Newsletter of the Tourism Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador WINTER 2016

Carol-Ann Gilliard, Hospitality NL’s former CEO, and Rex Avery, Hospitality NL’s outgoing Chair, have been instrumental in helping to build a strong, sustainable tourism industry and Hospitality NL looks forward to continued collaboration with these industry champions!

www.hnl.ca

Changes at the Helm

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Changing Opportunities

There seems to have been no shortage of change within and surrounding the tourism industry this past fall. These changes will impact how we move forward and while I acknowledge change can be unsettling, I firmly believe change can be a good thing as it offers the potential to unveil opportunities previously untapped.

I’ve long been a proponent for change. Don’t get me wrong, I fully acknowledge and agree that there are certain ‘staples’ our industry doesn’t want to mess with. I always have and will continue to greet people with a firm handshake. I fully believe in the power of a welcoming, friendly smile and that there are no shortcuts when it comes to delivering high quality customer service. The changes I am talking about are changes that are rooted in forward momentum, changes that are necessary in order to progress and grow.

Rex

AVER

Y So, what are some of these changes I am talking about?

One which will undoubtedly impact all Canadians, and the future development of the tourism industry, is the changing of governments. The recent federal and provincial elections saw Liberal majority governments elected, ending the Conservative’s lengthy reign and with it, the end of established relationships that brought about many positive changes, yet also witnessed missed opportunities. This changing of the guard will impact many aspects of the tourism industry: policy and program development, infrastructure investment, product development initiatives, marketing, business support, and many other ways we have yet to learn; however, one of the key opportunities presented by these changes is the opportunity to develop collaborative relationships with newly elected officials and to ensure they understand the potential of tourism to diversify and grow the economy while preserving our culture. Sustainable tourism development must be a priority for all levels of government; in order to continue to grow and receive the priority attention our industry deserves, I strongly encourage all tourism operators to reach out to their elected officials and impress upon them the significant contribution the tourism industry makes to Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada as a whole.

Another significant change can be found in the leadership at Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador. In December, Carol-Ann Gilliard left her

role as Chief Executive Officer to pursue other opportunities in the tourism field. Excelling in a career with the association that spanned seventeen years, Carol-Ann is a true tourism champion with her numerous accomplishments a testament to her unwavering work ethic. Hospitality NL is truly thankful for her efforts and while Carol-Ann will undoubtedly be missed, her departure represents new opportunities. The tourism industry is continuously evolving and so too must your industry

Chatting with members during Hospitality NL’s Annual Conference and Trade Show.

association. Hospitality NL remains dedicated to advancing the sustainable development of the tourism industry and with new leadership comes new views, new ideas and new ways of doing things. On that note, I am extremely pleased to welcome Craig Foley as Hospitality NL’s new Chief Executive Officer. Working collaboratively with the Board of Directors, Craig’s demonstrated passion and vision for sustainable industry growth will ensure Hospitality NL continues to secure new opportunities for development and advancement for our membership across all regions of the province.

The Greek philosopher Socrates once said: “The Secret of Change Is to Focus All

Meeting with industry partners, Marine Atlantic Inc.

Meeting with industry stakeholders, Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador.

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of Your Energy, Not on Fighting the Old, But on Building the New”. There has been a great deal of work done by many tourism stakeholders to ensure the foundation upon which our industry is being built is a solid one designed to meet the evolving needs of travellers. It is now time to switch our energy from strategically establishing our base to building our ‘new’.

Backed by extensive research and broad-based community and tourism stakeholder support, the provincial destination development processes have unveiled provincial and regional product development opportunities that will meet the evolving needs of travellers ensuring destination growth. Combined with breathtaking natural scenery, vibrant communities and genuine, friendly people, Newfoundland and Labrador is enviably positioned to continue to grow our tourism industry. This is all part of ‘building our new’ and maximizing the opportunities before us that are brought about by change. The possibilities and opportunities that are presented by such significant changes within and around the tourism industry are unprecedented. New

levels of government decision makers, a new CEO, industry structural changes – these all present an opportunity for reflection and critical evaluation of how we have been doing things and how we want to do things as we develop our industry. This knowledge will then help industry determine how we move forward and how best to work with our partners to get there. Taking stock of where we are and how we got here is as important as knowing where we want to go.

