Newsletter of the Tourism Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador FALL 2015

Back Row (L-R): Joanne Smyth, Manager, Community Development, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Newfoundland and Labrador office; Todd Wight, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador representative; Wayne Hallett, Chair, Adventure Central Newfoundland; Larry Laite, Acting Chair, Destination St. John’s; Marieke Gow, Chair, Legendary Coasts of Eastern Newfoundland; Jane Pardy, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador representative; Ed English, Chair, Go Western Newfoundland; Steve Denty, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador representative; Carmen Hancock, Chair, Destination Labrador

Front Row (L-R): Rita Malone, Assistant Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Business Analysis, Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development; Carmela Murphy, Assistant Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development; Darlene Thomas, Chair; Rex Avery, Chair, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador

www.hnl.ca Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism Board Welcomes New Chair, Darlene Thomas

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I love paths...always have. In fact, if you go to my twitter account @cagilliard, you will see that my cover photo is a picture of a path (while you’re there, feel free to follow me ). I snapped that picture while walking on one of my favourite trails. The path veered off from the main trail and was hard to spot but once I saw it, how perfectly it wound its way through the woods, fairly unbeaten but carved just enough to know it was there, I couldn’t help but be drawn to it. I was tempted to deviate off the main trail but instead, I took a picture to remind me of it, knowing that someday I would have more time to go wherever it leads.

Some say that you shouldn’t take the path that others have laid and instead you make your own, that you should know where you want to go and blaze your own trail. I tend to agree…but before you can beat your own path, you need to know where you want to go, what will be ahead and how to overcome the barriers as they happen. Otherwise, you could spend the reserves of your precious energy just beating the path instead of getting to where you are going.

As Hospitality NL continues to assume its role of guiding growth in the tourism industry, it struck us about the very important role we play in making sure that our individual members know the potential paths that are open to them and how it will help them grow their tourism business. Hospitality NL guides growth in three key ways. First, our advocacy efforts on provincial tourism priorities are helping to shape the business environment so that tourism businesses can be competitive and grow. Second, our member network offers a group of industry leaders and peers – a solid network of tourism operators for

for you is that you do not have to use your energy trying to figure out what resources are available for your business development. One phone call or email to Hospitality NL can start to inform you about the learning opportunities available on your path for growing your business, customers and profits. We know that to be accessible to you wherever you operate and to be as time efficient as you need, you will require a variety of options for gaining the tools, supports and resources to further your business goals. As a result, we have coordinated a number of ways for you to access what you need including online resources, one-on-one mentors, webinars, workshops, videos, podcasts, contacts, and many others.

We understand that right now you may not know exactly what your business goals are or maybe you do. Regardless, one call or email to Hospitality NL can help you find your next steps, specific to your needs.

All you need to know right now is when you are ready to start down the #paths2profit, connect with Hospitality NL. We are your pathfinders.

Carol-Ann GilliardCEO, Hospitality NL

@CAGilliard

Caro

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RDPaths to Profit

partnership opportunities, both formal and informal. Third, we are guiding growth by offering learning opportunities on topics that are relevant, valuable and necessary for our operators to grow.

There are many learning opportunities available to tourism operators in Newfoundland and Labrador. The sheer number of options can make it confusing to know what option offers the most value for the time and financial constraints that most businesses have. We understand it is our role to make sure that individual operators are able to see clearly through the clutter to recognize what they can access to further their specific goals. We have to make those learning paths more accessible.

As a result, we have created Paths to Profit.

Paths to Profit is very simple. Whatever your goals for growing your tourism business, we are committed to showing you a path for reaching them. After an extensive planning and coordination approach with all of our partner organizations in industry, government and non-profit, we have amassed a comprehensive understanding of all of the resources, learning opportunities, networks, expertise, and other guiding programs that are available to help further you along your path. It is the most intensive, extensive and comprehensive tourism industry support program that we have ever created.

