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Terry McCabe Made Travel Better—and We Will Miss Her Magic
Terry McCabe, who was national director of leisure travel for Altour. Many of my longtime readers remember Terry McCabe because she changed their lives. A travel agent extraordinaire for nearly 40 years, she surprised honeymooners with over-the-top upgrades, got business travelers where they needed to go when the airlines said it wasn’t possible, calmed parents by finding doctors for their sick children a world away, saved marriages with her shrewd travel logistics, even knew how to get a same-day passport. And she was the Caribbean specialist on my WOW List— until she passed away this morning.
In fact, Terry was the original WOW Lister. Back when I started at Condé Nast Traveler more than two decades ago, she was the first travel agent I ever interviewed for an article. That article turned into dozens more over the years. Terry’s phone number was one of the most important in my Rolodex. That’s because she was always savvy, always honest, and could always be counted on to cut through mountains of travel-industry B.S. with a sharp blade and a rapier wit. She became a key journalistic source not just for me but for the most plugged-in members of the travel media.
Wendy with Nina Wennersten,Trusted Travel Expert for African safaris, and Terry, in Marrakech in 2013.
Without Terry, there wouldn’t be a WOW List. That’s because, without her, I wouldn’t have come up with “Wendy’s Rolodex,” my list of top travel agents that was first published in Condé Nast Traveler in the June 2000 issue. That list turned into my annual “Perrin’s People” list of Top Travel Specialists, which turned into The WOW List, which travelers the world over have come to depend on every time they plan a trip. We have Terry to thank for it.
Just last weekend, when I saw Terry for the last time, in a hospice after a long illness, she was still sharing her sharp travel insights and throwing hilarious barbs, her style as no-nonsense as always. Journalists have lost an important resource, travelers have lost an advocate, and the WOW List has lost a true champ. Terry, we will miss you terribly.
If you have a memory of Terry that you’d like to share, I invite you to share it with us in the comments below.
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Oh I will miss Terry, I called her when I first went on the list to find out how everything worked when being on the list. Terry asked, “What got you on the list…do that and constantly make yourself better.” I have kept that advice full center all these days. Thank you Wendy for your words.
i first met Terry back in my days as a Hickory member. Back in those olden days there were 74 men in Hickory and five women. Terry was one of us women. We used to joke that the important part of the meeting occurred in the ladies room. Terry brought insight and a sharp understanding of the travel industry to this group .
She was always always kind and had a deep sense of the true meaning of grace yet she held her own when intelligence was needed, She would not back down when she felt integrity was needed in decisions.
I will miss her smile-it brightened many meetings for several decades for me,
It is indeed sad news to hear of the passing of Terry! Her passing marks a tremendous loss for the tourism industry! I have very fond memories of our last meeting in December 2014 and our nice meeting with Martin at PURE 2014… Terry had huge integrity as a woman and as a professional. We will remember you always Dear Terry,
Rest in peace,
Terry was a special lady. One of my early memories was Terry and I – the only female members at the time – attending the TMA meetings at the Admiral’s Club at LaGuardia Airport. Her remarks were always right on, and I always enjoyed her “side comments”. I admired her tremendously – and she always made me laugh.
We won’t forget Terry.
I had the pleasure of getting to know Terry once she joined our Altour team. Even though she was based in New Jersey and I in Los Angeles, she was just a phone call away and all of us here utilized her expertise when it came to the Caribbean. She was an independent and smart woman and yes, the travel industry will truly miss her.
In 2011 I was invited to attend the Conde Nast Traveler “Travel Specialist Summit” as a specialist for Israel. It was my first year on Wendy Perrin’s specialist list and, quite frankly, I was quite nervous. I lived in Israel, on a kibbutz no less, and here I was flying halfway around the world to attend a conference with about 140 travel specialists hand picked as being the very best in the world at what they do. I thought I was out of my league. I didn’t even own a jacket or tie.
