“One of the greats”: Condolences pour in following death of Brand USA’s Casey Canevari

The travel industry is dealing with profound sadness after the recent passing of Casey Canevari, director of global trade development for Canada at Brand USA.

Canevari sadly passed away on May 1 after suffering a serious medical episode in Toronto. He was 43. 

He and several U.S. travel partners were in town to kick off Brand USA’s Canada Connect East event, a multi-city series that brings together Canadian travel pros and U.S. destinations.

Despite receiving professional care over a four-day period, Canevari sadly never regained consciousness and passed away peacefully, said Brand USA’s Vice President Global Trade Jackie Ennis in a statement on Friday (May 2).

Canevari was surrounded by his wife, Christine, his three sons, his brother, cousin, and father-in-law at the time of his passing, Ennis said.

"Casey was a cherished member of our team and the industry—known for his boundless energy, optimism, and genuine warmth,” she said. “His passion for travel and his unwavering commitment to welcoming Canadian visitors to the USA were evident in everything he did. He showed up time and again, even in recent months, never wavering in his dedication or spirit.”

“One of the greats"

David Green, vice-president of customer and sales operations and managing director for Canada at G Adventures, took to his Facebook page over the weekend to mourn the loss of his colleague and friend.

Green noted that it was only two weeks ago that he and Canevari met for coffee, and how Canevari was his usual “bright and chirpy self.”

“You were smiling a lot, laughing even more as you spoke about how you were going to navigate your role in Canada over the coming years,” Green wrote in his tribute.

Despite the current political climate – the negative impact U.S. President Donald Trump, his tariffs and annexation threats have had on U.S. travel, in particular – Canevari remained an optimist, Green said.

READ MORE: “A champion” for U.S. travel: Brand USA’s Casey Canevari passes away

“The one thing about you, Casey, is that you always had a plan!” Green wrote, sharing how Canevari had “practiced a couple of jokes” that he could use during Canadian presentations to “break the ice” with travel partners and lighten the mood.  

“As usual, you hit the right mark and tone,” wrote Green, who was supposed to meet up with Canevari again last week but never got the chance. 

He said the world has lost “one of the greats.”  

“He always spoke fondly about his family who he loved dearly,” Green wrote. “He was so proud. He was a great guy to work with. Always fun to be around. He was always looking for the next big idea.”  

No project was too big for Canevari, Green continued.

“You loved opening doors for people, you were great at connecting people, and people loved to be around you,” Green wrote. “To say you’ve left this world too soon would be an understatement.”

"Humanity & compassion"

Canevari would jump at any opportunity to speak at an event or participate in a panel discussion.

Recently, he was involved in Virtuoso’s Canadian Forum and On Tour series, where he joined the team in Quebec City, Vancouver, Halifax, Calgary, and Toronto.

“His dedication to each and every event spoke volumes about his passion – not only for travel but for building bridges and fostering positive dialogue about the USA during these challenging political times,” said Úna O'Leary, general manager at Virtuoso Canada. “He was truly admired for the humanity and compassion he shared with those he crossed paths with.”

Canevari leaves behind a lasting legacy in Canada, not just within the Virtuoso network, but across the entire travel industry, said O'Leary, adding that her team joins the world in mourning the loss of a “truly special friend and colleague.”

“His warmth, energy, and commitment will be deeply missed,” she said.  

A champion for U.S. travel

Canevari was tireless in his efforts to promote U.S. tourism in Canada, from helping secure partnerships at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to hosting Canadian travel advisors on a MegaFAM through the peaks and plains of Colorado and Wyoming.

Last year, PAX joined Canevari on Brand USA’s MegaFAM experience, where Canadian travel advisors could see different regions of United States, all in one shot.

Whether it was wearing a cowboy hat while walking through an airport, or jumping behind a bar to play bartender at a craft brewery, Canevari would do anything and everything to get people talking about U.S. travel.

He believed in the power of experiential storytelling and its ability to persuade Canadians, and Canadian travel advisors, to see the U.S. through a different lens.

