Former ACTA president David McCaig dies at 77; service set for Nov. 22

David McCaig, a former president and chief operating officer of the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) whose career in travel spanned more than three decades, died Nov. 6 at age 77.

A funeral service will be held Nov. 22 in Guelph, Ont., followed by a reception.

McCaig began working in travel in 1983 and joined ACTA in 2001. He retired as president and COO effective Aug. 31, 2015, according to PAX’s reporting at the time.

PAX’s coverage of his years with the association documented work on travel advisor education, agency profitability and the challenges facing the retail travel sector.

At ACTA’s annual meeting in May 2015, McCaig outlined priorities that included professional certification, consumer awareness and advocacy. 

He also reported that the association had eliminated its deficit dating from 2008 and would establish a reserve fund.

Education was another focus. In November 2014, ACTA announced a partnership with Learning Library Inc. and DWG Performance to bring an online Travel Learning Campus to its members, building on its acquisition of the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors.

“When we acquired the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors (CITC) just over a year ago, we made a significant continued commitment to education and professionalism,” McCaig said at the time.

His work also brought him into discussions with international counterparts. During meetings with the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance in March 2015, McCaig spoke to PAX about agency debit memos and the value of comparing approaches to issues affecting travel agencies around the world.

Beyond those formal discussions, he recognized the importance of personal connections.

At ACTA’s annual golf tournament in July 2015, McCaig told PAX that the conversations taking place throughout the day helped establish and renew industry relationships.

“We want everyone to have fun,” he said.

A personal gift

After his retirement, McCaig shared a personal update with his industry colleagues.

In January 2016, PAX reported that he had received a kidney transplant following more than a year of dialysis. His donor was Linda McCaig, the mother of his children.

“I will never forget her phone call to me about a year ago where she volunteered to be my kidney donor!” he told PAX.

According to his obituary, McCaig grew up on a dairy farm in Puslinch, Ont., and earned an agricultural diploma from the University of Guelph. His working life included farming, sales and business ownership. In retirement, he became a school bus driver, a job he “truly loved,” according to his obituary.

He enjoyed sailing, golf and travel, visiting 74 countries.

He is survived by his spouse, Judy; the mother of his children, Linda; his son, Brian (Sara); grandchildren Hamish and Maeve; and his siblings and extended family. He was predeceased by his son, Christopher Sean, and his parents, Robert and Doris.

Service arrangements

The funeral service will take place Sunday, Nov. 22, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., at Gilbert MacIntyre & Son Hart Chapel, 1099 Gordon St., Guelph. 

A reception will follow at the same location from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

The funeral home notice includes donation links for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Duff’s Presbyterian Church and Kiwanis.

The full obituary and service details are available here.

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