A RO U N D T H E WO R L D W I T H R B C ’ S
Athena Varmazis As Senior Vice-President, Cards at RBC, Athena Varmazis has a sharp eye for what will excite customers. Sometimes it’s great rewards and sometimes it’s making it much easier to track and use them, like with the mobile app RBC introduced just last year. Their latest innovation is a North American first: a metal credit card with tap functionality. The exclusive RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege for Private Banking credit card adds cutting edge technology to the core features and benefits of RBC’s Private Banking card. Yet Varmazis still manages to find the time to see the world.
Where have you just come back from? I was in Greece for my summer vacation. It was wonderful – great food, great beaches and the weather is always hot and sunny.
Which is your road most travelled? Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway [through Virginia and North Carolina] is spectacular, with many breathtaking views along the way.
Where in the world have you felt happiest? Tough question to answer since I love to travel and experience new countries and culture. I have wonderful memories from many places.
Who is your favourite travel companion? My family. There’s never a dull moment with them around!
Name a place that most lived up to the hype. There is so much to see in the world, so I feel a little naïve answering this question. Within Canada, I’d have to say my trip to Newfoundland blew me away, with its beautiful fishing villages and views. More exotically, a remote beach on the island of Kythira in Greece was very worth the difficult trek. Which is your favourite hotel? When travelling on business, I prefer a full-service hotel with a business centre for any last-minute emergency print-outs. Otherwise I love little boutique hotels with character. I have yet to find one that I would call my absolute favourite. The restaurant or dish that’s most delighted me is.... Eating a spectacular multi-course meal in a castle in France. The food and restaurant was amazing.
Who is the most interesting person you’ve met on your travels? I can’t pick just one! I enjoy meeting locals with a rich knowledge of their region’s history, like a shop owner who has so many tales of a town we are seeing for the first time.
“It’s incredible to think about the industry that once thrived there surrounded by such beautiful landscapes”
Confession time: name one thing you’ve taken from a hotel. I had to take a shoe cloth once from a hotel in the winter. My shoes were getting salty and needed TLC! What’s the one essential thing for making travel more comfortable? A really great pair of noise-cancelling headphones. What’s your guilty pleasure while travelling? Eating way too much food!
What was the most memorable trip you redeemed with Avion? We travelled to Tuscany on points for a wonderful trip to celebrate a milestone birthday. Any tips you can share on how travellers can maximize their points? Book your trip on points and use the money from your travel budget for indulgences such as a spa day, shopping or an adventurous experience. Also, before you go, find out what travelrelated services are available on your credit card, such as hotel upgrades, or a concierge to secure reservations at a gourmet restaurant.
What other lifetime adventure is on your bucket list? There is so much on the list, but I really want to see the Amazon rainforest or the Galápagos Islands. It will be tough to decide which comes first! Which travel experience most changed your worldview and why? I’d have to say seeing the dichotomy between industrialization and nature in the Appalachian Mountains region. It’s incredible to think about the industry that once thrived there surrounded by such beautiful landscapes. The diversity is difficult to absorb.
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