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What is ACTA (Association of Canadian Travel Agencies)
ACTA is the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies, a national member-based trade association that represents the retail travel sector of Canada’s tourism industry. Over 14,000 Travel Agents across the country work in our member agencies representing more than 80% of the travel business booked through a Travel Agency in Canada.
Canada’s retail travel sector plays an important role in our economy and the lives of the travelling public. ACTA’s membership continues to grow and the leadership we provide our Members keeps pace with ever-changing requirements for travel professionals and travelers alike. In today’s complex and rapidly changing retail travel environment we are there for our members.
We are an industry led, non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of members with governments, regulatory agencies, and travel suppliers in the best interests of the retail travel sector and consumers who benefit from the professional services provided by our Members.
Our purpose since our founding more than 40 years ago, is to ensure Canadian consumers have professional, meaningful and ethical travel counselling services by providing effective leadership in matters that impact retail travel industry members and their clients.
We Advocate – to governments, suppliers and other organizations through one strong voice.
We Educate – to elevate industry standards and professionalism through certification, accreditation and other learning opportunities.
We Promote – the value of the retail travel industry to the travelling public and actively position travel agencies and agents as travel experts.
We Connect – our Members with information, contacts and programs needed to achieve more effective awareness and sales.
Association of Canadian Travel Agencies
ACTA’s History
ACTA’s founders became autonomous from the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) in 1977 and launched the Alliance of Canadian Travel Associations to focus on Canadian issues and concerns. The original ACTA was an alliance of provincial associations with councils across Canada.
After an extensive review of ACTA’s role and governance model in 1998-99, ACTA changed from an alliance or federation of provincial organizations and became the national association it is today.
Our present-day organizational structure reflects our transition from an alliance to a national trade association.
ACTA is owned by our Members. They are represented by ACTA’s seven Regional Councils-Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba/Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Alberta/NWT, and British Columbia/Yukon.
ACTA’s head office is in Mississauga ON, where ACTA’s president manages the association’s secretariat and three regional offices, each staffed by a Regional Membership Manager, to provide personalized member services in all parts of the country.