Another change that will soon be here is the end of my term as Chair of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador. I have thoroughly enjoyed these past two years and would like to thank my fellow Board members and all of our members for their support. My colleagues at the Board table, and the Hospitality NL staff, have worked diligently to advance our tourism industry and I am very proud of their efforts. This opportunity to Chair the provincial tourism industry association will count among the highlights of my tourism career and I am looking forward to continuing to be engaged with Hospitality NL as a member of the association.

In my role as a member, I look forward to the changes ahead. At Hospitality NL’s upcoming Annual Conference and Trade Show, a new Board of Directors will be unveiled. With this new Board comes the appointment of a new Chair for the Association and I wish them all a very successful year ahead.

Hospitality NL’s conference, based on delegate feedback, has undergone significant changes and revamping, yet it remains the ideal setting for tourism operators to grow their industry network, enabling further development of their business and driving tourism demand.

Operating in a highly competitive and rapidly changing environment, tourism businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador must continually seek new paths of opportunity to develop and grow their business. Hospitality NL’s conference offers tourism owner/operators an opportunity to not only stay on top of changes and trends, but embrace changes and seize the opportunities presented by them. In doing so, tourism will continue to evolve in our province, benefitting our economy and residents.

As more and more destinations look to pursue the potential that tourism offers, the importance of leveraging tourism networks and collaborative development opportunities has never been greater and I am excited about the changes ahead that will help us all work towards our common goal of growing tourism in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Rex AveryChair, Hospitality NL

@HNLChair

Speaking during the Provincial Tourism Luncheon at Hospitality NL’s Annual

Conference and Trade Show.Presenting the Youth Ventures award

for Excellence in Arts and Tourism

Networking with delegates during Hospitality NL’s Annual Conference and Trade Show.

Speaking with members of the media during Tourism Week celebrations.

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CTHRC Changes Name to Tourism HR Canada

NEWLY CERTIFIED

Cape St. Mary’s Ecological ReserveDepartment of Environment and Conservation

EDNA WHITEHeritage Interpreter

Tourism HR Canada is the new name of the national organization that has been serving Canadian tourism businesses and professionals for over two decades.

Since the organization’s inception in 1993, there have been sweeping changes in the state of the tourism industry and both the political and social landscapes. The organization has been successful in anticipating and meeting the challenges that these changes have presented, and has welcomed new leadership and a new vision of their current and future role. The Tourism HR Canada brand better reflects the legacy and strengths of the organization, and its place on the national tourism stage today.

The broad mandate of Tourism HR Canada remains unchanged: to build a competitive and sustainable Canadian Tourism sector by advancing skills and job growth, promoting the collection and use of Labour Market Intelligence, providing businesses with the tools they need to be successful, improving the industry’s customer service levels, and continuing to work in areas where the organization has built its reputation and expertise.

While the core tenants of the organization remain in place, a new strategic vision is being rolled out that is forward-thinking and includes additional

alliances with international partners as well as a pan-Canadian Accreditation system scheduled for rollout in 2017.

Tourism HR Canada is a national organization working for the tourism sector in Canada, an $88.5 billion industry employing over 1.7 million people including over 500,000 youth. Its main goals include improving the quality and mobility of the tourism workforce and supplying tourism businesses with the labour market intelligence they need to plan for and overcome their current and future human resource challenges.

Tourism HR Canada is recognized as a global leader in setting occupational stan-dards, building competency frameworks, developing occupational training and cer-tification programs, conducting research into the tourism labour market, and ana-lyzing the resulting data to plan and imple-ment HR strategies for the industry.

The organization also performs consulting services for all sectors in occupational training and instructional

design, assessment tools and certification programs, human resource planning and strategy, and labour market research and analysis. They have worked with private companies, educational organizations, professional associations, and all levels of government, both in Canada and internationally.

