The Canadian Tourism Awards are presented annually by Tourism Industry Association of Canada (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 showcase Canada’s very best and offer travellers superior tourism experiences in Canada.
The Awards were handed out in Gatineau, Quebec on Wednesday evening with Parks Canada’s Cape Breton Field Unit being named the winners of the VISA Canada Innovator of the Year Award. The award is presented to the tourism business or organization that develops the most innovative new tourism product, service or process that positively impacts the tourism business or the tourism industry as a whole. The award recognizes the array of innovative new tourism experiences that the Cape Breton Field Unit has introduced in recent years, such as the Perfect Picnic, Learn-to-Lobster-Boil, Learn-to-Adventure, Fire a Musket, Wake Up in the Past, and Cocoon Tree Bed experiences.
“Through their innovative experiences, the Cape Breton Field Unit team at Parks Canada is continually renewing the offering for visitors to our Island,” says Mary Tulle, CEO of Destination Cape Breton. “Not only are they vital partners for us in Cape Breton; they are leaders in the country and this award is well deserved.”
Before the national awards ceremony in Quebec, the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (TIANS) presented their Crystal Tourism Awards of Excellence in Halifax on Tuesday and the winners included three members of Cape Breton Island’s Tourism Industry: Hampton Inn by Hilton, Sydney won the Community Service Award; Kluskap Ridge RV Campground in Englishtown won New Tourism Business of the Year Award; and Melanie Landry, of Tim Horton’s in Baddeck, won a Pineapple Award – a celebration of our pride in service and of the individuals who go above and beyond to enrich a visitor’s stay in Nova Scotia.
“Having three Crystal Awards for the Island speaks to our strength as a tourism industry,” says Tulle. “The Hampton Inn by Hilton is one of our finest accommodations, Kluskap Ridge RV Campground is an exciting new Indigenous-owned operation, and Melanie Landry, who gave the keys to her van to runners in the Cabot Trail Relay when their vehicle had broken down, is a wonderful example of Cape Breton hospitality. We congratulate the three winners of the TIANS awards and the Parks Canada Cape Breton Field Unit team.”
These awards recognize the important role Cape Breton Island’s tourism industry plays in contributing to the success of the sector across the Province.
“Cape Breton Island is once again leading the region in tourism growth in 2017,” Tulle notes. “Room nights sold to the end of September were up 7% over the previous year, building upon the very strong 15% increase in 2016. The numbers reflect the strongest spring and summer seasons on record and anecdotal reports from operators indicate a very strong fall as well.”
