Christine James Looks Back on 25 Years with Travel Leaders Network

Travel Leaders vice president Christine James is celebrating 25 years with the network. A well-known figure in Canada’s travel industry, James is recognized for her unwavering commitment to supporting travel advisors. Just last month, she addressed members in Toronto at the Travel Leaders Network’s 2024 Canada Fall Regionals—the company’s most successful event to date in terms of advisor and supplier turnout.

James sat down with Travel Market Report to discuss her recent milestone and her journey through a career that has spanned more than 40 years.

“Very Rounded Experience”

James discovered her passion for travel during childhood. “I always had a passion for traveling [and] exploring the unknown,” she told TMR.

Graduating high school at just 16, she opted to gain real-world experience before pursuing post-secondary education. A full-time job in customer service revealed her love for working with people, steering her toward the travel and tourism industry.

“It’s the perfect combination of my love of customer service and passion for travel,” she said.

James was accepted into Centennial College’s competitive Travel and Tourism Honors program after three interviews. A placement with Thomas Cook in Yorkville followed, where she successfully navigated demanding clients, ultimately landing a job after graduation.

Over the years, James gained experience in retail and corporate travel, served as Director of Business Development for a Canadian hotel chain, and launched her own consulting business in the 1990s. As a consultant, she represented niche suppliers, helping them break into the Canadian travel market.

“I did a lot of work with non-conflicting companies,” she said. “It was great exposure to work with consortia.”

Advocating for the Canadian Travel Industry

When asked about her proudest achievements, James modestly described her entire career as fulfilling. “I have no regrets,” she said.

One standout accomplishment, however, was her effort to ensure the Canadian travel industry was properly represented within the Travel Leaders Network. After being promoted to country manager in 2008, she focused on helping the U.S.-based teams better understand the Canadian market.

“My goal at the outset was to go down and meet with the U.S. division that supported Canada (vacations.com) and give them a one-on-one crash course on Canadianism,” she said.

Her efforts included teaching subtle cultural differences, such as using “cheque” instead of “check” in payment requests. “If you want [Canadians] to send you money, you need to ask for a ‘cheque,’” she joked.

James stressed the importance of treating Canadians as distinct from their U.S. counterparts. For example, when a product is launched in the U.S., there should be plans for a Canadian equivalent. “Canadians are part of a global village,” she said.

Advocating for Gender Parity

James has also been a vocal advocate for gender parity in the travel industry. Despite women making up the majority of travel advisors, leadership roles remain predominantly held by men.

“We’ve come a long way,” she said, adding that she’s “hopeful” about the future.

She encourages women to self-advocate in the workplace and not feel guilty about balancing career ambitions with raising a family. “Men have never had to apologize,” she said.

James also urged women to ask for opportunities like promotions. “In business, you don’t get what you deserve. You get what you ask for,” she said.