Tourism HR Canada is where emerit training products are researched, designed, and tested. Working closely with industry, small businesses, education institutions, and large corporate enterprises, they have developed the emerit line of skill training programs – a variety of learning tools that range from national occupational standards to online training modules to professional certification. Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador is the provincial certifying body for emerit. To learn more, please contact the Manager of Workforce & Industry Development, Juanita Ford.

For more information about Tourism HR Canada, please visit www.tourismhr.ca.

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Tourism Support for You road show a success!

This past fall, as part of a collaborative three-year skills and knowledge action plan developed to coordinate training needs in the provincial tourism industry, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, along with partners on the NL Tourism Board, launched the Tourism Support for You road show. Designed as a series of workshops and networking events for tourism operators, the road show travelled to 14 locations in all five regions of the province from October to November, 2015. Attendees included tourism owners/operators and employees, as well as stakeholders from industry support organizations and both the provincial and federal government.

Participants were inspired by discussion around experience development with tourism consultant, Harvey Sawler of iImagine, and worked together to flesh out ideas for unique tourism experiences within their regions. Social media experts, Krystal Hobbs of Reflective Marketing and Alison Stoodley of Social Media Management, helped operators understand the value of online tools like TripAdvisor and YouTube for their tourism businesses with helpful tips for utilizing each platform.

Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador was pleased to have the opportunity to travel throughout the province and work directly with tourism operators and stakeholders to identify their paths to profit and help them grow their tourism businesses. For more great learning and networking opportunities, please contact Hospitality NL at 1-800-563-0700 or hnl@hnl.ca.

new skills learned, great presentations!”

VERY INFORMATIVE,

Very well presented and obtained

VALUABLE TOOLSand information for better operations and marketing. Learned of resources and connections that can assist with development of the business.

Attendees develop a unique tourism experience during the workshop in St. John’s.

Attentive participants in Port aux Basques.

Presenter, Krystal Hobbs, works with a group in Clarenville to storyboard a video

concept for YouTube.

Tourism consultant, Harvey Sawler, discusses experience development in Marystown.

Attendees in Grand Falls-Windsor tap into the many opportunities for experience

development in Central NL.

Presenter, Alison Stoodley, chats with Janice Goudie of Nunatsiavut Group of Companies

in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

I feel re-energized and supported to do some new initiatives and I liked seeing the

BEST PRACTICESfrom around Canada.

I would like to see

ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS

to assist with how to use the social media tools.

The networking is always great – to see people, catch up, brainstorm and

SHARE IDEAS.

very informative. Always learn something!

GREAT SESSIONS,

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2016 Conference & Trade Show

Keynote SpeakerHospitality Newfoundland and Labrador is pleased to have tourism marketing and strategy expert, Christina Miranda of Redpoint Marketing PR, as a keynote speaker for the 2016 Conference and Trade Show. The keynote session is sponsored by Marine Atlantic Inc. Bringing to the table a wealth of knowledge and experience, combined with her passion for tourism and palpable energy, Christina will inspire attendees to draw on all the things that make up our province’s uncommon potential, in order to infuse that element of surprise and create once-in-a-lifetime, memorable guest experiences.

Christina is a founding principal of New York City-based Redpoint Marketing PR, which provides PR, digital marketing, graphic design, social media, and training/consulting services for businesses in the hospitality and tourism industries. In her 25 years as a brand and image counselor, Christina has helped achieve marketing results for organizations such as Vermont Tourism, Cunard Line, Hyatt Resorts, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Taste of Nova Scotia and many more. As Redpoint’s lead trainer and business consultant, Christina also helps hospitality organizations solve key business challenges with a focus on guest service, training, operations, and resource management.

Chris

tina

MIR

ANDA

Visit www.hnl.ca/conference for program details, speaker

bios and registration information today!

March 1-3, 2016 – St. John’sHospitality Newfoundland and Labrador’s 2016 Conference and Trade Show offers tourism operators and stakeholders in NL an exclusive opportunity to grow their industry network enabling further development of their business and driving tourism demand.

Travel & AccommodationsThe Delta St. John’s Hotel & Conference Centre is offering special room rates for conference delegates, and rates will be honoured three days pre and post conference! Rooms must be booked by January 28, 2016. Contact the Delta St. John’s to book.

