Media Release
Local Champions Honoured at Winnipeg Tourism Awards of Distinction
May 30, 2018
WINNIPEG, MB – Nearly 250 people from across the tourism and hospitality industry gathered at the Victoria Inn Hotel & Convention Centre on Tuesday for the seventh annual Winnipeg Tourism Awards of Distinction.
Tourism Winnipeg, alongside Mayor Brian Bowman and emcee Ace Burpee, recognized some of the people, places, organizations and events that have gone above and beyond to offer a superior tourism experience to visitors in Winnipeg throughout the past year.
“The Winnipeg Tourism Awards are a chance to recognize and thank our local industry champions for collectively raising the bar, and to encourage them to keep the momentum going as we work together to grow our tourism economy,” said Dayna Spiring, President and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg, Inc.
Winners were named from a long list of nominees across twelve categories, including a lifetime recognition award for Don Finkbeiner. Don has been active in Winnipeg’s travel and tourism industry since 1974, and still runs a tour company today. He has an institutional knowledge of the city’s attractions and amenities.
“This year’s award winners, and every single nominee, should be incredibly proud of their accomplishment,” added Mayor Brian Bowman. “Our tourism industry is often the primary interaction visitors will have with our city. All of these nominees are helping to elevate that visitor experience, and raise our city’s reputation on an international scale.”
The full list of 2018 Tourism Awards of Distinction winners are:
- Volunteer of the Year: Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner, West End BIZ
- Employee of the Year: Kit Ho, Inn at the Forks
- Leader of the Year: Jordon Lanthier, MLS Management
- Small Business of the Year: Chocolatier Constance Popp
- Large Business of the Year: The Forks North Portage Partnership
- Bring It Home Award (Meetings & Conventions): Stefano Grande, International Downtown Association Conference
- Bring It Home Award (Sports & Special Events): Canada Summer Games Host Committee
- Marketing Campaign (Under $2,500): Nuit Blanche Winnipeg
- Marketing Campaign (Over $2,500): Winnipeg Folk Festival
- Innovation of the Year: INSURGENCE/RESURGENCE, Winnipeg Art Gallery
- Partner of the Year: Sport Manitoba
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Don Finkbeiner
About Tourism Winnipeg
Tourism Winnipeg is the city’s official destination marketing organization. A division of Economic Development Winnipeg Inc., Tourism Winnipeg’s mission is to facilitate a healthy, prosperous, responsible and fully-integrated tourism industry that enhances the city of Winnipeg’s economic growth through the acquisition of meetings, conventions, events, group travel and leisure tourism, while increasing visitation and delivering the best possible visitor experience.
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For further information about each award winner, as well as nominees in each category for the 2018 Winnipeg Tourism Awards of Distinction, please contact:
Matt Schaubroeck
Manager, Corporate Communications
Economic Development Winnipeg Inc.
Phone: 204.954.1961 Cell: 204.791.3323
Email: matt@edwinnipeg.com
