ACTA 2024 award recipients announced at Toronto Summit

This story was updated on Friday, September 13 at 7:10 a.m. EST

The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors (ACTA) announced the winners of its national awards on Thursday (Sept. 12) at the Toronto stop of its Travel Industry Summit series.

A total of six awards were presented at the Toronto Congress Centre, which welcomed around 500 travel advisors and more than 100 suppliers.

“All recipients are leaders in this industry,” said Wendy Paradis, ACTA’s president, before the awards were announced. 

READ MORE: ACTA kicks off Summit in Toronto, urges Air Canada & union to find a resolution ASAP

ACTA’s Leisure Travel Advisor Award went to Mary De Almeida CTC of Mississauga, ON. 

This award goes to someone who shows versatility and innovation, has extensive knowledge of travel options and keeps clients excited about their dream getaway, says ACTA.  

“It’s quite an honour,” said De Almeida, who was unable to attend Thursday's Summit because she is in Las Vegas for TravelOnly's national conference, but provided PAX with a statement. “I’ve been in this industry for more than 40 years, it’s really nice to be acknowledged. This industry gets into your blood, and once it’s in, you can’t get it out.”

De Almeida says she has found a lot of satisfaction in helping others as a mentor over the years, “and making people’s dreams come true.”

“It’s a great thing to come to work every day,” she said.

ACTA’s Corporate Travel Advisor Award went to Adam Taylor of Bedford, N.S.

This award goes to someone who demonstrates an understanding of a client's needs from a global perspective, has specialized knowledge in transportation, policies, visas and more, and delivers on expectations, says ACTA. 

The Tomorrow’s Leader Award went to Allison Long, founder of Live For: Luxe Travel & Concierge, of Calgary, AB. 

This award recognizes a young potential leader who shows potential as an industry leader and is a role model for younger professionals, says ACTA. 

This year’s Ches Chard Education Award Winner is Joanne Gellatly CTC of Toronto, ON.

This award recognizes a travel advisor who demonstrates a significant commitment to professionalism, education and training excellence in human resources management. 

Gellatly is a professor at the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at George Brown College.

The CTC/CTM Lifetime Achievement Award went to Lynda Tomilin CTC of Barrie, ON.

This award recognizes an advisor who is an exceptional CTC or CTM who embodies the highest of standards of professionalism to serve as an inspiring example of dedication and perseverance.

Finally, the Gerald Hiefetz Advocacy Award went to Louise Gardiner CTC, CTM of Kitchener, ON. 

This award was established in memory of Gerald Heifetz, who helped travel advisors, business people and countless struggling immigrants throughout his law practice. Heifetz was also instrumental in the foundation of ACTA and CITC.

Gardiner is a leader and advocate in the Canadian travel industry whose career spans more than 45 years.

She started as a bookkeeper at the Ernie Meissner Travel Group, eventually rising to vice president and overseeing multiple divisions after the company was sold to Tripcentral.ca.

As VP of Tripcentral.ca, she encouraged staff to excel in their sales roles by encouraging the early adoption of travel processes and technology in their daily functions.

As a passionate advocate for the travel profession, Gardiner has also held pivotal roles at Carlson Wagonlit Travel, ACTA, The Travel Industry Council of Ontario, Conestoga College, and The Travel Agent Next Door (TTAND), where she currently helps agencies reduce their operational costs and enhance their marketing capabilities.

In addition to her professional achievements, Gardiner has shown leadership at Rotary International – particularly at Kitchener Rotary, as Club President (twice) and District Training Director, where she has been a mentor.

She has been awarded the Rotary International Citation Award in 2021-22 and the District 7080 Club Builder Award in 2022. She has also been nominated as Kitchener Waterloo Women of the Year, and most recently, Kitchener Senior of the Year for her philanthropic service.

Her recent involvement as a mentor with the Waterloo Region Women in Communication & Technology (WCT) also reflects her commitment to fostering gender equality in the workplace and promoting the development of future female leaders.

“I am humbled and honoured to have been nominated and chosen to receive this prestigious award!” Gardiner told PAX. “This recognition underscores my commitment to supporting the diversity and resilience of our retail travel industry. I have had many mentors over the years and each one continues to inspire me to share and collaborate with all my colleagues. Shout out to these and all my industry family!”

Stay tuned for more of PAX’s coverage from ACTA’s 2024 Travel Industry Summit in Toronto.

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