Hospitality NL Indigo Sponsor, Provincial Airlines, is also pleased to offer discounted rates for conference delegates. The rates will be available to delegates attending the conference for travel from February 28th, 2016 to March 4th, 2016. Contact Hospitality NL for details.

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MEMBER PROFILESHospitality Newfoundland and Labrador believes the strength of the tourism industry lies in the creativity and passion of tourism operators who continually strive to reach new heights of success. Hospitality NL’s strong member network is as diverse as our industry’s offerings and we are proud to profile some new members below:

For a complete listing of Hospitality NL members, please visit our Membership Directory

Red Wine Bed and Breakfast, North West RiverThe Red Wine B&B offers beautiful private suites that the owner takes much pride in. She is also a food enthusiast who cooks hot breakfast to order, and offers a unique home cooked supper menu. The beach is just one minute away. Guests call it the hidden gem of Labrador. Contact us!

Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’sAt Memorial University, we want to make your event a success – from logistics and planning, to amenities, catering, accommodations and more. Our experienced and talented staff are here to help you determine which options best suit your needs, whether you’re a group of 50 or 500. Contact us! Gillespie House, Fortune Harbour

The Gillespie House Tourist Home is a historic property first built by Schooner Captain John Gillespie. Today, the house operates as a three-star Tourist Home with three bedrooms, each with private baths. A large licensed dining room overlooks Fortune Harbour waters and serves as an ideal destination dining location. From mid June-Labour Day weekend, our café serves local and unique dishes. It’s the ideal setting for small special events. Our dock area and moorings are used by boaters to tie up and join us for a meal. Fortune Harbour offers several activities such as boating, kayaking, hiking, picking wild mussels, berries, cod and other recreational fishing. Contact us!

Qalipu Mi’kmaq – First Nation Band, Corner BrookQalipu means caribou. Like the caribou, our First Nation works together. We are passionate about sharing our unique heritage and invite you to join in the celebration. Check our website’s calendar of events, and meet us at the Bay St. George Powwow in Flat Bay, held annually on the second weekend of July. Contact us!

Rose Blanche Lighthouse, Rose BlancheBuilt in 1871 from a nearby granite quarry, this lighthouse stands as a proud sentinel of our shores. Restored in 1999 and furnished with 19th century reproduced furniture and local antiques, this lighthouse is a must-see for all lighthouse enthusiasts. Contact us!

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A Change of Scenery

It seems that the winds of change are all around us.

When I was approached to be the next Chair of the NL Tourism Board, I took time to consider the position. As Barry’s term as Chair had ended, I knew a change in leadership was imminent, but was I the best person to lead the charge? As an active industry operator, former Chair of Hospitality NL, and participant on many other tourism committees, I felt I had the knowledge and the experience to contribute. In addition, my time serving as an industry representative on the Tourism Board from 2012-2014 had given me an inside look at how the Board operated and what my responsibilities would be. Before committing, though, I wanted to be sure I had a good understanding of what I could bring as an industry Chair and as a leader.

Through this contemplation, it gave me the time to think about leadership and what leaders look like. At a time when new leadership is all around us, especially given the new leadership team we have just elected for our province, it is important to know what we expect from our leaders and from ourselves as leaders. I believe leaders come in all shapes and sizes and that many different leadership styles work

Darle

ne T

HOM

AS

for many different reasons. As Chair of the NL Tourism Board, I am

surrounded by intelligent, experienced, passionate people, people who have spent years advancing tourism for the right reasons, people who have committed to a collective vision, people who are leaders and teachers and students all wrapped into one. The leaders at the Tourism Board don’t need a Chair to tell them what to do or how to do it; they don’t need a Chair to reinvent the wheel, or to come up with the next big thing in tourism. These leaders need a Chair that will empower them to do what they do best and to give them every chance possible to be successful doing it. And, that is something I can support and contribute towards.

