By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors (ACTA) held its largest Summit event yet in Toronto Wednesday, bringing together travel advisors, agencies, suppliers, destinations and industry partners from across Canada and around the world.
The Eastern Canada event kicked off with the rallying cry “This is your day, take action,” ahead of a comprehensive program of guest speakers (12), panels, education seminars and industry insights, trade show, awards ceremony, and, of course, plenty of prizes.
More than 500 ACTA agents turned out for the Summit, held at the Pearson Convention Centre near the Toronto airport, along with a record 212 suppliers manning 126 exhibitor booths.
Leading off, ACTA president Suzanne Acton-Gervais recounted a difficult year for agents, who have had to navigate problems from increasingly chaotic weather to the similarly chaotic dynamics south of the border, as well as airline strikes, high retail prices and extraordinary technological change (including the all-encompassing spectre of AI).
She added that an ACTA survey showed that members overwhelming (65%) rated declining airline commissions/compensation as their top current concern, noting that the amount of work agents do on a file doesn’t correspondingly diminish.
Nevertheless, despite the ever-present challenges, it was also a day of resiliency, determination and pride with Acton-Gervais maintaining, “In this rapidly evolving environment, the role of travel agencies and travel advisors has never been more important, and neither has ACTA’s role in in bringing our industry together through advocacy, education and connection. Our theme is bold leadership, smart innovation, extraordinary destinations.”
The ACTA president said it was important to be candid about the present, but that she was also optimistic about the future, particularly as the association celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Indeed, as morning keynote speaker, James Thornton of Intrepid Travel noted: “For years, people have predicted the demise of the travel advisor… the tour operator was done. People have been collectively trying to put us out of business for a long time. But we continue to prove how valuable we are.
“But it doesn’t mean to say it won’t be a challenging time. AI is changing how business models are operating, so we need to think about how those new models are working for our customers and communities.”
But in the end, Thornton, believes travel advisors still have the upper hand.
“Despite the uncertainty, I’m incredibly confident in what we offer our customers. Because travellers don’t need more information,” he said, “they need confidence, trust, and context, and above all, they need to make some experiences.
“So, what does this mean for all of us as travel advisors? I think it means authentic local experiences which support diverse voices and communities. That’s what customers want to be doing and that’s the greatest opportunity for us ahead.”
Not surprising then, that Acton-Gervais revealed ACTA’s new motto going into its next 50 years is “Lead. Grow. Engage.”
ACTA Leadership Awards Winners
As the day concluded, ACTA recognized several outstanding contributions and achievements across Canada’s travel industry with its annual leadership awards. This year’s honourees are:
- Gerald Heifetz Advocacy Award: Christine James CTM, Travel Leaders Network
- Leisure Travel Advisor Award: Dean Nelson CTC, Personal Travel Management
- Corporate Travel Advisor Award: Roxeanne Rae, Sea to Sky Travel
- Travel Manager Award: Corinne Scollon, Direct Travel
- Tomorrow’s Leader Award: Jamsheed Pocha, The Pelican Club
- Ches Chard Education Award: Doug Ellison, Ellison Travel and Tours
- CTC/CTM Lifetime Achievement Award: Melissa Chown CTC, CAA Atlantic
With the momentum of its recording-breaking event in Toronto, ACTA now moves on to its next two Summits:
Sept. 15 – ACTA Quebec Travel Industry Summit
Location: Montreal Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel (800 Pl. Leigh-Capreol, Dorval)
Time: 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
Sept. 29 – ACTA Western Canada Travel Industry Summit
Location: Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel (7551 Westminster Hwy., Richmond)
Time: 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
If you enjoyed or found this story useful, we’d appreciate if you would forward it to a colleague or friend who may also enjoy it. If, on the other hand, a friend shared it with you, welcome! You can get all the latest travel news and reviews from Travel Industry by simply clicking HERE.