September 16, 2005
FREDERICTON, New Brunswick
The Innovation and Leadership Series 2005-2006 will again
offer tourism operators from across New Brunswick access to
a high-calibre professional development program aimed at
improving the profitability of their operations. Starting this October, year two of the Innovation and
Leadership Series will offer nine customized, full-day
seminars that bring tourism experts from across North
America to New Brunswick with a view to creating a stronger
competitive advantage for the province's tourism industry.The announcement of the 2005-2006 series was made today by
the Honourable Andy Scott, Minister of Indian Affairs and
Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and
Non-Status Indians, on behalf of the Honourable Joseph
McGuire, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities
Agency (ACOA), the Honourable Joan MacAlpine, Minister of
Tourism and Parks and Steven Young, President of the
Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick (TIANB)."The Innovation and Leadership Series is an opportunity for
tourism owners and managers to improve their products and
gain a competitive advantage in a highly competitive
industry," said Minister Scott. "It allows them to embark
on the path to success feeling equipped and supported not
only by experts, but also by a network of people who, like
them, are aiming for excellence in business.""By encouraging leadership and fostering a culture of
innovation, this program is crucial to the continued
efforts in building an even stronger and more vibrant
tourism industry in New Brunswick," MacAlpine said. "The
series builds upon the success of last year's program while
incorporating more hands-on content that will allow tourism
operators to gain essential tourism knowledge from the best
in the business." TIANB, in collaboration with its partners, is delivering
the program which is targeted to the owners and managers of
small and medium-sized tourism operations."TIANB is extremely proud to be involved in offering this
program," Young said. "With increasing consumer
expectations and new challenges being experienced by our
operators, this program will prepare and equip our managers
and operators to bring the industry to the next level."Designed in consultation with the industry, the seminars
address the concerns of business across a range of
disciplines with a view to have tourism operators improve
their business practices by adopting new and innovative
ways to strengthen their own organizations and be more
profitable.The Government of Canada and the Province of New Brunswick
previously announced an investment of each $412,500 in the
three-year program. The provincial contributors are the
Department of Tourism and Parks, the Regional Development
Corporation and the Department of Training and Employment
Development. The federal contribution is provided by ACOA
and the Canadian Tourism Commission.The nine seminars to be held across New Brunswick will be
offered in both official languages. The first seminar
focusing on situational leadership will be held in
Fredericton, on October 30, following the TIANB Tourism
Conference. For more information on this and other seminars
offered through the Innovation and Leadership Series 2005-
2006, please visit www.innovation-leadership.ca or call
TIANB at 1 800 668-5313 or Tourism and Parks at 1 888 817-
5577.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Valérie Poulin
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Joseph McGuire
Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
(613) 941-7241
Nadya Ladouceur
Senior Communications Officer
ACOA NB
(506) 451-2677
Alain Bryar
communications
Tourism and Parks
506 444-4454
Real Robichaud
Executive Director
TIANB
1 800 668-5313
