ACTA Restructures To Improve Effectiveness

The Association of Canada Travel Agencies (ACTA) has restructured into four key functional groups in an effort to more effectively meet its strategic priorities.

In a letter to members, president Wendy Paradis said the restructuring will help the association “better serve our members across the country,” “be better positioned to make significant progress on our strategic priorities,” and “simplify and clarify roles and responsibilities.”

ACTA has reorganized the three existing groups: advocacy and member relations, headed by vice president Heather Craig-Peddie; education and certification, managed by director Christine Chilton; and marketing, communications and partnerships, led by director Marco Pozzobon. It also created a fourth function, membership, and is currently hiring for that director-level role.

Craig-Peddle will take a more active role in positioning ACTA “as the leading advocate for Canadian travel agencies.” By dedicating more resources to this priority, Paradis said, “ACTA will be well positioned to respond more effectively to National and Provincial issues that affect our members.”

Paradis said the membership director “will play an integral role in the management of ACTA’s larger National and group accounts, enabling ACTA’s membership managers to focus on supporting members in their territory through advocacy, education, promoting your value, and connecting you to valuable business resources.”

New territories are being created for Western Canada, Quebec and Eastern Canada, staffed by full-time dedicated employees.

These managers also will lead the regional councils within their respective territories.

“These organizational changes will have no impact on the Provincial Regional Councils or the makeup of our Board of Directors,” said Paradis, who became president last May.