Fore! Travel pros tee off at ACTA's 29th golf tournament

Travel pros hit the lush links at Piper’s Heath Golf Club in Milton, ON, yesterday (July 6) as part of the Association Of Canadian Travel Agencies’ (ACTA) 29th annual golf tournament.

“A day like today allows us to come together and show the power of the travel industry,” Wendy Paradis, president of ACTA, told PAX at the sold-out event.

The lively day welcomed more than 150 trade professionals, who spent the afternoon scoring birdies and bogeys in between rounds of cold beer and shop talk.

PAX covered the day in multiple capacities, from taking photos of participants as they golfed to even flying a professional drone over the course to capture a bird's-eye view of all the action (stay tuned for the video!).

We also had a mobile photobooth, assembled in a '90s orange volkswagen, parked at hole 15, where participants could take fun group photos and receieve printed copies.

Look up! The PAX drone captures a view from above at ACTA's 2017 golf tournament at Piper’s Heath Golf Club in Milton, ON.

After the tournament, dozens more joined the party for a post-game cocktail reception and dinner in the Piper’s Heath country club.

“I’ve participated in ACTA events across the country, and one of the things I find is that all competition, or barriers, gets released for the day and we can have some real conversations about working together as an industry,” Paradis told PAX, commenting on the event’s ample networking opportunities.

The tournament gave participants a chance to raise money for good causes, too. Blue Cross was on site and raised a total of $915.00 for the Children’s Wish Foundation. ACTA, which celebrates it’s 40th anniversary this year, raised $760.00 for Tourism Cares, a non-profit, philanthropic arm of the travel and tourism industry.

Travel pros jump for joy at ACTA's 29th annual golf tournament.

In attendance was Duncan Bureau, vice-president, global sales at Air Canada, who, the day before the tournament, was in Mumbai, India, to promote Air Canada’s new service there.

Bureau praised “the great turnout” at the golf tournament, commending all the brands that participated.

“This is a very competitive industry,” Bureau told PAX. “We’ve all got to help each other. It’s a great day to do that."

The list of winners from this year’s tournament includes:

Top Men’s Team - Winning Team (score of -11) - Sponsored by Air Canada

Sandeep Mamgain, Skylink; Ajay Tandon, Skylink; Sanjay Kopalkar, Skylink

Top Ladies’ Team - Winning Team (score of +5) - Sponsored by Air Canada

Denise Harper, G Adventures; Christine Ufniak, Carlson Wagonlit Travel; Lauren Michell, G Adventures; Christine James, Travel Leaders

Top Mixed Team - Winning Team (score of -12) - Sponsored by Air Canada

John Downing, Sabre; John Kirk, TravelPulse; Carole Burnes, Sabre; Peter Baker, AcuityAds Inc.

Most Honest Golf Team - Sponsored by Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Donna Elkind, Worldview Travel; Renata Grant, Worldview Travel; Barb Finn, Worldview Travel

Ladies’ Closest to the Keg - Sponsored by Air Canada

Denise Harper, G Adventures

Men’s Closest to the Keg - Sponsored by Manulife

Chris Doyle, Hockey Canada

Ladies’ Closest to the Pin - Sponsored by Enterprise

Barb Dirnberger, Discover the World

Men’s Closest to the Pin - Sponsored by Cornerstone Insurance Brokers Ltd.

Eugene Winer, I Love Travel

Ladies’ Longest Drive - Sponsored By Softvoyage

Mary-Jane Hiebert, CanadaOne Travel

Men’s Longest Drive - Sponsored By TICO

Sandeep Mamgain, Skylink

Best Photo Award - Sponsored by Allianz Global Assistance

Linda Khanna, TPI; Firdosh Bulsara, Victours; Joe Pezzullo, itravel2000; Jennifer Prendegast, Passion Media

Raffle prize winners:

VIA Rail Business Class tickets for 2 from Toronto to Montreal with one night accommodation at the Sheraton Montreal Airport Hotel.

Karen Cullen, Allianz Global Assistance

Two round-trip Air Canada economy class tickets for travel within North America including Hawaii and one week complimentary parking at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Jon Murray, Thai Airways

Two round-trip Air Canada economy class tickets for travel to Europe and one week complimentary parking at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Annie Cicvaric, Travelweek

Grand Prize Winner – Sponsored by Air Canada Vacations - All inclusive vacation for two to Antigua with Air Canada economy class tickets, round trip transfers and 6 nights accommodation at the Pineapple Beach Club Antigua and one week complimentary valet parking at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Cheryl Babulal, Ensemble Travel Group