In practical terms, what this means

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For me and for many tourism operators, now that the summer season has drawn to a close, focus shifts to the fall and winter seasons ahead. Part of those plans include taking lessons learned from 2015 and using them as best we can to ensure growth for 2016 and beyond.

An essential part of that planning is to determine exactly what we want 2016 and beyond to really look like. The tourism industry in our province has established and committed to a vision for 2020 and it is essential that in addition to individual business ideas and preparations for growth and development, operator plans for 2016 and beyond remain in line with industry’s collective strategy and path ahead to 2020. If the current global economic realities have taught us anything, it is that the path ahead must be secured by a solid foundation yet nimble enough to adjust to unforeseen changes and challenges.

Economic volatility and business challenges are nothing new to tourism operators, locally, nationally or globally. Tourism operators in Newfoundland and Labrador have identified key challenges that must be overcome in order to sustainably develop the industry and are collaboratively working together to address them; however, recognizing that global changes and shifting consumer patterns unveil new opportunities to advance our industry, at this the half-way mark to Vision 2020, it is time to take a critical look at our vision and make any necessary adjustments along the path. 2020 is not an end point; it is a milestone to further advancement.

Guiding the implementation towards Vision 2020 is the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Board; tourism stakeholders collaborating together to ensure a solid foundation upon which to sustainably develop the provincial tourism

Planning for Tourism SuccessRe

x AV

ERY industry. This board, too, must be nimble

enough to frequently take stock of the tourism landscape before us and determine if the path ahead requires adjustments or fine tuning, all while staying true to the path designed to overcome challenges facing tourism growth and development. So, what it is that industry requires? What does a solid foundation for tourism growth look like?

First and foremost, we must have a clear Tourism Strategy: a strategy that encompasses a sustained competitive level of provincial marketing investment which complements the efforts of private tourism operators. In order to complement efforts, government partners must work collaboratively with industry to ensure the most effective and efficient returns on marketing investments. To do this requires a clear understanding and analysis of our opportunities and the results generated. Truly understanding the impact of a strong tourism strategy on tourism growth is critical and can only be achieved by evaluating how we do things – industry, government partners and stakeholders must engage in truthful self-evaluation and be willing to adjust our path if necessary.

Marketing efforts, while critical, must be balanced with investment in product development and quality assurance efforts that identify gaps within our industry and provide innovative solutions and supports in order to ensure traveller needs and expectations are met. We must ensure we deliver not only unique, but high-quality experiences, products and services.

A second and equally important component of a solid foundation for tourism growth involves Access and Transportation. Sustainable growth of the tourism industry in NL is dependent upon the development of a comprehensive, multi-modal transportation system that facilitates efficient and confident travel to, from and around NL while continuing to meet the evolving needs of users and industries. The tourism industry, comprised of primarily small- to medium-sized businesses, supports the needs of a growing economy by providing the foundation of services and attractions that other business sectors need to grow, attract workers and leverage private investment. Such a transportation system is a critical enabler of private industry investment driving job creation, sustainable community development and economic diversity. In the absence of a comprehensive and sufficient multi-modal transportation system, growth for all industries and communities will be stifled.

Thirdly, there are Regulatory Issues facing our industry that threaten the very

foundation we have worked so hard to establish, issues such as unlicensed and unregulated tourism operations operating in contravention of health, safety and taxation regulations while benefiting from the hard work and investment of legitimate operators. Successfully addressing these challenges requires deliberative action on the behalf of government. It is no easy feat and requires long-term financial and human resources.

Government partners are not solely responsible for providing the human resources our industry requires to succeed. I’ve said before that I believe the tourism industry in Newfoundland and Labrador encompasses some of the most innovative and dedicated business professionals I have ever met. On that note, I would like to congratulate Darlene Thomas on her appointment as Chair of the NL Tourism Board. Darlene, like many dedicated individuals, continues to volunteer significant amounts of time and talent within her region to ensure tourism growth and development. But in order to ensure the development of NL as a premiere destination of choice among travellers does not lose sight of the big picture, our industry needs more of these people stepping up to take on positions with associations like Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador and the NL Tourism Board to ensure operator concerns are voiced and provincial issues facing our industry can be successfully addressed. We all need to do our part and work together to ensure continued growth of our destination by increasing visitation and revenue and creating jobs across the province, not focus solely on individual business needs and regional development.