Anyone who knows me knows that I will never have the loudest voice in the room! Part of that is my nature but what most don’t realize is that part of that is also nurture. While it doesn’t come naturally for me to be the loudest in the room, I also believe that it doesn’t serve the greatest good if one person is always loudest. As Chair of the Tourism Board, I shouldn’t have the loudest voice in the room. My role is to facilitate conversations that will determine action plans to help us all move forward. I believe the most important thing I can do as Chair is to create a positive environment for partners to share ideas and solutions and to, at times, have hard conversations to work through to a positive conclusion. As we head into the second half of Vision implementation, we have already done a lot of the hard work to create and foster positive relationships amongst Tourism Board partners. Now, we must leverage the relationships we have built and the understanding and appreciation we have for our partners, as a collective, and as individuals.

Now is a good time for me to acknowledge the work of the Chairs that

have come before me. Stan Cook Jr. and Barry Rogers are two exemplary industry leaders that have helped us all get where we are today. I can almost guarantee that I will do things differently than both of them (I can’t pull off tennis shorts like Stan can….and I can’t speak of the sea the way Cap’n Barry can), but, the adversity they worked through during their terms has carved a wider path for us to take advantage of right now. The lessons learned to this point are not lost on me and I intend on using each and every one to get us further down the path. I bring a positive outlook and enthusiasm to getting us to Vision 2020 and beyond. My legacy perhaps will be my calm, determined focus…with a few laughs.

I cannot conclude a message on leadership without also acknowledging another change that will have a tremendous impact on our industry leadership. Recently, the CEO of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, Carol-Ann Gilliard, resigned from her post to take the position as Director, Tourism Product Development with the department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development. As the CEO of Hospitality NL for eight years, Carol-Ann’s leadership has helped industry in countless ways, including her contribution to Tourism Board efforts. Thankfully, we are not losing Carol-Ann from the tourism industry all together and we will still have access to her breadth of knowledge and expertise, albeit in another role. On behalf of all Tourism Board partners, we thank her for her contribution to industry efforts and know that the continued leadership she will bring as a government partner will be tremendous.

To close, there are leaders all around us – some hold seats as organization Chairs as leaders of strategy, some hold seats in government offices as leaders of policy or planning, and some hold seats on skidoos as leaders of experiences that make this industry worth fighting for. There is no shortage of leaders working for the growth and development of this industry and I look forward to working with as many as possible to ensure this industry leads as one of the province’s success stories.

Darlene ThomasChair, NL Tourism Board

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Research Corner

In little more than a decade the popularity and reach of social networking has skyrocketed. Once viewed as a niche outlet for younger technologically adept generations, social media usage has become a global multi-generational mainstay. According to a 2015 report by tourism research firm Phocuswright, Facebook has more than 1.3 billion monthly active users worldwide, while over 500 million tweets are sent on Twitter daily. With global social media engagement soaring among the most established networking sites, and with newer channels such as Instagram and Pinterest on the rise, it is no surprise that social media has taken on a more predominant role in travel and tourism. Tourism operators and destination management organizations that are aware of the changing ways in which travellers connect, interact and make travel decisions are better positioned to vie for consideration not only when travellers choose a destination, but also when they decide where to stay and what to do once they arrive.

In 2014, nearly 9 in 10 US online leisure travellers were active on a social network – 80% logged on at least every day and one-quarter were logged on continuously. Facebook is the most heavily used network by US travellers at 83%, with Twitter at 38% and photo-sharing network Instagram at 29%. Virtually all popular social networks saw higher levels of year-over-year participation among US travellers.

While social media engagement is undoubtedly high among travellers, how exactly do they use social networking in the travel landscape? Recent research has shown that social media channels are used to varying degrees across the trip-planning cycle – from the initial stages of destination inspiration and pre-trip research through to the sharing of photos, comments and reviews post-trip. The most common travel-related social media activity is the sharing of travel experiences, with 43% of US travellers having posted about a trip on social media in 2014. Social networks are the third most popular outlet used to discuss and share travel experiences – trailing only email and personal conversations. As travellers look to one another for travel advice

in-person and online, and as word-of-mouth recommendations continue to be powerful influencers, tourism operators must embrace the opportunity to be a part of the conversation.

