One of Canada's best known travel industry figures is saying goodbye, and the tributes are rolling in.
ACTA president Wendy Paradis has announced her retirement after nine years at the helm of the national travel agency association. Paradis plans to step down later this year once a replacement is found but will stay on in a consulting position throughout 2025 to ensure a smooth transition.
Paradis gained national acclaim for her steering of ACTA throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, advocating for travel agencies and travel advisors with multiple levels of government and securing essential support for the industry.
During her tenure, Paradis oversaw a pivotal name change from the decades old Association of Canadian Travel Agents to the more inclusive Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors. ‘Travel agent’ was retired along with paper tickets.
“The past nine years as ACTA’s President have been filled with tremendous opportunities and at times, significant industry challenges. I have been fortunate to work with a talented and dedicated ACTA team and a strong National Board of Directors,” said Paradis.
“I’m proud of the Canadian and global travel and tourism industry collaborations we have built and I’m confident by working together our industry will continue to have tremendous success.”
"Oh, wow, that's huge," Air Canada's Lisa Pierce told Open Jaw when she heard the news. "I was just talking about her the other day. Something was going on and I said, 'I know Wendy could help facilitate this.'"
Pierce called Paradis "the glue that holds us all together."
"Wendy's been amazing to work with," she said. "She's fair and she's incredibly diplomatic, but strong when she needs to be strong.
"She has decades of experience and she'll be hard to replace; impossible to replace," said Pierce, Air Canada's Vice President of Global Sales and Air Canada Vacations. "But I'm happy she can spend more time with her family as I know they're very close."
"Having seen many ACTA presidents come and go over the years, I can unequivocally say it took a woman to helm the association and right the ship," said Open Jaw president Nina Slawek. "Wendy has not only been a strong leader, she has made herself available for interviews and commentary on salient issues which, as media, is invaluable.
"A strong advocate like Wendy will be missed by the entire industry."
"I loved working with Wendy," said former TTAND executive Penny Martin. "She's a great person and I wish her all the luck in the world.
"It's disappointing that she's leaving the industry, but everyone appreciates all the work she did for travel and travel advisors during all the difficult times. She helped us get through a lot," Martin said.
“Working with Wendy over the past few years has been both an honour and a privilege. Her leadership, at all times, but most especially during the pandemic, has been nothing short of amazing. Through it all she has led with professionalism and empathy for the all industry stakeholders,” said ACTA Board Chair, Monica Johnstone. “She has addressed issues that needed to be dealt with and is leaving the industry in a much better place.
"The ACTA Board, staff and industry are losing an icon. Wendy will be missed but we wish her the best for the next chapter.”
Paradis joined ACTA in 2016 and has played a key role in travel advisor professional development, certification and most importantly, advocating for travel agencies, travel advisors and independent travel advisors.
For the past nine years, she has also represented Canada globally as a board member and the current Chair of the World Travel Agency Association Alliance (WTAAA).
Paradis’ retirement marks four decades in the Canadian travel and tourism industry, starting her career as a travel advisor with Eaton’s Travel directly out of college. She then progressed to positions with travel agencies such as Thomas Cook Travel as a Travel Manager, Marlin Travel as a director and CAA Travel South Central Ontario as Vice President.
Prior to working with ACTA, she was Senior Vice President at the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC) where she developed her expertise in education, professional development and advocacy.
Search for new president is underway
The ACTA Board of Directors has hired Executive Search Firm, PSG Leadership to conduct the search for a new ACTA President. The position will be posted on the ACTA website in the coming days.