“There’s so much to see [in the United States],” Canevari told PAX last year. “You cross one [state] border, and it’s like being in a new country…There’s a lot more to see and do than what people think they know.”

“He never left anyone out”

Callan Thompson, a senior corporate travel advisor at Sportscorp Travel, was one of many travel pros who travelled with Canevari on that memorable FAM last year.

“A true angel has gained his wings far too soon,” Thompson told PAX. “When I think of Casey, I think, humble, caring, companionate, adventurous, and driven. He never left anyone out or behind. You could see that he loved his family and career in which the way he carried himself and spoke.”

As expressed by many, Canevari was not only an industry colleague, but he was also a friend.

“I don't think he would ever turn down a talk, whiskey, scotch, bourdon, or fun adventure,” Thompson said. “When our group travelled with him, he told us he had never been to Wyoming and that's why he pick that itinerary. It was a trip of a lifetime, and I am thankful to have been part of that with him.”

Thompson heads to Oregon this week to participate in another Brand USA FAM. “I will be having a whiskey for him while listening to some Chris Stapleton,” she said.

Other travel advisors who joined Canevari on last year’s MegaFAM are also trying to process the news.

“Casey's smile, personality and passion for our industry lit up any room and his laugh was contagious,” said Janna Guay of Great Latitudes Travel. “His love for the U.S. and its National Parks was always evident as was his appreciation for travel advisors. Travelling with him was an experience I will not soon forget.”

From the moment Kristina Ziegler of Stonetown Travel met Canevari, she could instantly tell what a “fun, kind, caring and down to earth person he was.”

“It was obvious how passionate he was about his job and helping Canadian travel agents learn all that the USA has to offer for our clients,” Ziegler said. “His energy and genuine nature will be so deeply missed by so many in the travel industry.”

Audrey Tanguay Beaudette, manager of global sales and tourism partnerships at Air Canada, last saw Canevari at a travel industry event in 2024 just as she was about to go on maternity leave.

Writing on her Facebook page, Tanguay Beaudette shared a memory from that last encounter.

“I was getting overwhelmed and emotional knowing that for a couple of months, I would not be working and missing those events and the people attending them,” she wrote. “I decided to leave early so no one could see how I was feeling. You were the only one I said goodbye to. You looked me in the eyes and somehow knew that I was anxious about this new parent life I was about to enter into and how much I would miss work, because we were both so dedicated and passionate about our jobs, and you told me: Audrey, everything will be OK.’”

“You were more than just a colleague,” she continued. “You were a friend. I’m glad that our paths have crossed. May God take care of you up there and may he look upon your family. God knows how much you loved them.”

“A powerhouse”

Susan Webb, president of VoX International and president of Discover America Canada, worked with Canevari in various capacities over the years. 

“Casey was a powerhouse—unstoppable,” Webb told PAX. “He was always chasing the next great idea, collaboration, or partnership. He truly loved his work promoting the USA, but even more than that, he loved his partners. They became his friends.”

Whether you were a tour operator, airline, DMO, industry association, journalist, marketing firm, government representative, OTA, loyalty program, or travel agent—"Casey made you feel special,” Webb went on to say.

“He made you feel like more than just a Brand USA partner. He made you feel like a friend,” she said.

Casey was deeply involved in the Discover America Canada Committee (DACC), where he played a vital role in developing ideas, bringing in new members, creating engaging events, and forging new partnerships, Webb shared.

DACC will be hosting a celebration of life for Canevari in Toronto soon so that his Canadian friends can come together to honour him, she said.

“The outpouring of emotion from the industry over the past week has been overwhelming—a true testament to how many lives he touched,” Webb said. “He lived life to the fullest. He had fun. He laughed loud. He loved the outdoors and, most of all, he adored his family—his wife and their three sons.”

Canevari will be missed, deeply, both personally and professionally, she said.

“Travel was his passion. He was a true ambassador for Brand USA. His impact on the Canadian market was remarkable and lasting.”

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