While I cannot predict how 2016 and beyond will turn out, I know I am committed to doing all I can to ensure its success, both as the Chair of Hospitality NL and as a private operator. I know 2016 and beyond will feature the results of both a federal and provincial election and that the path ahead is dependent upon the strong foundation we continue to build. I know that foundation must be reinforced and can remain strong with the support of the tourism industry and multiple levels of government, governments that demonstrate their commitment to growing the tourism industry via collaborative and strategic actions. In turn, such collaboration will ensure the path forward continues its successful climb.

Rex AveryChair, Hospitality NL

@HNLChair

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Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, along with partners on the NL Tourism Board, is excited to offer a series of workshops and networking events for tourism operators across the province this fall! The Tourism Support for You Road Show provides tourism operators the opportunity to learn from industry professionals and experts in areas that are relevant to your business, as well as meet face to face with the people and organizations that want to help your tourism business succeed.

Tourism Support for You presents educational workshops about experience development and technology, as well as information about available resources and funding programs that tourism operators can access to enhance marketing, product, human resources, technology and financial management capacity and activities.

The Tourism Support for You Road Show is supported by the Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development (BTCRD) and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).

ScheduleOctober 5-9 (Labrador)October 13-16 (Western NL)November 2-6 (Central NL)November 9-13 (Eastern NL)November 26-27 (Avalon)

Alison is the president of Social Media Management, a social media and email marketing company. Through her company, Alison provides all aspects of social media and email marketing from training and seminars to branding for specific platforms, to social media policy and procedure manuals, complete campaign management, website development and mobile application development. Since starting her company in 2008, Alison has been in demand delivering seminars, training sessions and keynotes and is perhaps best known for creating industry specific presentations and hands-on workshops that empower and enable participants to immediately and effectively use social media and email marketing tools. Most recently, Social Media Management has been recognized as an expert LinkedIn Trainer.

Price Hospitality NL Members: $89.95 + HSTNon-Members: $99.95 + HST

RegisterRegister today at www.hnl.ca/events/view-current-events or contact Hospitality NL’s Project Coordinator, Tania Heath.

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Program8:30 am Registration & Networking with Resource People9:00 am Opening Remarks - Orientation9:10 am SESSION #1:

Tourism Experience Development with Harvey Sawler of iImagine11:10 am Tourism Resources for You - Networking Session 111:40 am SESSION #2:

TripAdvisor with Alison Stoodley of Social Media Management1:00 pm Lunch - Networking with Resource People1:30 pm SESSION #3:

YouTube with Alison Stoodley of Social Media Management

3:00 pm Tourism Resources for You - Networking Session 24:00 pm Closing

Since forming his tourism consultancy in 1998, first as Forerunner Creative and now as iImagine, Harvey has been in demand creating tourism strategies and brands and conducting community-based, association and corporate facilitations across Canada. He is a frequent speaker and facilitator to tourism and other organizations on a variety of subjects and brings more than forty-three years of private and public sector experience in tourism and parks management, tourism product development, marketing, brand development, strategic planning, and community development to help meet his clients’ needs.

Tourism Support For You ROAD SHOW

SPEAKER - HARVEY SAWLER SPEAKER - ALISON STOODLEY

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YOUR WORLD IS UNIQUE. WE INSURE IT.®

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Members of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador or employees of a member company are eligible for preferred personal home and auto insurance rates.Our products, services and discounts are designed specifically for group members and there are many opportunities to save. Call 1-877-4STEERS today for your no-obligation, insurance quote.

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Do you have concerns about the future of Canada’s tourism sector? What has been your experience recruiting and retaining staff? What effect is today’s economy having on your tourism business?

