McEwan began his career as a trainee at Thomas Cook. After a five-year spell working for the firm in the US, he became Cook’s UK managing director aged just 34.
He is credited with launching the brand’s iconic "Don’t just book it, Thomas Cook it" campaign.
McEwan went on to manage Cook’s international business across 54 countries, and also held senior executive roles with Lunn Poly, Tui UK and Advantage Travel Centres.
He holds several boardroom roles throughout travel, and was the first elected chair of Abta.
In his new role with Limitless, McEwan will be responsible for managing the company’s board, supporting its management team, and developing and overseeing implementation of its growth strategy.
“We’re over the moon to welcome John as board chairman at Limitless Travel," said Limitless founder and chief executive, Angus Drummond. "John is an extremely well-known, highly regarded and experienced figure in the industry.
"He will bring invaluable industry experience, guidance on scaling the business, as well as many connections within the industry. 2023 is proving to be a very strong year for us as the disabled community continues to come back to the world of travel post-pandemic.
"We also became members of Abta at the start of this year, and have plans for further expansion in 2024 which we’re now working towards.”
McEwan added: “I’m excited to work with Angus, his team and the shareholders to put in place dynamic growth plans. Limitless Travel is a market leader in the provision of travel to the disabled community and has quickly developed a reputation for delivering exceptional service, quality and amazing experiences for their guests.
"The attention to detail and tailored care packages which Angus and his team tirelessly work on all add to this customer experience."