When you open the workbook, then that newly opened workbook should be the
activeworkbook.  You shouldn't have to do more.

But I'd use something like:

Dim Loc1 as string
dim wkbk1 as workbook

loc1 = workbooks("book1.xls").range("Path1").value
set wkbk1 = nothing
on error resume next
set wkbk1 = workbooks.open(filename:=loc1)
on error goto 0

if wkbk1 is nothing then
 msgbox "That file: " & loc1 & " doesn't exist"
else
 wkbk1.activate
end if

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And similar stuff for the other two workbooks/locations

Then I could refer to each workbook by wkbk1, wkbk2, wkbk3.

In fact, those variable names could be confusing.  I'd use more mnemonically
significant names:

Dim PricesWkbk as workbook
dim StatusWkbk as workbook
dim EmployeesWkbk as workbook

(or what ever made sense to you.)