Tourism Week in Canada - A Productive Week for the Industry

Tourism Week in Canada, held from June 7th to 13th, proved once again to be a busy and productive week for Canada’s tourism sector. TIAC’s members across the country undertook initiatives to raise the profile of the tourism in their communities with the media and the general public.

TIAC undertook a hectic schedule of meetings with Members of Parliament, the media and its fellow tourism stakeholders to raise some the industry’s most pressing public policy issues, and to underscore the impressive contributions that tourism makes to Canada’s economy. Among TIAC’s initiatives were:

• An opening reception on Parliament Hill with members of the Tourism Caucus, which is comprised of MPs who have an interest in the travel and tourism sector. Hosted by Tourism Caucus chair Kenora MP Greg Rickford, the event provided a venue for members of the industry to mingle with elected officials, and featured an address from Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism Rob Moore.
  
  
• A series of well-received meetings with key MPs and Senators, including key members of the Standing Committee on Industry and the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications.
  
  
• Facilitating two industry roundtables, held in Ottawa and Montreal, which provided Minister Moore with the opportunity to meet members of the industry and hear their views on the future of the sector and the federal government’s role in it.
  
  

TIAC to Honour Outstanding Achievement in Canadian Tourism:
Seeking Your Input in 14 Categories

TIAC wants to recognize tourism champions from coast to coast – but it needs your help!

Help us track down the most exceptional businesses, organizations, events, and people in Canada’s tourism industry by nominating them today for the National Awards for Tourism Excellence, presented by the Globe and Mail.

In so doing, you can help us celebrate outstanding achievement and excellence in your tourism community on a national scale.

Why Participate in The National Awards for Tourism Excellence?

The awards encourage us to keep providing a diverse range of high-quality tourism products and services, so that our guests keep coming back year after year.

They push members of the tourism industry to strive to improve what are already some of the most outstanding tourism experiences in the world.

By nominating a business, an organization or a person in your community, you can help drive this process, by challenging yourself – and others – to reach new heights.

It’s simple to nominate, and it can be a rewarding process for both the nominee and the nominator:

• Put your local community or business on the map in a big way
• Spread the word about a new tourism product, service or experience
• Recognize the hard work and dedication of your staff and volunteers
• See how you stack up to similar nominees across the country
• Take advantage of a remarkable publicity opportunity

Better still, all 42 finalists will enjoy round trip airfare to the National Awards dinner and ceremony in Ottawa/Gatineau on November 2nd, 2010, compliments of Air Canada!

National Cultural Tourism Award Created for 2010

This year, there is a new award among the 14 categories: the National Cultural Tourism Award. The addition of a cultural tourism award to TIAC's National Awards for Tourism Excellence helps promote the long term strategic importance of culture for the economic stability and vitality of the tourism industry and strengthen networks and partnerships between Canada's culture and tourism stakeholders for their mutual benefit.

New Nomination Process Makes it Even Easier!

Just as we encourage you to improve your product offerings, we are making one of ours – the nomination process – even better.  This year, TIAC has refined the contest rules, criteria and nomination forms, making it easier on you to nominate a tourism champion in your community today!

It only takes a few minutes to apply, but the rewards can last a lifetime.

Remember, organizations may be self-nominated or nominated by another party, and you do not have to be a TIAC member to submit a nomination.

For all the information on rules, criteria, or to submit a nomination, please visit www.tiac.travel.

Best of luck, and we hope to see you in Gatineau, November 2, 2010.

Calling All Post-Secondary Students: Five $1000 Sustainable Tourism Scholarships Up For Grabs!

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada / Parks Canada Sustainable Tourism Scholarships are awarded annually to Canadian students in the upper-year of a full-time university or college program in hospitality or tourism with an academic focus or interest in sustainable tourism. The scholarships are designed to support the tourism industry’s future employees, entrepreneurs and leaders as they study how to improve and enhance the quality and sustainability of natural and cultural heritage-based tourism experiences.

Five $1000 Sustainable Tourism Scholarships are awarded annually each fall to students enrolled in qualifying academic programs from across the country. The recipients of the Sustainable Tourism Scholarships will demonstrate an academic focus or interest in sustainable tourism and an interest in the preservation of our natural or cultural heritage. The recipients will also show evidence of high academic achievement, leadership qualities and an entrepreneurial spirit.

For more information, please download the scholarship information sheet or contact David Lauer, TIAC Manager, Communications at dlauer@tiac.travel or 613-238-6378.

International Visitation Numbers Continue to Decline

Visitation to Canada from the majority of international markets declined in April according to numbers released last week by Statistics Canada.

International trips to Canada in April 2010 were down 9.1% over the same month last year, while for the year-to-date, we are down 6.5%. This includes 10% a decline in overnight trips from the U.S. (7.8% for the year), and a 4.6% decline from all other countries. Year-to-date, international visits from countries other than the U.S. have increased by 1.1%, with a significant portion of that owing to the bump in February from the Olympics.

For more information, please see Statistics Canada’s International Travel: Advance Information service bulletin for April 2010.

For more information, please contact Catherine Sadler, TIAC Manager, Research at csadler@tiac.travel or 613-238-6378.