While many of you in Canada’s tourism industry have been hard at work catering to your peak season clientele these past few weeks, TIAC has been doing some hard work of its own - quietly assembling what is being billed as the strongest Tourism Congress program ever.

With a few more names yet to confirm, TIAC is very excited to welcome a veritable who’s who in Canadian business, politics, and the travel sector itself.

The 2012 program tentatively features:

• Keynote presentation by Bruce Philp, renowned author and marketing maven behind the rapid rise of ING Direct
• Keynote presentation by Paul Brown, President, Brands & Commercial Services, Hilton Worldwide
• Special Luncheon Presentation by Howard Eng, President and CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority
• The Leadership Panel, hosted by Marty Cej, Managing Editor, Business News Network and anchor of Business Day AM and featuring:
• Robert Deluce, President and CEO, Porter Airlines
• Christiane Germain, Co-President, Groupe Germain
• Randy Powell, President & CEO, Armstrong Group (Rocky Mountaineer)
• Special Introductory Presentation by Ryan Brain, Partner, Canadian Consumer Business Leader, Deloitte
• The Inside Ottawa Political Panel, hosted by Mark Sutcliffe, Prominent Ottawa journalist, broadcaster & entrepreneur and featuring three well-known panelists:
• Anne McGrath, Managing Director, Ensight Canada, Past President of the NDP and former chief of staff to NDP leaders Jack Layton and Nycole Turmel
• Lisa Stilborn, Chief Operating Officer, Temple Scott Associates & Leading Liberal Party Strategist
• Mike Storeshaw, Vice-President, Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada and former Director of Communications to Conservative Party Ministers Vic Toews and Jim Flaherty
• A Special Panel on Canada’s MC&IT Subsector, moderated by Patrick Kelly, President and CEO, Ottawa Convention Centre
• Special guest appearance at the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame Luncheon by Hon. Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) (*invited)
• The Canadian Tourism Awards, hosted once again by our well-liked veteran hosts:
• Rose Arsenault, New Brunswick Tourism and Parks, and
• Blake Richards, M.P. for Wild Rose, Alberta & Chair, Parliamentary Tourism Caucus
• The Tourism Congress sessions are hosted by two of the leading women in tourism:
• Gisèle Danis, Vice President, Marketing, Tourism Calgary & Tourism Congress Co-Chair, and
• Carol-Ann Gilliard, Chief Executive Officer, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador & Tourism Congress Co-Chair
• With opening remarks by:
• David Goldstein, President and CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Canada
• Gopal Rao, Outgoing Chair, Tourism Industry Association of Canada

For detailed program information, please click here.

To view rates or to register now, please click here.

For additional information, please look under "events" in the menu above or contact David Lauer, TIAC Director, Communications at 613-238-9400 or dlauer@tiac.travel