A growing number of US travellers are posting comments and photos of their trip while travelling, with 4 in 10 doing so last year. Similarly, a 2014 report by Destination Canada found that 34% of Canadian travellers reported sharing photos and videos during their trip while 30% shared photos, videos or opinions on social media upon returning. Sharing travel-related experiences is also popular among European travellers who are active on social media, with 34% of UK and 28% of German travellers indicating they posted comments or photos to a social network while travelling.

Travel experiences are also being shared on traveller-review websites such as TripAdvisor, which has become a go-to source as travellers look increasingly to user-generated content for trip research and planning. Nearly two-thirds of US travellers who typically use websites to plan trips indicated they refer to traveller-submitted reviews and ratings when planning. Furthermore, 42% of US travellers with some interest in visiting Atlantic Canada indicated the use of review sites when planning a trip. While used heavily for planning and research, traveller-review sites also play a role in the initial stages of the trip cycle – 36% of Canadian travellers and 35% of US travellers use such sites when selecting a vacation destination.

A 2014 Google/IpsosMediaCT study suggests that a large majority of travellers who use online sources for inspiration look to social networking, video or photo sites. The ease with which guests can share their own reviews and pictures and the rate at which visitors are turning to these traveller-submitted reviews while trip planning will continue to have implications for the entire tourism industry. For tourism operators, having a social media presence on those channels most frequently used by travellers is an essential component of visitor engagement. Successfully engaging with travellers, however, does not stop at simply having a Facebook or TripAdvisor page. As travellers expect

timely and responsive interaction on social media, operators must ensure that they consistently monitor social media activity and actively respond to customer reviews, concerns and complaints.

In addition to turning to social networking, video and photo-sharing sites when researching a vacation, travellers are also beginning to look to social media for travel deals and advice on what to do and see once in their destination. Phocuswright found that 36% of US travellers who were active on social media look for travel deals on social networks and 27% look to social network friends for travel tips and advice. A quarter of Canadian travellers reported that posts by people on their social networks either significantly or somewhat influenced their travel decisions. Social media offers operators the opportunity to spread awareness of their product offering, build general brand awareness, provide dynamic customer service, and engage travellers when they plan, visit and return home.

Social media has become an integral part of the travel landscape and there is little doubt that such high levels of social network participation among travellers will continue to unlock new opportunities as well as new challenges for tourism operators. Travel is among the most-discussed themes on social media channels, giving tourism operators and stakeholders an opportunity to engage with travellers across each stage of the trip planning cycle. While travel-sharing still dominates social media usage in travel, high rates of mobile penetration combined with high social network usage among travellers may soon cement a larger role for social media in the initial planning stages of the trip cycle as well as the in-destination experience.

SourcesDestination Canada, Global Tourism Watch Canada, 2014. Destination Canada, Global Tourism Watch US, 2013 Phocuswright, Canadian Online Travel Overview 3rd Ed., 2014 Phocuswright, Canadian Online Travel Overview, 2012-2016 Phocuswright, US Consumer Travel Report 6th Ed., 2013 Phocuswright, Travel Technology Survey, 2014 Phocuswright, Social Media Commerce, 2014 Phocuswright, European Traveller Technology Survey, 2015 Phocuswright, The State of Social Media in Travel, 2014 Phocuswright, Social DMOs: The State of Social Media and Destination Marketing, 2014 Phocuswright, Social Media in Travel Planning, 2011 Google/Ipsos MediaCT, The 2014 Traveller’s Road to Decision, 2014 Google, Travel Trends: Four Mobile Moments Changing the Consumer Journey, 2015 Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership, US Consumer Research, 2015

Social Media in Tourism: How travellers engage before, during & after a trip

Submitted by: Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

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Submitted by:Mark LamswoodExecutive DirectorGo Western Newfoundland

Submitted by: Andrew HiscockTourism Development OfficerLegendary Coasts of Eastern Newfoundland

Focusing on Experience DevelopmentOn Tuesday, November 17, Legendary

Coasts of Eastern Newfoundland held its Annual General Meeting at the Manuels River Hibernia Interpretation Centre in Conception Bay South. The room was filled with over 60 members, partners, and guests, and it was a full day of networking, excellent presentations, and, of course, the business of the meeting!

