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Destination BC Directions: June 30, 2022
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Trail riders in a field of wildflowers at Montana Hill Guest Ranch in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast (Destination BC/Andrew Strain).
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A main forum discussion topic was about the evolution of CDMOs from Destination Marketing Organizations to Destination Management Organizations.
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Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Tourism Region Community Forum
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The Vancouver, Coast & Mountains (VCM) team hosted its annual Community Forum earlier this month. This was the first in-person Community Forum since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 50 people participated in the two-day event which included presentations on VCM’s Strategic Business Plan, the Invest in Iconics strategy and travel performance shifts. Discover more VCM updates by visiting their website!
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Drive Better Leads to Your Website
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Destination BC works with tourism businesses across the province to help drive more leads to their websites. By placing tags on your website, view-through visits from Destination BC’s marketing efforts - which can total 90% of visits and subsequent conversions - can be measured. Capturing this data can inform better decision-making and help you understand what content and channels are most effective in converting leads into sales. Best of all, participation is fast and easy!
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Join the 'Tagging Program' (Destination Vancouver/Hubert Kang).
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Gurus TV Australia Arrives in BC!
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Earlier in June, Destination BC and Destination Canada welcomed Gurus TV from Australia for their film trip to BC, Alberta and the Yukon! Producer, Trevor Cochrane, and his crew's itinerary included visiting North Vancouver, Whistler and Echo Valley Ranch & Spa, followed by a trip to the Alberta Rockies and Whitehorse. The show will be aired on Channel 9, 9HD, 9LIFE and 9NOW, and all stories will be available individually on the gurusexplore.tv website and as episodes via their YouTube Channel.
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Emergency Preparedness for BC's Tourism Industry
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Emergencies can happen at any time, and seasonal transitions can put as at even greater risk of major weather events such as flooding and wildfires. With weather warming and a high season of travel underway, now is a timely opportunity to review emergency preparedness resources. Destination BC has a page dedicated to these resources, including preparedness guides, key agencies, and newly updated messaging & action guidance with shareable responsible travel graphics.
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Visit our social channels on Twitter and LinkedIn over the next few weeks for more resources and tips on emergency preparedness.
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Join us in congratulating Michael!
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Michael J. Ballingall Honoured with Far West Ski Association's Bill Mackey Award!
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On behalf of our entire team, we would like to extend a big congratulations to Michael J. Ballingall, Senior Vice President, Big White Ski Resort, on being the latest recipient of the Far West Ski Association’s Bill Mackey Award for Outstanding Ski Industry Employee. This is an incredible accomplishment as the Bill Mackey Award is given for outstanding service to the skiing public by a ski industry or ski area employee. Big White Ski Resort and Aspen Snowmass are the only two resorts in North America to have received this award three times.
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57,544 air bookings to BC during week of June 6
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Destination BC’s latest Research Roundup shows a +46% increase from this same period in 2021.
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This report summarizes the various research findings from Destination BC, suppliers, other tourism agencies and associations.
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This report is released every month to track BC residents' tourism opinions and intentions, and watch how results trend over time.
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80% of BC Residents comfortable visiting an indoor tourist attraction, a historic study high
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Destination BC’s latest Resident Perception report shows that 80% of BC residents are comfortable visiting an indoor tourist attraction, a historic high and up +5 points from the previous wave.
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Horgan won re-election in 2020 in the largest electoral victory for an NDP premier, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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John Horgan to Step Down as BC Premier
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Nearly five years after forming government in BC, John Horgan announced this week that he plans to step down as premier. Horgan will remain on until a new leader is chosen. He has asked the NDP executive to start the process of a leadership race for the fall. The new premier will serve until the next provincial election, currently scheduled for the fall of 2024.
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BC’s Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy
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Preparing for climate change strengthens our ability to respond to extreme events like wildfires, flooding and heatwaves, as well as more gradual changes like water shortages and sea level rise. BC’s Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy helps to protect ecosystems, lower long-term costs and keep people and communities safe. Together, we’re working to ensure our communities, economy and infrastructure are ready for climate change while safeguarding the ecosystems that support us all.
