“Canadians want to travel”: ACTA President Suzanne Acton-Gervais kicks off Summit in T.O.

Suzanne Acton-Gervais, the new president of the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors (ACTA), delivered her first live keynote to Canada’s travel trade on Thursday morning (Sept.11), opening ACTA’s Eastern Canada Travel Industry Summit at the Toronto Congress Centre.

It was a milestone morning for Acton-Gervais, who stepped into the role of ACTA president in July, succeeding longtime ACTA president Wendy Paradis.

Acton-Gervais used her first appearance on the Summit stage to thank the trade and underscore her commitment to the profession. 

"What an honour it is to stand before such an extraordinary group of travel leaders, travel advisors and partners—the very heart of Canadian travel," she said in her opening remarks.

The state of travel

Acton-Gervais struck an optimistic tone, noting that “Canadians want to travel."

"Demand is resilient and many indicators point to strong momentum continuing into 2026.”

She shared that sun destinations remain the go-to choice for many Canadian travellers.

"Mexico and the Caribbean remain favourites," she said.

She also pointed to strong growth in overseas trips, with bookings to Southeast Asia up 18 per cent year-over-year.

She highlighted that Europe continues to perform strongly, encouraging advisors to consider promoting the shoulder season when travellers can find value and smaller crowds. 

By contrast, travel to the U.S. has softened — air crossings are down 17 per cent and road trips down 37 per cent. 

But Canadians are compensating by going farther afield. 

Overseas travel rose 9 per cent in May, 7 per cent in June and 6 per cent in July compared to last year.

“Canadians aren’t staying home. They’re travelling farther, they’re staying longer and seeking more immersive experiences,” Acton-Gervais said. 

“It means Canadians need guidance for longer-haul, more complex trips and that’s where your expertise is critical.”

At the same time, domestic travel remains robust. 

“The number one destination for Canadians in 2025 is Canada,” she told the audience. 

“Canadians are rediscovering the beauty of our nation.”

Who’s travelling — and how

Acton-Gervais outlined key traveller segments driving demand:

• Baby boomers in their “go years” (ages 61–79): Investing in bucket-list and multi-generational trips, often budgeting $20,000–$30,000 annually for travel.
• Older Gen Xers in their 50s: With strong finances and older kids, they have more time to travel.
• Solo women travellers: A fast-growing group in their 50s and 60s, prioritizing culture, wellness and safety.
• Bleisure travellers: More than half of business travellers now extend their trips and invest in premium experiences.

Business travel, she added, is also rebounding sharply — from $36.5 billion in 2024 to a projected $44.3 billion this year.

Outlook and advisor opportunities

Looking ahead, Acton-Gervais noted that while consumer confidence has declined, dipping to “near neutral” in 2025 amid tariff and policy uncertainty, demand remains strong. 

By 2027, conditions should stabilize, with the Bank of Canada projecting 1.8% growth, inflation trending toward target and a strengthening global tourism sector.

She encouraged advisors to secure peak-date for sun destinations early, lean into spring and fall shoulder-season opportunities and protect clients with the right insurance. 

She also emphasized the role of technology and artificial intelligence, which she described as “a powerful ally” that can generate draft itineraries, quote and posts.  

" AI will not replace you and the human touch that clients value so much." 

Supporting the trade

Acton-Gervais also underscored ACTA’s advocacy and education priorities, from reducing regulatory burdens to expanding professional development through CTC and CTM certifications.

"ACTA is here to represent you, support you and champion you every step of the way," she said.

She then turned to the importance of attracting new talent to the profession, urging advisors to think about their own role in inspiring the next generation. 

As she put it: “Imagine if each of you spoke at just one school or one career fair. Together, we could inspire the next generation of advisors.”

Closing on a forward-looking note, she acknowledged industry challenges but stressed that “the future is bright."

“When we align our efforts — when we advocate, educate, connect and promote as one — there is no limit to the impact we can have."

ACTA Summit season begins

Acton-Gervais’ insights set the stage for a dynamic day of knowledge-sharing, uniting leaders and experts from across the travel industry.

ACTA advocates on behalf of its members with governments, regulatory agencies, and travel suppliers.

Its annual summits—also held in Richmond, BC (Sept. 18) and Montreal (Oct. 1) —are part of an ongoing commitment to raising the bar for the industry through education.

Also appearing on the main stage Thursday morning was Mike Drever, principal and CEO of BranchUp.

Drever delved into how the role of advisors are transforming in an AI-powered era, sharing his strategies for optimizing workflow while deepening client connections at the same time.

A panel that tackled collaborative strategies for building a successful travel business also unfolded.

The discussion, moderated by Melanie Carter, featured Christine James CTM of Travel Leaders Network, Brian Robertson of Direct Travel, Gail Donovan of Beyond the Beach Travel and Shalene Dudley of Latitude Concierge Travels. (Stay tuned for PAX’s recap).

Breakout sessions will then take place, covering a range of topics, from essential tools and social media strategies to hidden gems in the Caribbean and Europe to tips on how to grow cruise sales. 

There’s also a session on how to get Air Canada's best fares and availability.

A Grand Tradeshow, featuring more than 100 suppliers, where prizes and networking come together, will follow.

This brings two new additions: the “Brand USA Pavilion” and a brand-new “Cruise Pavilion.”

Later in the day, workplace culture and resiliency expert Beverly Beuermann-King will lead a session on strengthening resilience and preventing burnout.

Her talk will offer practical strategies designed to help travel advisors not only manage challenges but truly thrive.

The summit will end with ACTA’s annual awards, an uplifting event that recognizes notable achievements and contributions in the Canadian travel industry, as well as a networking cocktail.

Stay tuned for more coverage of ACTA’s Eastern Canada Travel Industry Summit.

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