The 2015-2016 board of directors was set, with many Directors returning for new terms, as well as some new faces excited to lend their expertise and knowledge to the LCEN DMO. New to the board of directors are Rick Rose of St. Pierre Ferry Office, Carol Ann Devereaux of Edge of Avalon Inn, and Martha Nelson of HI Skerwink Hostel! The staff and membership of LCEN would like to thank the Directors, both new and

returning, for dedicating their time, effort, and energies to the continued economic development of their local areas, the region, and the province through tourism!

The Destination Development Plan implementation continues in the Eastern Region, with some very exciting projects beginning! Geological sites from around the region have come together to form the Eastern NL Geological Network. This new partnership will raise the bar on visitor value, allow sites to work collaboratively, weave experiences together, and to develop theme based

itineraries. Other networks are coming online, with a focus on experience development! These include Program and People based products (including artisans, musicians, and storytellers), Craft and Tourism, and Food and Tourism. These groups will provide structure and a more comprehensive offering to market with a thematic approach that visitors are looking for.

We are looking forward to Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador’s Conference and Trade Show in March, and we hope to see you there!

Gros Morne Cooperating Association Wins National Award

And the VIA Rail Canada Community Leadership Award goes to...the Gros Morne Cooperating Association! One of Western Newfoundland’s own recently (December 2nd, 2015) accepted their well deserved award at the 2015 Canadian Tourism Awards ceremony at the Westin Ottawa Hotel. The award recognizes the tourism business or organization that makes the year’s most outstanding contribution to develop, build and enhance social conditions in their community.

The judging criteria in this category includes:• Management, leadership and

organizational commitment to community service

• Engagement of staff in community

initiatives• Integration of community service as

part of a successful business strategy• Engagement and participation in

community programs, activities or services

• Partnership with the public sector and non-governmental organizations (TIAC, 2015)

The Canadian Tourism Awards are presented annually by TIAC to recognize success, leadership and innovation in

Canada’s tourism industry, and to reward those people, places, organizations and events that have gone above and beyond to offer travelers superior tourism experiences in Canada.

On hand to help make the presentation was newly elected Long Range Mountains MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism, Gudie Hutchings. Accepting the award on behalf of the GMCA was Chair, Raymond Cusson. Congratulations to all involved!

From the Regions

The 2015-2016 Board of Directors Back Row: Carol Ann Devereaux, Jerry Byrne, Rick Stanley, Brian Rose, Jane Hynes. Seated: Peter

Laracy, Marieke Gow, Rick Rose. Absent: Brenda Stapleton, Irene Hurley, Martha Nelson

L-R: Raymond Cusson, Chair, Gros Morne Cooperating

Association, Gudie Hutchings, MP-Long Range Mountains,

Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism, Pierre

Santoni, Via Rail Canada

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Bivver ‘til you shiverGreat festivals stem from great

planning, and organizers for the fifth annual Mid Winter Bivver have been busy putting together an entertaining 2016 festival following a successful one in 2015.

Along with partners like Adventure Central Newfoundland, organizers have not only been busy planning the 2016 festival – being held February 19-20 in Grand Falls-Windsor – but they also built a new website to help promote it, http://www.midwinterbivver.com.

Exciting announcements are expected to come as the festival draws closer, but as of Nov. 26, four main events have been solidified.

On Friday, Feb. 19, the Friday Fun Run will take place from 1-4pm starting from IBEX Fuels on 46 Hardy Avenue. This event takes riders on trails that weave through

From the Regionsmajestic Exploits Valley. All Friday Fun Run participants will need a Newfoundland and Labrador Snowmobile trail pass, and three-day passes are available for those visiting from away.

One of the festival’s feature events, The Icebreaker, takes place on the evening of Feb. 19, from 7-9pm at the Grand Falls Golf Club, located just a few kilometres off the Trans-Canada Highway heading west. The event features traditional NL hospitality, culinary delights, live entertainment, a bonfire and an awe-inspiring fireworks display. The James Beard Culinary team will be offering a delectable gourmet barbecue using NL products with a southern twist. Festival registration will take place at the golf club, and public transportation will be provided to guests taking part in the event.

