Joel M. Abels, editor and publisher of Travel Trade magazine, passed away on
Friday, January 26 at the age of 80. According to officials at Travel Trade
magazine, Abels died at SoundShoreMedicalCenter, New Rochelle, NY,
after a prolonged illness. He and his wife, Lenore, edited and published Travel
Trade over the span of five decades. Travel Agent spoke with industry leaders,
who expressed their sadness over the passing of Abels, a man they considered to
be a true industry leader. "Joel was a staunch supporter of the travel
agency community," said Donna Flora, vice president of travel industry
relations for American Express. "He fought to keep the concerns and goals
of the small business owner in front of the leaders of the travel industry in
order to remind them that travel agents were the best distribution channel for
them. He was a true visionary and when you were his friend, you were his friend
for life. I will truly miss Joel," she said. Vicki Freed, senior vice
president of marketing and sales for Carnival Cruise Lines, echoed Flora's sentiments.
"Joel challenged anybody who he believed wasn't looking out for travel
agents, even challenging organizations like ASTA," said Vicki Freed,
senior vice president of sales and marketing for Carnival Cruise Lines.
"If he saw someone not fighting for the little guy, he was out there
waving a flag. He was truly a good friend and will be missed by everyone-not
just by travel agents, but by suppliers too. He was really a hero of the travel
industry." Abels, known for his active lobbying and legislative action in Washington, DC
on behalf of the industry, also created the CRUISE-A-THON and Leisure
Travel/Home Based/Winter CRUISE-A-THON trade shows. He also conducted the
annual Travel Trade Travel Industry Summit Conference for industry leaders and
was inducted into ASTA's Travel Hall of Fame in 2001 and into CLIA's first
Industry Hall of Fame.