Travel Advisor Advocate of the Year: Judith Coates Receives 2025 Canadian Travel Award

Out of the country for the Canadian Travel Awards by TravelMarketReport.ca at Hotel X Toronto on November 13, Judith Coates was one of the evening’s most celebrated honourees.

Selected as Travel Advisor Advocate of the Year, Coates earned her award through overwhelming support from the advisor community itself, leading the category with the most nominations from close to 4,000 participants.

On Friday night as she prepared for her team’s holiday event in Mississauga Ontario, I met with Judith and presented her award in person. Her reaction was immediate, heartfelt, and deeply appreciative.

“It means everything,” she said. “The work I’ve done in advocacy has been ongoing for years. We proved through COVID that we can get through anything, and we will always come out stronger as a community.”

Coates, a travel advisor since 1998, has long been recognized as one of the industry’s strongest advocates. During our brief time together, she emphasized that advocacy never truly stops.

Whether facing policy challenges, operational disruptions, or unexpected crises, she believes the advisor community’s strength lies in unity. Reflecting on her experience with colleagues on the recent Avalon-ACTA summit cruise, she noted how advisors from across the country collaborated, shared ideas, and offered solutions without concern for which agency they represented.

“Supporting one another is number one,” she said. “Since COVID, everyone has really embraced working together.” said Coates.

When asked about the industry’s biggest challenges looking ahead, Coates, surprisingly did not point to technology or AI as the primary concern, though she acknowledged both play a role in shaping the future.

Instead, she highlighted the need to attract new talent to the profession. With many veteran advisors approaching retirement, she believes the next five years will be pivotal. “Getting newer agents to join us is a big thing,” she said. “Advisors shouldn’t be afraid of AI. They need to get educated on it and use it as a tool.”

Despite not being present the night of the awards, the volume of nominations and the reaction from the community made clear just how valued Coates is among Canadian travel advisors.

Accepting the award personally offered a fitting moment for reflection. “I’m truly honoured,” she said. “This community supports one another. That’s what makes us strong, and that’s what will carry us forward.”