2015 Tourism Congress Keynote Speakers and Panellists

Leadership Report

Presented by HLT Advisory

Lyle Hall - Managing Director, HLT Advisory Inc.

(Speaker)

Charlotte Bell - President and CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Canada

(Speaker)

Opening Ceremony and Keynote Address Luncheon

Presented by Air Canada

Richard Florida - Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto, Clinical Research Professor at New York University, Co-Founder and Senior Editor of The Atlantic City Lab

(Keynote Speaker)

Session 1: The Rise of Food Tourism in Canada

Presented by the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance

Rebecca MacKenzie - Executive Director, Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance

(Moderator)

Chef Michael Smith - Renowned Canadian Chef, Food Network Host, author, owner of The Inn at Bay Fortune

(Panellist)

Chef Paul Harber - Brand Manager and Chef-Proprietor, Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery

(Panellist)

Chef John Jackson - Chef/Co-Owner, Charcut Roast House and Board Member, Alberta Culinary Tourism Alliance

(Panellist)

Chef Connie DeSousa - Chef/Co-Owner, Charcut Roast House, Tourism Calgary Culinary Ambassador

(Panellist)

Session 2: Destination Canada

Jon Mamela - Senior Vice-President Marketing Strategy/Chief Marketing Officer, Destination Canada

(Speaker)

Industry Wake-up Call

Presented by Destination Canada

Elizabeth Becker - Award-winning author of Overbooked, journalist

(Keynote Speaker)

Session 3: End-to-End Customer Experience for Destinations

Presented by InterVISTAS Consulting Inc.

Rodney Payne - Co-Founder and CEO, Destination Think!

(Keynote Speaker and Moderator)

Emmanuelle Legault - Vice President of Marketing, Tourisme Montréal

(Panellist)

Paul Clark - Vice President of Destinations and Customer Experience, InterVISTAS

(Panellist)

Marsha Walden - CEO, Destination BC

(Panellist)

Paul Tambeau - Director, Tourism and Economic Development, InterVISTAS

(Panellist)

David Peacock - CEO, RTO4

(Panellist)

Session 4: Point/Counterpoint - The Future of Canadian Tourism

Presented by HLT Advisory

Lyle Hall - Managing Director of HLT Advisory Inc

(Moderator)

Wayne St. John - President and CEO, Publicitas

(Panellist)

Marsha Walden - CEO, Destination BC

(Panellist)

Drew Coles - President and CEO, InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust (InnVest)

(Panellist)

Johanne Bélanger - President and CEO, Tourism Toronto

(Panellist)

Scott Thornhill - Assistant Vice President, Corporate Financing Ontario, BDC

(Panellist)

Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame Luncheon

Presented by Air Canada

The Honourable Bardish Chagger, P.C. - Minister of Small Business and Tourism

(Speaker)

Session 5: Labour and Delivery

Presented by Tourism HR Canada

Philip Mondor - President, Tourism HR Canada

(Moderator)

Tony Pollard - President, Hotel Association of Canada

(Panellist)

Darlene Grant Fiander - President, Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia

(Panellist)

Darren Reeder - Executive Director, Banff & Lake Louise Hospitality Association

(Panellist)

Judith Andrew - Commissioner for Employers, Canada Employment Insurance Commission

(Panellist)

Session 6: Open China - Unlocking the Secrets

Presented by China CEFC Energy Company Ltd.

Grace Xin - Canada- China Inbound Tour Operator Registration Program, TIAC

(Moderator)

Geneviève Dumas - General Manager, Fairmont Le Château Montebello

(Panellist)

Gerry Bruno - Vice President, Federal Government Affairs, Vancouver Airport Authority

(Panellist)

Freda Cheung - CEO, World Duty Free Group Canada

(Panellist)

Cathie Bolstad - Executive Director, NWT Tourism

(Panellist)

Geoff Best - Executive Director, Ottawa-Carleton Education Network

(Panellist)

Chunyu Jiang - Director, International Center of China CEFC Energy Company Ltd.

(Closing remarks)

Session 7: The Election Aftermath

Presented by Nanos Research

Nik Nanos - Chairman of Nanos Research Corporation, Research Associate Professor at SUNY (UB), Global Fellow of Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (Washington, DC)

(Panellist)