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Actions prioritized for the strategy are supported by more than $500 million in investments.
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Museum leadership will undertake a broad public engagement to determine next steps.
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Province Stops Royal BC Museum Plan, Public Consultation to Follow
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The Province is halting plans announced last month to rebuild the Royal British Columbia Museum. The museum will now lead a public engagement initiative to consider all options for the future. Public engagement will seek input on what British Columbians want to see in a modernized museum experience. It will also address structural and safety issues identified with the current buildings. The structure, timeline and scope of the engagement process will be determined by the museum board with a goal to connect with the broadest possible range of British Columbians, including First Nations, business groups, members of the public and other stakeholders.
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New Funding Helps Prepare for Lytton Rebuild
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The Province is committing $21 million to help re-establish essential infrastructure and services, and sustain ongoing municipal and community-led recovery efforts in Lytton, BC. The new funding builds on past investments to support Lytton after a devastating wildfire destroyed most of the town during summer 2021. The village site is expected to be ready for the next phases of rebuilding, such as planning and permitting, in the fall.
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The new funding will support priorities identified in Lytton's recovery plan.
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Maps of the six Okanagan sub-GIs are available online.
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New Okanagan Valley Wine-Producing Regions Recognized
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British Columbians will soon see more local regions highlighted on wine labels with six new areas in the Okanagan Valley being recognized for their grape growing and wine making. The six locations are being recognized as new sub-geographical indications (sub-GI) to help consumers identify BC wines’ origins. The six are: East Kelowna Slopes; Lake Country; South Kelowna Slopes; Summerland Bench; Summerland Lakefront; and Summerland Valleys. Defining geographic zones on wine labels connects consumers with the unique geographic area where the grapes are grown and the wine is made, while increasing exposure to the region for both wine and tourism businesses.
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BC Parks Day-Use Pass Program Continues in Three Popular Parks
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The free BC Parks day-use pass program will continue in three popular provincial parks this summer to maintain a balance between growing numbers of visitors and conserving the natural environment. As of June 17, 2022, people accessing Golden Ears Park, Joffre Lakes Park and three trailheads at Garibaldi Park during peak hours will need to obtain a free day-use pass. The passes are available online and can be reserved at 7 am, two days prior to the planned visit here.
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During the next 3 years, BC Parks is investing to expand opportunities for outdoor recreation by adding new campsites & trails & upgrading facilities.
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Learn more by reading PreparedBC’s Heat Preparedness Guide.
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Provincial Government Launches Preparedness Plan for Heat Events, Heat Alert
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The Province is launching the BC Heat Alert and Response System (BC HARS) to help ensure residents, First Nations communities and local governments have the tools they need to stay safe during heat events. Under BC HARS, the Province is prepared to issue a Broadcast Intrusive alert for extreme heat emergencies. The Province is also bringing in additional measures to bolster B.C.’s ambulance system to better respond to a significant increase in 911 calls during a heat emergency.
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Province Provides Funding to Reduce Community Wildfire Risks, Enhance Forest Health
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To reduce wildfires in higher-risk communities, the BC government is providing $25 million in new funding to the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC). This investment will support community projects that reduce wildfire risk and enhance wildlife habitat, greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, forest recreation and ecological resiliency. Applications for this funding opened on June 20, 2022.
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This funding will help enable the BC Wildfire Service to focus on all four pillars of wildfire management.
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The revised regulations take effect on September 8, 2022 and will ensure Canadians' interests are protected when they travel by air.
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New Refund Requirements for Future Flight Cancellations Outside of an Air Carrier’s Control
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The Canadian Transportation Agency has finalized amendments to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations. These new regulations require that refunds be provided for cancelled flights or lengthy delays in all types of situations outside an air carrier’s control and regardless of the type of ticket that was purchased. The changes will apply to future flights that are cancelled for uncontrollable reasons including major weather events, a pandemic, as well as situations where it is not possible for the air carrier to complete the passenger’s itinerary within a reasonable timeframe. These new requirements provide clarity around timing, cost coverage, method of payment, and deadlines to refund travellers in such situations.
