For Immediate Release
February 22, 2018 – Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador’s Annual Conference and Trade Show enters its final day with a look at tourism from the national perspective, including an address from the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Veterans Affairs and MP for St. John’s South-Mount Pearl.
“We are pleased to have a large delegation of national tourism partners on hand to present delegates with an accurate picture of the national tourism strategy,” says Hospitality NL Chair, Dion Finlay. “It is important for operators here in Newfoundland and Labrador to understand our country’s tourism strategy and how this province’s tourism industry fits into that national picture. We are very much looking forward to hearing national perspectives on topics such as policy, advocacy, labour market and marketing.
“Last Spring the Government of Canada launched Canada’s New Tourism Vision outlining how we are planning on capitalizing on the tourism potential of this great country,” said Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Member of Parliament for St. John’s South-Mount Pearl. “We’re going to do that nationally by making key investments in the marketing of Canadian tourism, by making it easier for international tourists to come visit us and by investing in tourism operators so those visitors will come back time and again.”
MP Gudie Hutchings will moderate the National Tourism Panel featuring leaders of four of Canada’s national tourism organizations: Charlotte Bell, President & CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Canada; Maureen Riley, Executive Director, Partnerships, Destination Canada; Philip Mondor, President & CEO, Tourism HR Canada; and Keith Henry, President & CEO, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada. The panelists will provide a synopsis of key national initiatives and priorities, followed by a Q&A to discuss how Newfoundland and Labrador fits into the national picture and how this province can maximize on and support these national efforts. Later in the morning, the BDC presents Planning for Growth and panel discussion outlining how successful tourism operators invested.
The Parks Canada Luncheon will feature an address by David Millar, Executive Director, Atlantic, Parks Canada, followed by the presentation of the 2018 Sustainable Tourism Award. Following the luncheon, delegates will hear from some of the local culinary industry’s advocates, farmers, chefs and innovators and learn about the benefits of using local ingredients, accessing those ingredients, and why it is important, not only to the tourism industry, but to the entire province, to focus on eating local.
Closing the Conference for another year, delegates will gather to honour the industry’s best and brightest at the Tourism Excellence Awards Gala, beginning at 7:30 pm.
Due to the strong support of the local tourism industry, Hospitality NL’s Conference has sold out! In 2018, Hospitality NL celebrates 35 years of serving as the voice of tourism in Newfoundland and Labrador and working with the members to build amazing industry growth and progress. The 35th Annual Conference & Trade Show is the largest annual gathering of tourism operators within the province and is taking place in St. John’s, February 20-22, 2018. Visit www.hnl.ca/conference to learn more!
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Media Contact:
Melissa Ennis, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador
P: 709-722-2000, ext: 231
C: 709-227-1863
E: mennis@hnl.ca