CATO names Haus, Duffy to Board of Directors
Leanne Haus, General Manager of WestWorld Tours and Conor Duffy, Vice President of RIT Vacations have been named to the Canadian Association of Tour Operators’ Board of Directors, effective immediately.
Haus and Duffy bring deep tour operator experience, strong industry relationships and complementary expertise in business development, product strategy, operations and customer experience. Their appointments further strengthen CATO’s capacity to represent its members and advance the priorities of Canada’s tour operator community.
Commenting on the appointments, CATO Chair, Brett Walker said: “We are delighted to welcome Leanne and Conor to the CATO Board. Their combined operational expertise, industry knowledge and commitment to collaboration will strengthen the Board as we continue to advocate for our members and advance the interests of Canada’s tour operator community.”
Haus is General Manager of WestWorld Tours and brings extensive experience in tourism operations, strategic planning, business development and customer experience. Throughout her career, she has focused on creating exceptional travel experiences while driving organizational growth and operational excellence.
Said Haus: “Joining the CATO Board is an opportunity to help advance Canada’s tour operator industry through greater collaboration, innovation and advocacy. I look forward to sharing best practices and working alongside fellow members to strengthen our industry nationwide.”
Duffy is Vice President of RIT Vacations and has more than 20 years of experience in the Canadian travel industry. He has played a key role in the company’s growth and evolution, expanding its presence across Canada while leading product development, strengthening industry partnerships and supporting operations in Canada and overseas.
He observed: “The travel industry has played an important role in shaping my career, and I’m proud to have the opportunity to give back through CATO. I look forward to supporting the association’s continued success and contributing to initiatives that benefit our members, partners and travellers.”
CATO’s Board of Directors now includes:
- Brett Walker, Chair
- Paola Briata, Vice-Chair
- David Green, Membership and Industry Relations Committee Chair
- Peter Lacy, Treasurer
- Leanne Haus, Director
- Conor Duffy, Director
In other news from CATO, the association is revamping its communications and marketing initiatives to better serve its members, media, industry partners and Canada’s broader travel community.
As part of this initiative, CATO has appointed Global Marketing & Sales, Inc. (GMS) to provide public relations and marketing support.
Working in collaboration with the association’s Executive Director and Board of Directors, GMS will help amplify the knowledge, experience and leadership of CATO’s members.
Jean Hébert, Executive Director, CATO, explained that: “CATO’s strength has always come from the experience, commitment and collaboration of its members. This renewed communications approach will help us share their expertise and contributions more consistently, keep the industry informed about CATO’s priorities and initiatives, and demonstrate the value the association provides to Canada’s tour operator community. As a long-standing allied member, GMS understands CATO and our industry and will support us in communicating this work more effectively.”
Go to www.cato.ca for more.