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New Federal Tourism Growth Strategy
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The Government of Canada announced the launch of public consultations for the post-pandemic Federal Tourism Growth Strategy. Canadian tourism stakeholders from coast to coast to coast are invited to share feedback as the federal government works towards charting a path forward for the tourism sector. The strategy will build on the work already done since the launch of the original strategy in 2019, with a particular focus on:
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Labour gaps and instability
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Investment attraction and destination development
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Long-term economic growth across the country
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The consultation period will run for 64 days, from May 18, 2022 to July 20, 2022. Share feedback before the deadline (Tourism Vancouver Island/The Great Trail).
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At about 300,000 square feet, the new building will be the largest Passive House art gallery in the world (Destination BC/Tanya Goehring).
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Federal Government Announces Funding for New Vancouver Art Gallery
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The Vancouver Art Gallery will receive more than $29 million in federal funding, bringing it closer to a new downtown location that’s set to open its doors in 2027. The money will go toward building a new gallery — the first one built to Passive House standards in North America — at a city-owned property between Cambie and Beatty streets, near the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Passive House is an internationally recognized, high-performance building standard. The new building will have a multi-purpose Indigenous Community House, a theatre, public art spaces, and programming for marginalized and underserved groups.
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Our Learning Centre provides access to resources and tools, best practices, workshops, and training programs for BC’s tourism industry.
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What Makes a Website Effective
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The #1 most important digital asset your organization needs in today’s world is a website. We’ve put together some key items to focus on to help you make sure your website stands out.
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In the digital world, creating a strong and effective online presence is imperative. Learn more!
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Vancouver was also recently named a FIFA World Cup 2026 Host City and host of the 2025 Invictus Games.
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Vancouver Named Host City for 2023 Laver Cup!
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The City of Vancouver has been named the host city for the 2023 Laver Cup! Vancouver will host the dynamic tennis tournament at Rogers Arena from September 22-24, 2022. This will be the first time the World team, which includes Canada, will host the Laver Cup outside the United States. The tournament is an exciting opportunity for BC's tourism sector and economy. Vancouver is an international gateway to BC, rich in culture, natural beauty and remarkable experiences for every traveller.
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Connecting People and Place: The Naming and Development of Mxiɬp (Cedar) Trail
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Tourism Rossland has announced the Mxiɬp Trail development, opening later this summer and expanding the 200-kilometre singletrack trail network. Named in consultation with representatives of the Sinixt people, the Mxiɬp Trail means Cedar in their traditional language and speaks to the towering cedars that mark the beginning of the trail. In this video, the builders describe how they integrated scientific knowledge about cedar trees to inform the route and trail construction technique of building up as opposed to digging down and risking damage to the root systems.
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The old growth cedar canopy of the trail offers a lush backdrop for a mountain bike ride or calming walk through the forest (Tourism Rossland).
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This award-winning program offers participating classes a four-part interactive module to learn about and experience the ocean first-hand (Eagle Wing Tours/Valerie Shore).
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Eagle Wing Tours Wins Partnership Award
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Congratulations to Victoria based Eagle Wing Tours for their recognition by the BC Principals’ and Vice-Principals’ Association with a Partnership Award for making a substantial difference in the lives of students in BC public schools. Eagle Wing Tours has an innovative school program targeting the next generation of ocean stewards called “Exploring the Salish Sea.” It focuses on supporting students to make an emotional connection through their learning on the water. This year, more than 2,500 students from 60 classes across 25 schools were part of the program.
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Harbour Air Resumes Flights Between Kelowna and Vancouver
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This summer, Harbour Air Seaplanes is resuming direct flights between downtown Vancouver and Kelowna! This seasonal service will feature one round-trip flight twice a week (Saturday & Tuesday) between July 9 and September 6. Flights from Harbour Air’s flagship terminal in Coal Harbour will land at Eldorado Resort’s marina, in front of the Mateo Hotel, centrally located just 5 km south of Kelowna’s City Centre.
