Tourism Industry Association of Canada

Tourism Industry Meetings

TIAC Board Meeting

Chair’s Opening Reception

TIAC’s Chair and the members of the Board of Directors invite delegates to meet, connect and network as they arrive in Ottawa for the Congress.

Opening Ceremony

• O Canada, performed by Constable Lyndon Slewidge, Official national anthem singer for the Ottawa Senators
• Official Greeting from Jim Watson, Mayor of the City of Ottawa

Opening Remarks from the Tourism Congress Co-Chairs

• Lucie Charland, Executive director, Association québécoise de l'industrie touristique
• Andrew Lind, Vice-President & General Manager, Jonview Canada

Introductory Presentation: Navigate

• Ryan Brain, Partner & Leader of Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure Practice, Deloitte

0930-1115

Presented by:

Gateway to Growth – The CEO Panel

A distinguished panel of travel and tourism CEOs will discuss what opportunity and/or adversity lies ahead for the sector, and how we grow the visitor economy in Canada.

Moderator:

• Marty Cej, Anchor, Business News Network

Panellists:

• Jim Allhusen, President and Country Manager at Visa Canada
• Chris Cahill, COO, Fairmont Raffles Resorts International
• Jean-Marc Eustache, President and CEO, Transat AT
• Marc Laliberté, President and CEO of VIA Rail Canada

1115-1145

Networking Break and Congress Marketplace

Hosted by:

1145-1330

Presented by:

Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame Luncheon

An opportunity to celebrate distinguished tourism leaders whose careers exemplify success and commitment to excellence for Canada’s travel sector.

Featuring:

• Maxime Bernier, Minister of State, Small Business and Tourism

Beyond the Lost Decade

In the decade since 9 /11 we have seen a sharp decrease in travel back and forth across the Canada / US border due to measures that have thickened our border.  In many circles, this is being referred to as "the lost decade" and created calls for a perimeter security approach that could ease both border issues between our two countries, and create ease of travel from other parts of the world.   While efforts has been made to normalize the trade of goods over the Canada / US border, little has been done on the issue of moving people, until the Obama / Harper announcement of the "Beyond the Border" initiative.

Moderator:

• Hon. Gar Knutson, P.C., Ottawa Regional Manager of the Government Relations Group, Borden Ladner Gervais, and former Liberal MP and Minister of State for International Trade for New and Emerging Markets

Panellists:

• Lisa Simon, President, National Tour Association (U.S.)
• Maryscot (Scotty) Greenwood, Senior Managing Director, McKenna Long &
  Aldridge LLP (Washington, D.C.)
• Simon Kennedy, Senior Associate Deputy Minister, Industry Canada and Chair, Beyond the Border Working Group
• Nik Nanos, President, Nanos Research Corporation and official pollster for The Globe & Mail and CTV News

1500-1530

Networking Break and Congress Marketplace

Hosted by:

Free Evening

Delegates are free to explore Ottawa’s vibrant restaurant and bar scene in the ByWard Market and beyond with new colleagues and old friends.

Thursday, November 24

Breakfast Keynote: Canada's National Park System and the Visitor Economy

• Hon. Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment; Minister responsible for Parks Canada / Minister of the Environment; Minister responsible for Parks Canada

As Parks Canada's 100th anniversary celebrations come to a close, the Hon. Peter Kent discusses the role our national park system plays in growing Canada's visitor economy.

Political Panel - How the Wheels Turn In Ottawa

A majority government is in place for the first time in nearly eight years, but does this mean “business as usual” in the nation’s capital? A panel of those in the know will provide context on how Ottawa has changed over the past eight years, and what to expect over the next four.

Moderator:

• Graham Richardson, Anchor, CTV Ottawa

Featuring:

• Lisa Samson, Conservative Strategist and Principal, StrategyCorp Ottawa
• Robin Sears, NDP Strategist and Principal, Ensight Canada
• Steve MacKinnon, Liberal Strategist and Senior Vice-President of Hill & Knowlton Canada

1100-1200

Presented by:

The Canada-e-Connect Session – The Other Side of Connectivity

Increasingly, international travelers are not only making their travel choices online, but are completing their transactions there as well. While Canada’s brand is strong, and our destinations’ online promotional savvy is amongst the best in the world, there often remains a gap in the path to purchase that either puts us at the mercy of online travel agents (OTAs), or puts us behind our chief competitors. To compete, destinations need to create an online strategy that extends beyond promotion, and that helps close the sale. This means creating greater connectivity between DMOs, PMOs, NTOs and their partners such as hotels and attractions. Find out how can this be done, and what benefits all parties derive from this enhanced alignment.

Moderator:

• Karen Squires, Executive Director of Marketing for Ottawa Tourism

Panellists:

• Julia Holliday, Director, Digital Marketing at Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation
• Philippe Kopcsan, General Manager, Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa
• Ann Meelker, Director of Sales & Marketing, Lord Elgin Hotel
• John Pinter, President, Meridian Reservation Systems

The Accidental Tourism Conference Keynote:

• Andy Nulman, President, Festivals and Television, Just for Laughs/Juste Pour Rire

Two big wins. From nothing. And now he’s back for a third. Andy Nulman helped build Just for Laughs from the ground up to become the most prestigious comedy festival on earth, rising to the helm of CEO. After 15 years, he left to start up the mobile media firm Airborne Mobile, then sold it for over $100 million. Three years later, he and his partner bought it back. Now he’s back at Just for Laughs as President of Festivals and Television and ready to shake things up again! Andy will provide a unique and humourous perspective on Canada's tourism industry and the role of major festivals and events within it... Though he may be the last to know.

1330-1500

Presented by:

Canada 2020 and beyond: Competing for more than our fair share of travellers

• Greg Klassen, Senior Vice-President, Marketing Strategy and Communications

The UNWTO is predicting 1.8 billion tourist arrivals by 2030, almost doubling the number of travellers today.  Most of these travellers will seek interesting, exotic and off the beaten track destinations in emerging markets with only modest growth predicted for our Hemisphere.  Canada can best compete for this windfall of global travellers only if we innovate and adapt our products, experiences and marketing to meet the needs of customers of the future.  Join Greg Klassen for an exploration of how the CTC will help Canada compete for more than our fair share of travellers.

Closing Keynote:

• Douglas Stephens, Consumer Trends Futurist

The founder of Retail Prophet, Doug Stephens is one of the world's only retail industry futurists. His research and insights have helped major organizations - such as Air Miles, Home Depot, and Disney - understand exactly how mega-trends in demographics, economics, technology and media are forever altering consumer / brand relationships and what they need to do to adapt and evolve. Too often, companies make the mistake of reacting purely to what's going on right now, instead of understanding what's going to happen. Drawing on his 20 years of experience, Stephens gives his audiences a clear view of what's on the horizon. He analyzes media trends, financial climates, demographic shifts, emerging technologies and everything in between to provide an unrivaled insight into consumer trends.

1800-2200

Presented by:

Canadian Tourism Awards Gala:

The Canadian Tourism Awards (presented by The Toronto Star) are the standard of excellence for businesses and organizations in the travel industry, showcasing the nation’s best tourism products, services and experiences. The annual Awards Gala is the highlight of the Tourism Congress, and an opportunity to celebrate the best of Canadian tourism.