Four Canadian Tourism Leaders to Enter Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada will welcome four distinguished tourism industry leaders as the latest inductees to the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Ottawa on Wednesday, November 23, 2011.

The 2011 Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame honorees are:

  • Alain April, General Manager of Hotel Georgesville and Château Bonne Entente and Quebec tourism industry leader
  • Steve Gupta, President and CEO, Easton’s Group of Hotels
  • Rod Harris, Adjunct Professor at Royal Roads School of Tourism and Hospitality Management and former President and CEO of Tourism British Columbia
  • Bob Wright, President and CEO of Oak Bay Marine Group

“We are proud to welcome these tourism industry veterans to the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame,” said TIAC President and CEO David Goldstein. “They are insightful and dedicated professionals whose energy and acumen have helped to create enormous success in Canada’s travel and tourism industry. Their contributions have helped to shape our sector as a vibrant contributor to our economy, and welcoming destination for visitors from around the world.”

About the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame

Created in 2006 by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame publicly recognizes those individuals that have made tourism an important part of their life’s work and whose actions have had a positive impact on the industry they serve.

Canada 's tourism success rests on the efforts of the hundreds of thousands of people whose vision, creativity, hard work and welcoming attitude bring visitors from around the globe to Canada and keep them coming back for more.

Each and every person in Canada’s tourism sector, whether on the front line or behind the scenes, makes an important contribution; but some contribute in a truly exceptional manner. Our industry's most valuable assets are the people who have been driven to create some of the best tourism products, services and experiences in the world. They are an example and an inspiration to their peers, and role models for young people entering the industry.

Five individuals are inducted in the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame each year as part of the festivities surrounding National Tourism Awareness Week.

About the Hall of Fame Statuettes

These hand made awards were designed and created by Robert Webster at Maple Leaf Studio in Ottawa using natural stone from different parts of Canada to mirror the diversity and represent the strength and leadership of the people who are receiving them. Each Inuksuk is hand carved using Canadian soapstone from Quebec. The Inuksuk represent leadership and motivation and just like the inductees, each one is unique. The TIAC crest and the names of the inductees are engraved on a hand cut piece of Dolomite marble from central Ontario. These two pieces of Canadian stone are mounted on a slab of granite which not only represents the Great Canadian Shield but also the strength of the people on which the Tourism Association is built on.