Some prominent members of the Canadian travel industry reminisce about Dennis Gill, a Canadian travel industry pioneer and one of the “British invasion” who came across the pond to introduce the concept of packaged holidays to sun-starved Canadians back in the 1960s.
Jill Wykes, Senior V.P. Human Resources, Thomas Cook North America
I knew Dennis originally when I was a journalist at travel trade publications and he was head of Sunflight and Fiesta Wayfarer. He approached me to be the Executive Director of CATO and we ended up working very closely as he was head of the Government Affairs Committee. And we became good friends.
He was just the most comprehensive and all round super-bright and intelligent man and had his fingers in everything – but in great depth. He knew every page of the brochure, every staff member, all the costings and he had 6 kids and apparently used to fix everything in his own house. He was a real inspiration to all of us and a great mentor to me.
He was really one of the pioneers and there have been a lot of very successful business people from those early days.
Mike Hannah, Consultant
I first met Dennis many, many years ago when I joined The Bay Travel, a joint venture with Calladine and Baldry/Suntours. New to the Industry I was most indebted to Dennis who went above and beyond to educate me and many others on what this industry was all about and how to succeed.
While his business was always his priority, what stuck with me, was his generous mentoring, efforts to help, act as a sounding board and offer advice to all parts of an industry he clearly loved…the message being there was room for everyone and a strong and vibrant Industry was good for his business and all others.
He always had an opinion and was always ready to let you know what it was. We all know people who fit this profile but the difference was most times he was right!
AND he did it with a flare and made it FUN !!! Something we have missed for quite some time and on this sad occasion should remember and try to bring back.
Rolf Neilsen, Senior V.P. Business Development, iTravel2000
I first met Dennis when I was a hotelier in Barbados – one of Sunflight’s first suppliers. I eventually moved to Canada and we worked together for 13 years. I went on to become general manager for the Caribbean for Sunflight.
Dennis was my mentor and we always had a good relationship. He was one of the founders of ACTA he always worked in the interest of the travelling public, concerned about ‘how do we protect them?’ As a boss…he fired me twice, because I was stubborn. My unemployment lasted about a minute and a half each time. I liked bikini girls in the brochure and he didn’t like that. He didn’t think we needed sex as well as sun and sand.
“There are still many people who have the travel industry at heart. I learned from Dennis the importance that it may take longer to operate that way but when we do we will come out on top.
Dale Pruden, Destinations West Marketing
Dennis Gill. Where do I start? I worked for him in the 70's when charters were just beginning, when Sunflight was young and so was I. I started as an Overseas Destination Rep, and worked in product and sales, until I moved out west again.
He was a giant, just a really smart, entrepreneurial and hard working guy. Those of us that were there in those heady days, had a lot of fun, because we were part of creating something unique, and it was never boring. At its peak, Sunflight moved about 440,000 passengers, and that (then) was more than CP Airlines. Dennis had such a vision, but he was approachable, and really down to earth, and he always had time for people. Last time I checked - they don't make many like him anymore.
His legacy is not just the company, but the amazing gifts he gave those of us that worked for him. He set such a pace that you had to work hard to keep up with him, but not that you had to, more because you wanted to. He was very motivational and yet he always had time for fun as well. He had a wonderful empathy, which most people don't keep when they get to higher levels of management and he really cared about people. I am sad thinking about not seeing him ever again, but if I know Dennis, he is working on affinity charters for Heaven, because I know that is where he is. He was one of kind, and I am many people who worked for truly adored him. Truly he made a difference in my life.
Rick McCauley, Senior Director of Sales and Marketing, Barcelo Resorts
I worked at Sunflight for 3 ½ years, probably the most fun years of my career. The mentality was so different back then. Dennis really drove home the message of customer service – he would walk through the res. department and it was like a family.
It was a training ground for a lot of us still in the industry. At lot of us learned about the business from him, long before emails or even faxes.
Susan Webb, President, VoX International:
Dennis Gill was an inspiration to all of us in the industry, even if we never met or worked for him. He was a true gentleman and had a passion for our travel industry.
Many of the industry ‘greats” can thank Dennis for giving them their start in this business. I never had the privilege to work with Dennis, but I remember when ITH (Adventure Tours) purchased Fiesta Holidays Dennis asked me to personally assure that his staff were interviewed one by one to see if there was a place for them in the new organization. He gave me a personal insight into every one of his team – from the receptionist to the res agent to accounting to sales…everyone…What President of a travel company could do that today?? I challenge them.
Dennis brought ‘tour operating’ to Canada (as one of the British invasion) and he is a legacy. He will be missed but never forgotten.