It was predicted that starting in 2010 tourism businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador would start seeing shortfalls in the number of available workers relative to the number of jobs available. These shortages were expected to grow more acute as time went on.

In 2015, despite a less than ideal start to summer, some regions reported a boom in tourists. An increase in customer demand is a blessing, but can also be a curse if businesses are struggling to find the workers who can meet their customers’ needs.

We want to know how your region and your industry fared this year, and what you expect for the years ahead.

Make Your Voice Heard! Tourism Outlook & Labour Issues Survey

We invite tourism businesses to participate in the Tourism Outlook and Labour Issues Survey. It will only take about 10 minutes. Please click the following link to begin the survey.

This survey is part of a tourism labour study by Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, Tourism HR Canada, and the Conference Board of Canada. The study will identify current and future labour shortages, by tourism occupation and by Canadian region, and examine the impact of the current economic environment.

For more information, please contact:

Greg HermusThe Canadian Tourism Research InstituteThe Conference Board of CanadaPhone: (613) 526-3090 ext. 244Email: hermus@conferenceboard.ca

ACCESS SURVEY

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2015 Silver Anniversary Scholarship Recipients

This past September, Hospitality NL was pleased to award the 2015 Silver Anniversary Scholarships to Julie Goudie of Springdale and Cecily Parsons of Glovertown.

The response to the scholarship this year was incredible, both in the quantity and quality of applicants. As an association that champions the importance of skills and knowledge development, Hospitality NL is proud to once again this year assist two individuals in the pursuit of higher education. Julie and Cecily are exceptionally talented individuals with very bright futures ahead of them and Hospitality NL is pleased to offer financial support to assist them along that path.

Established in 2008 for Hospitality NL’s 25th anniversary year, the Silver Anniversary Scholarship is generously supported by the Boone family and the Sparkes family, two families with a long tradition of innovation and leadership within the tourism community. Each year, two Silver Anniversary Scholarships are awarded to a dependant or employee of a Hospitality NL member to assist with the cost of post-secondary education. The scholarships are awarded based on educational goals and direction, academic performance, extra-curricular activities and community involvement.

Each recipient will receive a $1500 scholarship.

CECILY PARSONSCecily Parsons is a student

at Memorial University focusing on a future in the education field. Her passion for higher learning shines through in all she does resulting in prestigious recognition of her efforts including the Governor General’s Academic Medal. Her talent and dedication to impart knowledge will not only result in a rewarding and successful career, but immeasurable opportunities for future students fortunate to be in her class.

Cecily is an employee of Hospitality NL member Terra Nova National Park.

JULIE GOUDIEJulie Goudie is a highly

ambitious individual entering her first year of studies at Memorial University with plans to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree followed by medical school. The recipient of multiple awards and accolades, Julie’s academic record is rivaled only by her dedication to help others. Considered a leader among her peers, her work ethic combined with her compassionate nature will ensure a bright and rewarding future.

Julie is an employee of Hospitality NL member Riverwood Inn, located in Springdale.

NEWLY CERTIFIED

Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, Clarenville Visitor Information Centre

TRUDY SKIFFINGTONTourism Visitor Information Counsellor

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Hospitality NL Conference 2016

conference save the date

Save the Date for Hospitality NL’s 2016 Conference and Trade Show!

March 1-3, 2016, St. John’s

Hospitality NL’s Board and staff have been working hard to incorporate delegate feedback from our most recent conferences in order to bring you one of our best events to date! We are excited to return to the province’s capital, St. John’s, with an exciting line-up of sessions and events, a refreshed trade show and plenty of learning and networking opportunities for all tourism stakeholders in attendance.

www.hnl.ca/conference

©Barrett & Mackay Photo

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MAKE TOURISM COUNT

With two government elections only weeks away, it is essential to ensure the priorities of the travel and tourism industry count in the 2015 provincial election. Tourism is a sound investment and with financial support and public policy changes, tourism is part of a balanced solution to growing economic opportunities and diversification in NL and Canada.

