ACTA, along with members of its Board of Directors, its Travel Agency Leaders Advisory Committee (TALA), and regional advisory committees, will be on Parliament Hill today (March 24) for its first ACTA Parliamentary Hill Day, marking a new step in national advocacy for Canada’s travel agency and travel advisor community.
Travel agency and travel advisor leaders from across the country will meet with Senators, Members of Parliament and federal officials to discuss how federal policy can better support travel businesses as changing consumer demand, border pressures and global market shifts continue to reshape the travel landscape.
The meetings are intended to reinforce ACTA’s message that travel is trade — and that travel agencies, travel advisors and the broader travel distribution sector are embedded in communities across Canada, with a presence in nearly every federal riding.
Suzanne Acton-Gervais, President of ACTA, said that: “Parliamentary Hill Day brings frontline business experience directly into federal discussions at a time when our sector is navigating significant change. Federal decisions increasingly shape how our sector competes, grows and serves travellers across Canada.”
The association’s discussions on Parliament Hill will focus on five recommendations that align directly with the priority of building a strong united economy:
- Federal leadership to establish mutual recognition of licenses across provinces and territories, and harmonized consumer protection and travel-insurance rules – so businesses can serve clients nationwide without duplicative compliance.
- Temporary support for travel advisors affected by U.S. market shift, including: co-funding diversification marketing; expanding training and credential supports (including youth employment/wage subsidies) tailored to travel advisors.
- Create a digital market-access grant program to connect small and Indigenous tourism suppliers to global booking platforms and distribution systems. This improves export readiness and year-round demand.
- Build a made-in-Canada Trusted Traveller option (alongside NEXUS) to speed domestic screening and reentry for pre-approved Canadians, maintaining service continuity during operational or geopolitical disruptions.
- Avoid new cascading costs that would strain airline economics, disrupt distribution partnerships, and raise prices for travellers.
Monica Johnstone, Board Chair of ACTA, said that: “ACTA’s advocacy work spans industry partners as well as provincial and federal priorities because travel businesses operate across multiple regulatory environments.”
Johnstone continued: “Many are small and medium-sized businesses, often women-led, and bringing these conversations to Parliament Hill ensures federal decision-makers hear directly about the realities facing those businesses across Canada.”
Serge Malaison, Managing Director of Voyages Centaure, pointed out that: “This is an important opportunity to bring the perspective of Quebec travel agencies and travel advisors directly to Ottawa. Our members are managing many of the same national pressures while working within a distinct provincial regulatory environment.”
Brian Robertson, President of Direct Travel, emphasized that: “Canada’s travel agencies contribute directly to business connectivity, trade and economic growth. Federal policy should recognize the strategic contribution our sector makes to competitiveness and market access.”
Michael Johnson, President of Ensemble, agreed, noting that: Parliamentary Hill Day is an important opportunity to demonstrate how our sector contributes to growth across the travel economy and what businesses need to succeed,” “With federal support, we can help ensure travel sector workers, local economies, and the families and businesses we serve continue to thrive.”
While ACTA is advancing shared national priorities through these meetings, members and partners participating in Hill Day will also bring local context from their own regions and businesses, helping federal officials understand how policy decisions are experienced across different markets, communities and operating environments across Canada.
Go to www.acta.ca for more.
