Thomas M. Keesling, Sr., CTC, a travel counselor for more than 50 years has died peacefully at the family home just outside of Denver. He was 88 years old.
Keesling was best known as a travel agency industry advocate and a proponent of environmentally sound tourism. He served as president of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) following earlier positions as officer in charge of air matters, industry relations, conventions, and special education; chairman of the Finance Committee; and secretary and president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter. He also chaired the ASTA Environmental Committee and the ASTA/Smithsonian Institution Awards Committee where he formulated ASTA’s Ten Commandments on Eco-Tourism.
In addition, for a period of 10 years, he judged the British Airways “Tourism for Tomorrow Awards" in London for eco-friendly tourism projects.
Keesling founded Travel Associates in 1960 and operated the agency until its sale to a South African company in 2001. He was also well-known for his escort skills in developing continents such as Africa and Asia, where travelers needed expert assistance. Following a few years of retirement, Keesling re-entered the travel business in 2004 to launch an independent travel agency, Tom Keesling Travel, based in Denver, CO and affiliated with Travel Experts Host Agency.
He liked to tell everyone, according to Travel Experts: “Tom Keesling Travel’s work starts when the airplane stops.” His son Frank noted, "The passing was incredibly peaceful and without pain early Sunday morning. It was a beautiful bluebird day here in Colorado with a light fresh coat of snow on the ground."
Susan Ferrell, owner and president of Travel Experts said in a press statement, "Tom Keesling lived a huge and diverse life. We’ve lost one of the industry’s icons and a truly lovely and humble man."
Keesling traveled all over the world, as evidenced by his membership in the Travelers Century Club, limited to those who have visited at least 100 countries. He more than doubled that having visited 200-plus countries.
As one of the leading advocates for travel and tourism, he was appointed by President Richard Nixon to the National Tourism Resources Review Commission. During that time, Keesling served on the Department of Commerce task force to assess the potential of foreign tourism in the U.S.
Among some of his other accomplishments included being general chairman of the 37th World Travel Congress in Athens, Greece, serving as the representative of the U.S. and Canada to the Universal Federation of Travel Agent Associations and being appointed to the Development Authority Council of the Pacific Area Travel Association (PATA) where he worked on the tourism in Pacific Basin countries.
Keesling also was a consultant to China International Travel Service from 1973 to 1990, and opened Tibet and the western provinces of China to tourism. When Raffles Hotel in Singapore undertook a $190 million renovation, he consulted on the project. He continued to work with Raffles as its North American marketing and reservations representative.
As a long-time travel industry consultant, Keesling worked with a variety of companies. He was a consultant on worldwide travel programs for Abercrombie & Kent International, a member of the original President’s Advisory Board of Seabourn Cruise Line and a board member of the International Institute of Education.
Thomas Keesling has been decorated by the governments of Lebanon with its Order of Cedars of Lebanon and the rank of Knighthood, and by France, which awarded him La-Medaille de Reconnaissance. He also served as honorary consul to the Republic of Rwanda from 1987 until 1992.
Keesling is survived by his three sons, Tom M. Jr., James H. and Frank M., along with his wife, Vivian, and seven grandchildren, Brian, Jackie, Kevin, Fowler, Logan, Lauren and Audrey Keesling.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory can be made to family’s longtime non-profit, Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund c/o Ruth Keesling Wildlife Health and Research Center (www.saveagorilla.org). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, services are to be determined at this time. Please email Frank Keesling at [email protected] for further updates when they come available.
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