TIME brings cross-industry mentorship to Canada's travel sector

In an industry built on connections, a mentorship program from Australia is bringing Canadian travel professionals together to share something beyond business opportunities: their experience.

The Travel Industry Mentor Experience (TIME) officially launched Sept. 23 at Intrepid Travel's Toronto office, where approximately 55 attendees gathered to meet its first three Canadian mentor–mentee pairs and hear plans for an Air New Zealand scholarship.

Founded in Australia in 2009 by Penny Spencer, TIME expanded to New Zealand in 2019 and has supported more than 450 graduates across the two countries, according to figures presented at the event. Canada is its third market.

For Spencer, who travelled from Sydney for the launch, the similarities between the Australian and Canadian travel industries made the expansion a natural fit.

"The industry is very similar to the Australian industry. And so I thought, well, why not bring it to Canada?" Spencer told PAX.

TIME's six-month program provides 24 hours of structured, one-on-one mentoring, with participants setting their own professional goals. Spencer hopes to see approximately 100 Canadian graduates within the next two to three years.

Experience doesn't eliminate the need for mentorship

Among TIME Canada's inaugural mentors is Sheralyn Berry, director of commercial sales at Destination America, who sees knowledge transfer as an increasingly important issue for travel businesses.

"We're at a pivotal point in this industry, where we see a lot of our tenured, experienced leaders leaving the industry," Berry told PAX.

Her mentee, Kirsten Bellis, partnerships manager for North America at Chimu Adventures, has spent 26 years in travel. The two have known each other for approximately two decades as former colleagues and industry friends.

Encouraged by friends who completed TIME in Australia, Bellis applied to build confidence and consider her next career step. Despite their longstanding relationship, she expects Berry to challenge her and offer a fresh perspective.

Their pairing illustrates an important point: even after 26 years in travel, there's value in having someone help you consider what comes next.

Berry's work mentoring hospitality and tourism students at Toronto Metropolitan University has also highlighted another challenge: many aspiring professionals are unfamiliar with the breadth of careers available in travel, from technology and marketing to destination management and operations.

The inaugural Canadian cohort includes two other pairs: Alfred Chow, partnerships and PR specialist at Explore Worldwide, with Bernadine D'Souza of Bains Travel; and Lisa Elliott, group department manager at Collette, with Katie Olsson, national account manager for Canada at Air New Zealand.

Steve Farrelly, founder of SixPlusOne Consulting, experienced TIME as an Australian mentee in 2011 before becoming a mentor and helping establish the Canadian program. At the launch, he identified clarity, courage and connection as three lasting benefits.

An investment beyond company boundaries

While those relationships are built between individuals, TIME's Canadian expansion also depends on businesses willing to invest in talent beyond their own organizations.

Air New Zealand announced a scholarship covering the full $2,000 participation fee for one mentee in Toronto's March 2027 intake.

For other participants, the fee can be paid in monthly installments, while employers can sponsor mentees, and experienced professionals can volunteer as mentors.

Olsson, who is also mentoring Elliott in the inaugural cohort, said the airline has seen TIME's impact through colleagues and friends in Australia and New Zealand.

"Hopefully, that will encourage others who are just Canadian-based to say, hey, maybe we need to step up and get involved in this too," she told PAX.

Intrepid Travel is also supporting TIME, having hosted the launch at its Toronto office.

Christian Wolters, president of Intrepid Travel Canada, said the company expects an employee to join a future cohort.

"Investing in the next generation is paramount," Wolters told PAX. "We are growing, we're ambitious companies, and we need the talent to make sure we can get there."

For travel agencies and independent professionals without formal workplace mentoring programs, TIME offers access to experienced leaders across the industry.

TIME Canada country program manager Edith Beaudoin interviews prospective participants about their goals, experience and personalities before a committee selects suitable pairings.

"The success of the program is the correct match. It's all about the match," she said.

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