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To celebrate their return to the Okanagan, Harbour Air is offering savings (while quantities last) with one-way fares starting at $299 for travel all summer (Destination Vancouver/Harbour Air).
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Upcoming Webinars from Small Business BC
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Small Business BC provides practical business webinars and online education to develop business skills and strategy.
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Destination BC has partnered with Small Business BC to offer free access for tourism business stakeholders across the province to online education supporting COVID-19 recovery. Upcoming webinars include 'Social Media for Small Business' (July 27) and 'Going Digital Series: Payment Solutions for Your Business' (June 30, July 28, Aug 25). To access the webinars free of charge, register online using coupon code DBC3034.
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Register before July 8! (Destination BC/Andrew Strain)
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TOTA Indigenous Cultural Tourism Strategy Webinar
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The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) is hosting a 'Preparing an Indigenous Cultural Tourism Strategy' virtual workshop to share information about Indigenous Cultural Tourism experiences and how any tourism business can incorporate Indigenous tourism into their offerings. The workshop is on July 11, 2022 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm (PST) and tickets are $30. The workshop is being offered through the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Resiliency Program, hosted by Jamie Bourne, Indigenous Tourism Specialist.
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BC 2030 Olympic & Paralympic Games Bid - Engagement Survey!
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The BC 2030 Feasibility Team have announced exciting new details for the BC 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid. The Lil̓’wat7úl (Lil’wat), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations have invited the City of Vancouver, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee to officially collaborate on exploring the feasibility of hosting an Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (the Games) in BC. The group has entered its engagement phase of the project by issuing a public survey to learn how the games can be delivered to the benefit of British Columbians. Take the survey!
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Take the survey to provide your insights & ideas on the vision for the Games (Destination Vancouver/Claire Baxter).
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Download the app! (Destination BC/Brandon Hartwig)
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Indigenous BC Trip Planner App
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The Indigenous BC Trip Planner app is a trip planning and educational tool that guides visitors through the Indigenous territories of BC and their unique, immersive experiences. Use the app to discover places to go, places to stay, and things to do in BC. Users who are already in BC can find nearby Indigenous activities, events, and accommodations on the interactive map. You can save favourites in a list, then use it to create a personalized trip itinerary. Find authentic Indigenous experiences and businesses, learn common Indigenous words and phrases, and hear traditional songs, stories, and legends.
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go2HR Summer Heat Tips for Employers
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With higher temperatures starting to settle in for summer, it's important to be aware of the effects heat can have on employees and actions that can be taken to prevent heat stress. go2HR has put together a TLC Heat Kit item list to help employers assemble the hot weather essentials for their staff!
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If you have any questions regarding workplace health and safety, contact go2HR via email: [email protected] (Rocky Mountaineer/Noel Hendrickson).
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Read the new strategy! (Destination Canada)
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Canada’s Tourism Renaissance: Our Strategy for Recovery
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Destination Canada has published their corporate strategy entitled 'Canada’s Tourism Renaissance.' The document highlights Destination Canada’s work to support the 225,000 small and medium-sized tourism businesses across Canada and their communities. It lays out a 3-year plan for recovery from 2022-2025. Later this year, Destination Canada will share their long-term strategy for driving future sector growth & resilience over the next decade in support of the new Federal Tourism Growth Strategy.
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Canadian Tourism Awards Presented by TIAC
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The Canadian Tourism Awards are presented annually by the 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 offer travellers superior tourism experiences in Canada. TIAC’s 2022 Canadian Tourism Awards will take place on November 23 at the Westin Ottawa and will be presented in 9 categories. The nomination deadline is July 31, 2022.
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Any Canadian tourism-related product, business, association, initiative, or service that occurred from July 31, 2021 to July 31, 2022 is eligible.
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