Be informed about the tourism industry in NL:• More than 2,500 tourism businesses across Newfoundland and Labrador • More than $1.1 billion in economic activity every year • More than half a million annual visitors• 8% of total provincial jobs• Tourism helps preserve and protect NL’s unique natural heritage, culture and history

In Canada, travel & tourism is a growing industry:• $88.5 billion industry, of which $17.2 billion is export revenue• 16.4 million visitors per year• Employs 628,000 Canadians • 170,000 businesses• $9.6 billion in federal government revenues

There are many ways to get involved in the 2015 elections: • Attend an all candidates debate• Ask questions and share your tourism story when candidates come knocking at your door

• Investments made in your business• Number of years in business• Future growth plans • Number of visitors you serve annually• Number of employees you have• Role your business plays in supporting your community

• Follow candidates on social media to learn what they are saying about the tourism industry and where they stand on key issues

• Use #votetourism on Twitter and Facebook to show that travel and tourism matters

Election Dates:1. Federal: October 19, 20152. Provincial: November 30, 2015

Cast your ballot and ensure tourism counts!

$

in the 2015 Federal and Provincial Government Elections

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1 2 3ISSUE #1: Tourism StrategyParamount to sustainable development and ensuring NL remains a premiere travel destination is a collaborative approach and strong strategy encompassing marketing investment, product development and quality assurance.

ISSUE #2: Access and TransportationAccess to, from and around Newfoundland and Labrador, whether by sea, air, or road, continues to be impeded by issues of affordability, capacity, infrastructure and quality. Newfoundland and Labrador’s tourism industry depends on an accessible, affordable and reliable transportation system in order to grow and government must establish a comprehensive multi-modal transportation strategy that will ensure a reliable, affordable and efficient system that can meet the evolving needs of users.

ISSUE #3: RegulatoryThe proliferation of unlicensed and unregulated accommodations across NL is alarming. Such accommodations do not abide by the regulatory, legal, taxation, health and safety or insurance laws that licensed accommodators do and consequently, they have the potential to negatively impact NL’s reputation as a premiere tourism destination. Despite benefitting from the efforts of legitimate operations, they do not offer benefits back to the community like legitimate tourism operations such as gainful employment opportunities throughout all regions of NL.

Tourism in Newfoundland and Labrador is a success story representing a strong and sustainable opportunity for continued economic diversification, especially in rural parts of our province. In order to further develop our industry, critical issues must be addressed. Tourism operators give a face to the story of how important the tourism sector is to individual community and regional economic and social development; reach out and let candidates from all parties in your riding know the issues facing the tourism industry and Make Tourism Count!

There are several critical ways in which government can demonstrate its support including financial investment, policy initiatives and appropriate legislation all designed to facilitate sustained growth.

KEY AREAS: • Competitive, sustained level

of strategic provincial tourism marketing investment

• Destination Development, with investments in tourism based on strategic priorities established under the guidance of the NL Tourism Board

• Quality Assurance to ensure continued development and enhancement of provincial standards designed to elevate offerings and provide consistency across NL

RECOMMENDATION: Government commit to a sustained and competitive provincial marketing and product development investment that supports and complements the efforts and initiatives of private industry that are unveiling opportunities to maximize growth.

KEY AREAS:• Establish strategy for Marine

Atlantic• Enhanced reliability, services and

capacity of provincial ferry services• Enhanced air access capacity and

reduced costs• Implement Tourist Oriented

Directional Signage system

RECOMMENDATION: Government give priority attention to the collaborative development of a comprehensive, multi-modal transportation system that facilitates efficient and confident travel to, from and around NL; not just tourism but all industries are dependent upon such a system, and in the absence of one, economic growth and diversification opportunities for our province will be impeded.

RECOMMENDATION: Government provide and enforce the efficient and effective legislation required to successfully address this issue; the legislation must be supported by the necessary financial and human resources required for enforcement.