Two events have been planned for Saturday, Feb. 20 – a high-end afternoon Trail Mix Interpretive Snowmobile Ride and an evening Forager’s Feast and Wine Pairing. The Trail Mix takes snowmobile riders on an adventurous 150-plus kilometre guided ride through untouched forests and top-rated snowmobiling to experience a mouthwatering gourmet lunch, paired with interpretation on historic trapping routes, food sourcing,

geology and traditional winter skills. Executive Chef Roary MacPherson of the Sheraton Hotel and his exquisite culinary team will serve a delicious outdoor lunch right on the trail with an assortment of gourmet desserts.

Later in the evening, the Forager’s Feast will take place at 8:30pm at the Grand Falls Golf Course with special guests. Chef Roary and his team will once again provide unique culinary dishes, and participants will get an opportunity to taste select wines from around the world. A silent auction will be held during the event, along with live entertainment from local musicians, plus a lot of dancing.

Purchase tickets and stay up-to-date with all the latest Mid Winter Bivver news by visiting the website.

Submitted by: Matt MolloyMarketing CoordinatorAdventure Central Newfoundland

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Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador is supported by the tourism industry and

Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, the provincial Tourism Industry Association, is focused on advocacy, education, the adaptation of innovative technology and the promotion of a strong member network. Through forward thinking and fostering the growth of its members, Hospitality NL continues to be the leader of the tourism industry in the province. For information on membership, please contact www.hnl.ca

Tourism Times is a quarterly publication of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador. Opinions expressed by contributers and advertisers do not necessarily represent those of Hospitality NL.

Hospitality NL Board of DirectorsRex Avery

Dion FinlayHelena Lawlor

Kelly FinlayDarlene Thomas Colleen Kennedy

Wayne Hallett Scott Hillyer

Vacant

ChairVice-Chair Secretary/TreasurerDirectorDirectorDirectorBed & Breakfast AssociationRestaurant AssociationHotel/Motel Association

Staff Listing

Head Office71 Goldstone Street (Suite 102)

St. John’s, NL A1B 5C3Tel: (709) 722-2000

Toll Free: 1-800-563-0700

(Full board contact information available at www.hnl.ca)

Desktop LayoutImage 4 Digital Printing & Design Inc.

1170 Topsail Road, Mount Pearl, NL A1N 5E8T: 709-747-3850 E: brenda@image4.ca

W: www.image4.ca

Craig Foley Chief Executive OfficerJuanita Ford Manager, Workforce and

Industry DevelopmentLeslie Rossiter Manager, Policy and

CommunicationsKaren So Accountant

Tania Heath Project CoordinatorSusie Greene Membership CoordinatorMelissa Ennis Social Media Communications

Coordinator

When you first set out to learn more about various online technologies and how they may be valuable to your tourism business, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. TourismTechnology.com has compiled a vast collection of online technology resources that can help you develop and enhance your online business strategy. From documents to videos to podcasts – resources are available in a variety of formats to help you learn best. Browse the library, search for a specific topic, or complete a quick self-assessment that will customize a list of resources just for you!

Newfoundland Owned DistributorFoodservice Equipment and Supplies

Janitorial Equipment and SuppliesIndustrial Chemicals

Automotive Detailing Supplies!

99 Blackmarsh Road I St. John’s I 579-2151

ST. JOHN’S • DARTMOUTH • MONCTON

TourismTechnology.com launches new website and resource library

www.BIGERICS.com

TourismTechnology.com is a strategic initiative that aims to enable tourism operators in Atlantic Canada to improve their competitiveness through the effective utilization of online technology tools and resources. By providing operators with skills, knowledge and expertise to take advantage of current online tools and resources, TourismTechnology.com encourages and empowers operators to become more innovative in marketing their tourism businesses online and to improve their ability to reach and respond to existing and potential customers.

To learn more about TourismTechnology.com, upcoming training opportunities, or to discuss a technology issue, please contact Hospitality NL’s Social Media Communications Coordinator, Melissa Ennis.