Blue skies, warm temperatures and plenty of conversation set the stage for the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors' (ACTA) annual Travel Industry Golf Event.
Held at the Royal Ontario Golf Club in Milton, the event brought together 156 golfers and 220 attendees for the evening dinner.
Foursomes made their way around the course while stopping to connect with sponsors positioned throughout the day. From destination representatives and tourism offices to cruise lines, tour operators and hotel partners, sponsors welcomed participants with refreshments, games and conversations that extended well beyond the golf itself.
The tournament served as one of the industry's largest networking events of the summer, giving attendees an opportunity to strengthen existing relationships and forge new ones in a relaxed setting.
While inclement weather suspended play during the afternoon, the interruption did little to slow the conversations or the camaraderie that defined the event.
"We couldn't control the weather at the end of the day, but we could control how we showed up—and our industry certainly did," said Suzanne Acton-Gervais, President of ACTA.
The annual tournament raises funds to support ACTA's advocacy work (Photo Credit: Natasha Lair)
"It was wonderful to see travel agency and travel advisors, supplier partners, tourism offices, destination partners, media partners, volunteers and friends of ACTA come together in support of our industry. We are incredibly grateful for that support, which made this year's ACTA Industry Golf Event and Advocacy Fundraiser another great success. As our industry continues to evolve, coming together to strengthen relationships and support advocacy has never been more important."
The annual tournament raises funds to support ACTA's advocacy work on behalf of Canada's travel agency community while providing an opportunity for members and partners to connect outside the office.
Golfers also competed for top honours on the course. The Top Men's Team finished with a score of -9, while the Top Mixed Team carded -7 and the Top Ladies' Team finished at +4.
Sponsors welcomed participants with refreshments, games and conversations (Photo Credit: Natasha Lair)
The tournament also featured on-course competitions, including closest-to-the-pin, longest drive and closest-to-the-keg challenges, as well as a best photo contest. Although no one claimed the coveted hole-in-one prize sponsored by Sandals and Unique Vacations, attendees still went home with an impressive lineup of grand prizes, including flights from Air Canada, Porter Airlines and Flair Airlines, along with a three-night stay in Greater Palm Springs.
The event brought together 156 golfers (Photo Credit: Natasha Lair)
Tournament Winners
Top Mixed Team (-7)
Sponsored by Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
-
Gregory Luciani – TravelOnly
-
Michael Dew – Clarke-Way Travel
-
Sonia McKeon – Uniglobe Travel
-
Mark Stubbert – Ensemble
Top Ladies' Team (+4)
Sponsored by Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
-
Dianne Jackson – TDC
-
Terri Brophy – TravelPlus
-
Brenda Chapman – Marlin Travel
-
Leanne McKercher – Marlin Travel
Top Men's Team (-9)
Sponsored by Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
-
Ryan Rees – Ubitrak
-
Mark Di Vito – OS Travel
-
James Barnard – Ubitrak
-
Adam Normand – Normand Group
Most Honest Golf Team
Sponsored by Enterprise Mobility
-
Jennifer Bond – CIE Tours
-
Stephanie Griffiths – TravelOnly
-
Diane Cook – Trevello
-
Marianne Southall – Trevello
Ladies' Closest to the Pin
Sponsored by Brand USA
Men's Closest to the Pin
Sponsored by Brand USA
-
Mike Seip – Enterprise Mobility
Ladies' Longest Drive
Sponsored by Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
-
Birdie Chavarria – Northstar Travel Group
Men's Longest Drive
Sponsored by Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
-
Michael Degrace – Air Canada
Ladies' Closest to the Keg
Sponsored by BrokerLink/ACTA Protect
-
Brigitte Gingerich – Northstar Travel Group
Men's Closest to the Keg
Sponsored by BrokerLink/ACTA Protect
Best Photo Award
Sponsored by Allianz Global Assistance
-
Dave Wright – Sunwing
-
Lorraine Brisbois – Sunwing
-
Sandra Lombardi – Luv to Travel Inc.
-
Vicky Sorbara – Luv to Travel Inc.
Hole-in-One Competition
Sponsored by Sandals/Unique Vacations
Grand Prize Winners
Two round-trip Flair Airlines tickets (anywhere Flair flies)
Friendly competition unfolded throughout the course (Photo Credit: Natasha Lair)- Winner: Emmalay Serrano – Travel Addix
Three-night stay in Greater Palm Springs with activities
- Winner: Rob Gerber – Expedia Cruises
Two round-trip Porter Airlines tickets (anywhere Porter flies)
- Winner: Khalid Ismail – PG Travel
Two Air Canada Economy Class transatlantic tickets
- Winner: Beth Fleeton – CAA Niagara
Two Air Canada Economy Class systemwide tickets
- Winner: Greg Salazar – Dragonfly Travel
Topics From This Article to Explore