Through the partnership of the NL Tourism Board, industry and government are working together in a new and more cooperative and cohesive manner that has provided direct opportunities for greater industry input leading to milestone achievements realized. It is essential to continue building upon this partnership to ensure that industry participation continues to grow and industry can become even more involved in future directives to overcome barriers along the path to our collective industry goals as identified in Uncommon Potential: A Vision for Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism (Vision 2020). Key issues among those barriers are:

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Submitted by: Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism Board

New Chair appointed to the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Board

September marks the start of a new season for the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Board and the beginning of a new phase of leadership with the start

Submitted by: Andrew HiscockTourism Development OfficerLegendary Coasts of Eastern Newfoundland

Working Towards the End of Another Busy Year

The busy season is coming to a close and the tourism operators of Eastern Newfoundland have entered the shoulder season, working hard at extending their seasons well past the summer! It has been an extremely busy year for Legendary Coasts of Eastern Newfoundland, and we are happy to share the latest developments.

On September 9th, the Président du Conseil Territorial of St. Pierre et Miquelon, Stéphane Artano, made a very exciting announcement in the Town of Fortune that will affect the tourism industry of St.

Pierre et Miquelon, the Burin Peninsula, and the province. He announced that in 2017, they will launch two new passenger and vehicle ferries, one operating between St. Pierre and Fortune, and the second operating between Miquelon and Fortune. This will be a significant opportunity for the businesses in both countries, as this will encourage an increase in tourism. This announcement represents a massive investment in tourism, and demonstrates how reliant the French islands are on the Newfoundland and Labrador tourism industry. We anticipate many future partnerships as St. Pierre et Miquelon and Newfoundland and Labrador continue to work together.

The Destination Development Plan process is well underway in Eastern. Two projects have begun under the recommendations of the plan, with many more to come. The first is a more integrated approach to partnerships of operations with geological assets. The second is a more collective effort by artisans and artists to seize opportunities within the tourism industry. The process

is new and exciting, and opportunities are already presenting themselves. We anticipate many successes through this process.

This summer was another record breaker for travel trade and travel media familiarization tours. We eclipsed last year’s numbers, with the final coup-de-grace being a pre-tour for delegates to the GoMedia Canada Marketplace Conference in Penticton, British Columbia. Journalists from across Canada visited the Roots, Rants, and Roars festival, experienced the rural Avalon, and explored St. John’s. The fam tour program would not be possible without the close partnerships between the Provincial Government and the five provincial DMOs, as well as the hundreds of businesses and non-profits that participate. We thank all for another successful year!

As the weather cools down, we recognize this time of year as a time to review the past success, account for the obstacles, and regroup with our partners to strategize and collaborate for increased success in 2016 and beyond!

of a new Chair, Darlene Thomas of Seaside Suites, Seaside Souvenirs, Seaside Deli & Dairy Bar, and the Bonne Bay Inn in Woody Point, NL.

Announced recently by the Minster of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, The Honourable Darin King, Darlene has been appointed for a two year term responsible for the next phase of Vision 2020 implementation.

On September 30th, Darlene led her first meeting of the NL Tourism Board. Darlene is the third industry operator to take the helm as Chair of the NL Tourism Board since it was formed in 2009. Darlene follows Barry Rogers, owner and operator of Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours in Twillingate and St. John’s, who served from 2013 to May 2015 and Stan Cook Jr., owner and operator of Stan Cook Sea Kayaking in Cape Broyle, who served from 2009 to 2013.

Darlene is the first Chair from the west coast of the province, and she will bring her own unique leadership style to

the Chair’s seat. Her experience on various boards and committees throughout the province, including Chair of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador and industry representative on the Management Committee of the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership, has empowered her with a breadth of knowledge that will serve the Tourism Board heading into the next phase of Vision implementation.

As Chair, Darlene will be busy. After releasing the second Vision Milestone Evaluation, the Tourism Board has set its sights on refreshing the Vision strategy to ensure it reflects today’s operating environment, and has also begun tackling ongoing sustainability with the intention of ensuring the tourism industry is positioned to grow well into the future.

