ACTA - The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies

ACTA Mission

To serve as the focal point for the retail travel services industry, where ideas and resources are pooled into initiatives designed to create and maintain a healthy business and legislative environment in which the retail travel industry will thrive.

Who Is ACTA?

ACTA's 'owners' are its members. They are represented by ACTA's seven Regional Councils - Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba/Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Alberta/NWT, and British Columbia/Yukon. ACTA is governed by a twelve member policy Board of Directors which include the seven regional council chairs and representatives from the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors, and of 3 persons who have the expertise and skills to benefit the Association.

ACTA's head office is located in Mississauga, from which its President & COO manages the secretariat as well as seven regional offices, each staffed by a Regional Manager, which provide decentralized services to members across the country.

ACTA also captures member input and involvement in the future direction and strategies of the organization and overall industry through regular open forums and ad hoc committees, set up on an as required basis.

Download ACTA by-laws

Download contact information from our staff directory

Download a list of ACTA Board of Directors

Download a list of our Regional Council members

Why is ACTA here?

To ensure consumers have professional and meaningful travel counselling by providing effective leadership in a number of key strategic areas on behalf of the retail travel industry members.

-Advocacy and Lobbying federal and provincial governments and national and multi-national corporations to ensure a positive environment exists for travel retailers to provide service to travel consumers.

-Communications & Public relations to government and travel industry partners to insure they are aware of the importance of the retail travel sector; to the general public to ensure they are aware of the benefits of using ACTA member retailers for their travel needs; and to members and non members to better equip them to manage their businesses.

-Perform and communicate Research which is relevant and meaningful to members and partners to enable them to better manage their businesses and work more effectively together.

-Facilitate or deliver Education and Training to further professionalize the retail travel sector and add greater value to travel consumers.

-Membership Development to ensure the greatest participation rate of the retail travel community in ACTA and maximum impact for businesses and consumers in Canada.

David McCaig, President & C.O.O.

David McCaig has been in the Travel Industry since 1983 with Retail, Wholesale and In-bound Tour Operator ownership and experience. In 1995, he became the Canadian Sales Manager for the travel consortiums of Travel Trust International (TTI) and TravelPlus. In this capacity he was responsible to discuss all aspects of the daily operations of Canadian Retail Travel Agencies with well over 1,800 Owners and Managers.

Prior to joining ACTA in 2001, Mr. McCaig had the opportunity to work for two years with the B.C. Tourism and Hospitality Industry and the Government of BC as the General Manager of Destinations-Vancouver. As Vice President of Corporate Affairs and General Manager of Western Canada for ACTA, his responsibilities involve him in all aspects of travel agency relationships, agency to consumer relations, consumer complaints, product supplier rules & regulations and programs for travel agencies.

Mr. McCaig is a board member of the Travel Industry Advisory Group (TIAG) of the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority of B.C. (BPCPA). In this role, he is responsible for identifying potential solutions for travel industry related issues in B.C.

Mr. McCaig continues to enhance his knowledge of the travel industry by participating in and on occasion being a keynote speaker at several Canadian and International Travel Industry Conferences, relating to good business practises and consumer protection.

Jacqueline Jamieson was elected Chair of the Board of Directors on June 12, 2008. She is also chairing the BC/Yukon Regional Council.

Jacqueline Jamieson started her career in retail travel in 1970 when she arrived in Vancouver from Scotland as a young woman. Apart from a five year hiatus, Jacqueline has remained in retail travel all of her working career. In 1987, along with three others, she started her own travel agency and in 1992, she opened Absolute Travel Services and is the only shareholder.

Absolute Travel’s core business is corporate travel. In addition it has a Meetings, Groups & Incentive division, a Wedding Planning division for both local and destination weddings; a vacation division and a boat rental business. www.absolutetravel.ca

Jacqueline’s son, Christopher Harrison works with her in the agency as Director of Business Development.

Jacqueline has been on the ACTA BC Regional Council for 5 years on and on the National Board for 3 years. She was Vice Chair for the past two years. Jacqueline’s mandate during her term as Chair is for ACTA to be as connected as possible with its members and to respond to the changing world of travel as much as possible.

Jacqueline’s other volunteer work includes working with Dress for Success, a charity which helps women who are disadvantaged at a particular time in their lives to dress for an interview and who are mentored on an on-going basis.

ACTA Vision

ACTA Mission