After a brief stop in New York I was off to California to participate in the conference and one of the first people I met was Terry McCabe. It turns out she lived in the town next to the town where I grew up and knew my parents, many of my friends and soon, really after a ten minute conversation, I felt like I had known her forever. We chatted much during the breaks in the sessions at the Summit and we made plans to meet up in her Paramus office.
We didn’t just meet up. I met every agent at Altour in the tri-state area that day. She paraded me around and made sure I met all the agents that send people to Israel. She drove me out to Long Island, Connecticut, and all over north Jersey. During our drives she taught me more about the travel business than I ever knew. The biggest thing she taught me was that there is always something else to learn and to improve on.
She was a bright light to all who knew her and I am lucky to have known her. God rest her soul.
A wonderful friend with whom I shared lots of secrets and lots of laughs
We’ve lost a beautiful exceptional woman whose legacy will live on.
It’s no secret that, when I first got into the travel industry and was affiliated with Mark Stratton, Terry and I butted heads on occasion. But I always respected her, and when my (now ex-) husband’s grandmother passed away in Denmark, she stepped up to the plate and got us there lickity-split. Terry was a consummate professional, among the top in the industry, and I am sad to hear she is no longer with us.
It’s a regret that I didn’t work as closely with Terry than when I was with Four Seasons & Regent. She will be missed throughout the industry. She had what I am beginning to understand as ‘it’ or ‘wow’ as Wendy has said. To her family and close colleagues, our sincere condolences. RIP Terry, from us all at JG Collection.
Terry recruited me from another agency over 11 years ago. It was the best move of my life. Terry has always been there to answer every and all questions, no matter the day or time. I recall frantic calls to her, on the weekend, regarding a corporate account, hotel stay, or anything. She was so gracious and always assisted. She was so knowledgeable about EVERY destination, it amazed me every time.
She helped me build my business and taught me some very valuable lessons that will never be forgotten. Her humor was like no other. I remember laughing with her until I couldn’t talk anymore! Rest in peace, my dear friend. You will be missed by many. I am so grateful you were in my life.
Terry was great. She had such joy in her work, a wicked sense of humor, and she was the ultimate professional. We worked with her for many, many years and it was always a joy.
I will miss her.
Not only was Terry ALL of the above in Wendy’s tribute, but she also had a special skill for remembering every hotel manager’s name all over the world. She had a special knowledge of remembering and recommending charming and unique places to stay and unusual “things to do” in every country. She had an unbelievable sense of humor which endeared her to all who knew her. I was lucky enough to work with Terry for 30 years and valued all her mentoring. She will truly be remembered always as a very special “boss”. The Travel Industry became a better place because of all her wonderful contributions.
It was 2004 and I was in your list Wendy for Spain… It was my first time ever. So you organized this meeting in NYC for all CNT Specialist and there I went. I was feeling truly shy knowing almost nobody in that group of amazing professionals… I was just a woman from Spain in New York city in this luncheon with the worlds best travel professionals. I sat down in one table and how lucky I was… Nina and Terry were in that table with me. They made me feel amazingly well at all times. They behaved as my God mothers and introduced me to everyone making me feel like a rock star. Since then I have been with Terry in many many occasions. She was always helpful, smiley, open, friendly, giving great advise for free, giving us all energy and always happy and beautiful…. What can I say? We have lost a gem… I guess we will have to learn to live without her!
Terry was the person who introduced me to Wendy and suggested me for the Wow List. To me she was the Oracle. When I had a contentious issue, I spoke to Terry, who gave it her consideration and then came back with a perfect and fair solution. From a business point of view, there was no one more professional. On the personal side, her dry wit and acerbic comments were hilarious. Lunch with Terry was not only enlightening but highly entertaining. But she was never unkind. We had many discussions on the Irish religious divide Protestant v Catholic, and I know in her illness she had a very supportive parish priest.
I will miss her enormously, as to see her coming toward me, usually in the company of Martin Rapp, was a happy event. I think our profession has lost a true professional. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.