All partners of the NL Tourism Board warmly welcome Darlene as she becomes part of a new chapter in achieving our collective Vision.

Darlene’s full biography can be found on www.uncommonpotential.com.

Tourism Partners

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Everyone ‘Gather’ aroundNobody knew what to expect, yet

expectations were still high. Adventure Central Newfoundland’s Matt Molloy and Caroline Swan brought three travel writers to this year’s Gathering festival in Burlington. There was New York-based Blaze Nowara of The Matador Network, Toronto-based food blogger Annie Chu of Chu on This, and local writer Wendy Rose of The Newfoundland Herald.

Adventure Central Newfoundland has sent travel writers to The Gathering before, but this was the first time for Molloy and Swan, as well as the three journalists.

They arrived to the aptly named, Tent City, on Thursday evening, August 27. They parked their vehicles and chatted with a number of friendly locals before a young man by the name Mackinnon arrived on

Tourism Partnershis quad to bring their camping equipment straight to their site.

Their site was more like paradise. There are two levels of Tent City — the upper level and lower level — and the group was on the lower level. Their tents faced the ocean, with the beautiful little town of Burlington acting as their backdrop.

While Swan volunteered to setup the tents, Molloy brought the writers to a local swimming hole, where they immediately sparked up a conversation with a couple of fathers waiting for their kids that were already jumping off rocks into the warm water below. From there, they went to a jiggs dinner and an evening of stand-up comedy before returning to Tent City for the night.

The next two days consisted of hiking, eating food prepared by the top chefs in Newfoundland and Labrador, listening to some of the top provincial musicians and socializing, which turned out to be the real highlight.

When attending an event called, The Gathering, one would expect some sort of gathering to happen. Well, that happened in spades. From meeting people in Tent City, to talking with festival goers at the Gathering Grounds, to chatting with chefs during the various planned events, this

festival is all about coming together to celebrate what this province, and rural Newfoundland, has to offer.

It’s hard to find cell service and Internet access, but that’s one of the perks of The Gathering. Instead of browsing Facebook for hours, one can meet people the old fashioned way — by walking up to someone, extending a warm handshake and introducing yourself.

Where else can you mingle with provincial celebrities like Shaun Majumder, Mark Critch, Sherman Downey, Alan Doyle and Matt Wright? Where else can you walk up to a chef like Murray McDonald (Fogo Island Inn), Shaun Hussey (Chinched Bistro), Stephen Vardy (The Adelaide Oyster House) and Adam Blanchard (Five Brothers Artisan Cheese)?

Everybody is encouraged to mingle and to have a good time, and you never know who can show up at any given moment. Maybe you’ll find Critch enjoying a lunch by a brook, or maybe Majumder shows up at Tent City driving his side-by-side, or Downey is sitting in the grass at a nearby vendor strumming his guitar.

It truly is an event like no other, and it definitely lives up to its name — and the hype. You might arrive by yourself, but you’ll never be alone. Like Chu said in Tent City, “You can’t gather by yourself.”

Submitted by:Mark LamswoodExecutive DirectorGo Western Newfoundland

Plan Your Attack, Attack Your Plan!The provincial-scale Destination

Development Planning process has been ongoing since 2013. As the third region to complete the process, the Western region is well positioned to begin implementation of the report. As can be seen in the Western region report, implementation of many of the Findings and Recommendations will require a significant effort and investment. Prioritizing the Findings and Recommendations is critical as the financial and human resource capacity does not exist to take on everything at once. As such, it is important to identify a

process by which priorities can be set and collective efforts can be made.

To assist with the prioritization process, an implementation team comprised of partners from Go Western Newfoundland, Hospitality NL, the Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, have developed a customized tourism-centric implementation approach based on existing Opportunity Management (OM) processes. The approach has been used in the Eastern region and Labrador as the first two regions to have completed Destination Development reports and a similar process will be used in Western.

