Lynda Falcone is retiring after a remarkable 48 years in the travel business. Having served for the past 17 years as national travel trade manager for VisitBritain, Falcone plans to say cheerio in April (actual date TBA).
Falcone started her impressive career as a tour guide in Ottawa while still a student and went on to count Wardair, Contiki, Visit Florida, Fort Lauderdale, Discover the World, and Transat amongst varied postings over the decades.
She jokes that she began her career bringing Brits to Canada (with Brewster) and is ending it sending Canadians to Britain.
Originally from Montreal and now a Mississauga native, Falcone told Travel Industry Today that her love for her job has kept her going for so long.
“I’m going to miss the people,” she said. “The Canadian travel industry, the UK suppliers, and the people I work with are the reason (I’m still working).”
On the job at Kew Gardens, 2023A few of those were the first to hear her news while on a FAM trip last week in Britain and marked the occasion with a teary farewell during a posh dinner event at a hotel in Henley-on-Thames.
“I wanted to do one more trip with you (before leaving),” Falcone told the group of Canadian suppliers, British colleagues, and TIT.
Struggling for composure at the dinner, VisitBritain’s manager for Canada Cathy Stapells, who has worked with Falcone for the past 11 years, said she has been an “invaluable source of experience and information and will be missed” at the national tourism agency.
“For the last 17 years, Lynda has been VisitBritain’s champion for travel trade in Canada. She has been instrumental in bringing awareness of new British products, experiences and itineraries to the Canadian market, and has been a tremendous liaison between UK suppliers and Canadian buyers. While we will all miss her enthusiasm and expertise, we wish her the very best for her next chapter,” Stapells told Travel Industry Today.
In the immediate future, Falcone says she plans to refresh some of her foreign language skills and take up golf – perhaps even turning up at some industry tournaments this summer to see old friends.
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