Member Spotlight - Allyson Tonelli

Name: Allyson Tonelli 
Position: Director of Sales
Employer: Tourism Kingston 
Joined MPI: 2019

Email: allyson@tourismkingston.com
Linked In: Allyson Tonelli

How have you benefited from having a membership with MPI Ottawa?

In one word, immensely. To elaborate, I started my job in tourism less than six months before the pandemic began. Being an MPI member and joining an MPI committee allowed me to continue to network and make necessary connections, albeit online. Now that we are finally seeing light at the end of this crazy tunnel, I will be able to walk into many in-person events and feel as though I am a part of the wonderful industry we are in by knowing so many people. I cannot wait to meet you all in person soon!

What do you like the most about MPI Ottawa?

The people and the consistent opportunities to further your education! MPI is a well-oiled machine that has some of the most amazing and dedicated people behind it to make this happen. The events they have put on have been so inspirational, educational, and fun.

What would say to someone that was unsure about joining MPI Ottawa?

There really is no reason to be unsure with this decision. With all the educational and networking opportunities MPI has to offer, there is no reason not to join. It allows you to learn more about yourself and your industry, and to discover new strengths with like-minded professionals. You can find new opportunities for your business, keep yourself updated with industry trends, and give your reputation a lift. Nothing should be stopping you from joining.  

How did you get where you are today?

I came out of university with an arts degree and then pursued a college diploma in Human Resources. I did have plans on going that way but ended up landing a temporary job as the assistant for the head film buyer for Famous Players. This is where my love of sales began. I never looked back at HR and continued to pursue different sales jobs throughout my career.

My family and I decided to move to Kingston almost 12 years ago. I worked with a radio station selling radio and television ads and then worked for Queen’s University Athletics handing all their sponsorship sales. It was at my job at Queen’s that I started to work alongside Tourism Kingston, assisting in bringing in national events to the city. The position of Director of Sales came up and I jumped on it.

I love sales – you get to meet people, you get to collaborate, and you need to be very attentive. I always say that it really doesn’t matter what you are selling, as it is really all about the service you provide and how well you provide it. If you listen to your client’s needs, understand what they are looking for, and your product matches up, then it is a win-win situation. Although the last two years have been a challenge to say the least, I feel as though I am exactly where I am meant to be. I absolutely love “selling” Kingston.

What are some challenges you are currently facing in your role?

As the director of sales, I oversee three portfolios. Business events, sport tourism and travel trade. Unfortunately, through the pandemic, I was not able to keep my employees and ended up handing all three portfolios on my own. This was – and continues to be – a tough challenge. I always want to make sure I provide the best possible service to my clients and having to handle all three portfolios has been very hard. I am happy to say that I recently was able to hire Ted Robinson as our business events specialist and am looking to hire for both the sport position and travel trade position soon.

What is an industry tool you could not live without?

Networking!! According to the Oxford dictionary, networking is defined as “The action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts.” This is by far the most important industry tool we have. Share knowledge; share best and worst practices. We all are here to succeed; supporting one another and working together is the best possible way to do this.

Last words

I am honoured to have been asked to do this member spotlight; it means a lot to me. I am still so new in this industry and am so thankful for all the support I have already received. I am so very excited to meet in-person and look forward to welcoming events to our beautiful city! I have also realized my love for exclamation marks while writing this. I guess I am just really excited about what MPI Ottawa has to offer and the future ahead of us.

 Article edited by Cynthia Beaudin, Canada Foundation for Innovation