.
Craig Pavlus
CEO and Founder, Pavlus Travel
Craig organized Pavlus Travel 28 years ago after a remarkable 26-year career with TWA serving as Senior Vice President of Marketing, President of TWA Getaway Vacations and President of The Travel Channel. A constant innovator, Craig recognized the Internet in its infancy as the vehicle to market travel to the best places at the best prices to clients throughout the world. Now Pavlus Travel is recognized as one the foremost luxury travel companies worldwide with revenues exceeding $110 million dollars annually. Craig who served on the City of Albuquerque Animal Shelter Board is a an active contributor to Animal Shelter Organizations throughout the United States.