The OM process will assist all partners in the industry in prioritizing where efforts should be focused towards the achievement of the recommendations and enable linkages to be made to other

regions that have already gone through the process. A series of OM sub-regional sessions will be held throughout the Western region to review and provide input on the Destination Development Findings and Recommendations. Western region tourism stakeholders will be strongly encouraged to participate as the results of these sub-regional sessions will be combined to determine one set of Destination Development priorities for the region as a whole. It is anticipated that Western OM sessions will take place during the week of November 16-20th. Further information on the sessions will be circulated as dates, times and locations are finalized.

Should you have any questions about the Western Destination Development Plan, please contact, Mark Lamswood, Executive Director, Go Western NL, at 709-639-9624 or mark@gowesternnewfoundland.com.

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 FinlayKathie Hicks

Darlene Thomas Colleen Kennedy

Wayne Hallett Scott Hillyer Peter Antle

ChairVice-Chair Secretary/TreasurerDirectorDirectorDirectorDirectorBed & 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

Carol-Ann Gilliard Chief Executive OfficerJuanita Ford Manager, Workforce and

Industry DevelopmentLeslie Rossiter Manager, Policy and

CommunicationsCraig Foley Manager, Membership/

Networking and TechnologyKaren So Accountant

Tania Heath Project CoordinatorSusie Greene Membership CoordinatorMelissa Ennis Social Media Communications

CoordinatorLynn Taylor NL Tourism Board Manager

TourismTechnology.com 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.

In addition to a series of workshops, webinars and tutorials, TourismTechnology.com offers mentoring sessions that provide one-on-one customized guidance to operators so that they may evolve and adapt their strategies and tactics to provide the best possible online presence to reach and respond to consumers.

BasicBasic mentoring can be classified as beginner support or a telephone call. Many operators contact TourismTechnology.com to ask questions regarding basic needs, such as: • Setting up an email• Finding a website developer• Setting up a domain and hosting a website• Starting with Facebook/social media • Purchasing a computer or smart phone

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

Get one-on-one guidance with TourismTechnology.com

www.BIGERICS.com

Intermediate Intermediate mentoring is available for an operator that has most of their online elements in place, but may need a better understanding of how to use them effectively in their day-to-day business. Topics at this level include:• Evaluating a website and upgrading/

updating properly• Search engine marketing best practices• Effective communication and engagement

on social media• E-commerce options for business/website• Email marketing lists and campaigns

Advanced Advanced mentoring is targeted towards operators and businesses that have most online elements in place, are somewhat adept at using them but would like to learn more advanced ways to use them effectively, use them cohesively in an integrated marketing strategy or adopt new trends and technologies in their business and marketing plans. This may include:• Integrating reservation systems or online

Point of Sale options into business processes

• Using multiple social media channels in a marketing plan

• Integrating new and advanced technologies into a website

• Creating segmented CRM databases for online, mobile and email marketing

To learn more about TourismTechnology.com, or to discuss a technology issue, please contact Hospitality NL’s Manager of Membership/Networking & Technology, Craig Foley.

Recognizing individuals and organizations that rank among the most innovative and passionate in the tourism industry, the Tourism Excellence Awards will be presented as part of Hospitality NL’s 2016 Conference and Trade Show

St. John’s – March 1-3, 2016

If you are interested in serving on the Tourism Excellence Awards selection committee, please contact awards@hnl.ca.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2016 TOURISM EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Cultural Tourism Award

sponsored by Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism and Hospitality NL

Tourism Innovator of the Year

Tourism Business of the Year

Other awards presented during Hospitality NL’s Conference and Trade Show include:

The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, January 15, 2016. For more information, please visit www.hnl.ca/conference/awards or contact the Tourism Excellence Awards coordinator, Melissa Ennis.

Accommodator of the Year

Doug Wheeler Award

presented by Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism

Sustainable Tourism Award

sponsored by Parks Canada

and Hospitality NL

Corporate Partner of the Year