by Jim Byers
Last updated: 6:29 PM ET, Tue May 21, 2019
You couldn't ask for a more stellar group.
Five incredibly worthy Canadian travel figures were inducted into the Canadian Travel Hall of Fame last Thursday at the TravelPulse Canada Readers' Choice Awards gala, a packed-house event at the Steam Whistle Brewery in downtown Toronto.
WestJet founder Clive Beddoe, cruise and travel legend Vanessa Lee, Porter Airlines founder Robert Deluce, Transat co-founder Philippe Sureau and Wardair founder Max Ward all were honoured with membership in the prestigious Canadian Travel Hall of Fame.
Beddoe was first up on the night and took extra time to thank travel agents and loyal customers for their support of WestJet, a one-time regional airline that now flies Boeing 787 Dreamliners to Europe and also has added business class seating.
Beddoe noted that WestJet's beginnings were a quarter-century ago and that the airline began with just three aircraft and 220 workers. That's now grown to 180 planes and 14,000 employees.
Beddoe said he was sure the news of the company being sold to Onex Corp. of Toronto "shook the industry up a little bit." But he said it's a good move for WestJet, which will be adding a number of new flights and destinations in the near future.
Smiling, Beddoe looked out into the audience and said, "Watch out Air Canada; we're on your heels."
Robert Deluce was unable to make the event as he had already committed, oddly enough, to an induction ceremony for the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame. Think about that for a moment. How many people in this world get into two halls of fame in their career, let alone two in one night?
Speaking on Deluce's behalf, Edmond Eldebs, Vice President, Revenue Management, Sales and Distribution, said Deluce was deeply honoured by the award and sent his regrets for not being able to attend.
Deluce has had a long career in aviation, but Eldebs said Porter "cemented his legacy."
Eldebs said Deluce, whom he called an airline "visionary," was "able to take an idea that sounded good on paper and bring it to reality."
Vanessa Lee told the audience it wasn't always easy being a woman in the travel industry, but that she persevered.
"To be nominated (for the Hall of Fame) is something. To be chosen and to be inducted is a remarkable honour."
Lee said she's as crazy about travel now as she was the day she started in the industry.
"I have lived it every day. I breathe it. I adore what I do."
Sureau was unable to attend as he's chairman of the board of Tourisme Montreal and had an important gala fundraiser to attend last Thursday. But he sent his comments to former co-worker Denise Heffron to pass along.
Heffron, now managing director at Uplift Canada, worked closely with Sureau in her more than two decades at Transat, and said he was very sad about not being in attendance.
Heffron said Sureau misses his friends in the airline business and the cross-country caravans he used to attend.
She said Sureau wanted to send a huge thank you to "fellow travel advisors, tour operators, airline staff, travel journalists and even government regulators" and that he was "deeply appreciative" of the Hall of Fame honour.
Max Ward, who's now 97 and lives in Edmonton, was unable to attend the ceremony. His son, Kim, talked with TravelPulse Canada recently about his Dad's work in Yellowknife during his early days of flying.
He also said his Dad would probably be most pleased at the way Wardair treated its passengers back in the day when airline service was quite different than it is today.
"The word 'legend' gets thrown around a little too much in some circles, but no one could dispute that Max Ward is a legendary figure in the Canadian travel business," said John Kirk, Editor in Chief of TravelPulse Canada. "We are thrilled to have Max Ward enshrined as a member of the Canadian Travel Hall of Fame."
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