Destination Canada benefits and relies upon insights and perspective from the industry, including select advisory committees.
These committees, with representation from all sectors and regions of the visitor economy, help inform and provide input relating to key insights, program opportunities, market strategies, and trends relating to Destination Canada’s leisure marketing, business events and research divisions.
In 2018, we sought applications for committee members and we’re pleased to welcome the members below to our three advisory committees. We also want to take the opportunity to thank our outgoing committee members and committee chairs: Malcolm Fraser, Mike Ruby, and Stephen Pearce for their exceptional contributions to the committees.
Candidates for the committee are selected based on their experience and expertise, with a view to having advisory committees with diverse skills, experience and perspectives to ensure the organization will benefit from a richness of advice. Geographic diversity was also considered in selecting members.
Leisure Marketing Advisory Committee
Committee members will help inform and provide input relating to key opportunities, marketplace trends and issues relating to Destination Canada’s leisure marketing strategies and programs. Destination Canada currently markets to leisure travellers across 10 primary international markets
Chair: Geneviève LeBrun, Vice President Marketing at Transat
Members:
- Ainsley Ericksen , Director, Partnership Marketing at Rocky Mountaineer
- Alexandra Leclerc, Director, International Business Development and Media Relations at Alliance de L'industrie Touristique du Québec
- Andrew Lind, Partner/Managing Director at CISS MLI
- Anna Pierce, Vice President and General Manager at Niagara Helicopters Limited
- Berg van der Stege, Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer at Halifax International Airport Authority
- Colin Brost, Director, Market Development at Tourism Sun Peaks
- Heather McEachen, Trade Media Specialist at Tourism Vancouver Island
- Jai Mukerji, Vice President at Anderson Vacations
- James Jackson, General Manager at Tourism Jasper
- Jason Bryant, Vice President, Sales and Marketing at Westcoast Sightseeing
- Jenny Dunbar, Regional Director, Tour & Leisure Development at Fairmont-Canada's Western Mountain Region
- Kimberly MacAulay, Chief Experience Officer/Strategic Marketing Officer at Fresh Tracks Canada
- Marc Telio, President at Entrée Destinations
- Marilyn Bell, Vice President Travel Trade, Market & Product Development at Tourism Calgary
- Tarita Davenock, Chief Executive Officer at Travel for All, Inc.
- Tessum Weber, Director at Weber Arctic.
- Vicki Reid, Director, Sales and Operations at Jonview Canada
Research Advisory Committee
Destination Canada believes that data and the insights from this data is a critical aspect to delivering on its legislated mandate. The mandate of this advisory committee is to ensure that Destination Canada is a global leader in the way that it generates, collects, analyzes and handles data, as well as how, where and why it disseminates insights to its internal team and the industry.
Chair: Anna Moran, Manager Research, Planning & Decision Support at Tourism Nova Scotia
Members:
- Angela Skerbinek, Director, Research and Analytics at Destination BC
- Dr. Donna Lee Rosen, Consultant, Majic Communications
- Kathryn Forgacs, Research Manager at Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation
- Meredith Kunza , Senior Manager, Research and Product Development at Tourism Whistler
- Oliver Martin, Research Director at RTO9-Ontario
- Robert Keith Dewar, Professor at UNB Business Faculty
- Russell Atkinson, Manager, Air Service Development at Vancouver Airport Authority
- Sarah Marsh, Manager, Industry Services Unit at Government of Yukon, Department of Tourism and Culture
- Shana Ramsay, Director, Tourism Policy at Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada
- Sue Kaffka, Vice President Sales & Marketing at Capilano Group
- Tina Chui, Acting Assistant Director, Tourism & Centre for Educucation at Statistics Canada
- Vince Accardi, Director, Policy and Stakeholder Relations at the Tourism Industry Association of Canada
Business Events Advisory Committee
To ensure alignment between the strategies of Business Events Canada at Destination Canada, the mandate of this advisory committee is to provide strategic advice and counsel to Destination Canada management and Board, on strategic issues advanced by the Board, Destination Canada management and/or identified by the committee itself.
Chair: Lesley Pincombe, Vice President, Meetings & Events at Ottawa Tourism
Members:
- Jenn Abbott, Chief Executive Officer at International Conference Services
- Paul Bugge, Director of Business Development and Industry Relations at Destination St. John's
- Luc Charbonneau, Vice President, Business Development and Strategic Alliance at Palais de Congres de Montréal
- Donna Lee Demarcke, Chief Executive Officer at Northwest Territories Tourism
- Mylene Gagnon, Vice President, Sales & Convention Services at Tourisme Montréal
- Dave Gazley, Vice President, Meeting & Convention Sales at Tourism Vancouver
- Tara Gordon, Senior Vice President, Global Sales and Services at Destination Toronto
- Michelle Kenny, General Manager at Canadian Tours International - CTI
- Caroline Langelier, Director, Sales at Québec City Business Destination
- Daniel Newberry, Area Director of Sales and Distribution, Canada Region at Marriott International
- Sheri Moore, Partner, Creative Director, MCC Destination Management
- Minto Schneider, Chair at Meetings Means Business Canada
- Brad Sutherland, Senior Manager, Business Development at Air Canada
- David Woodward, Executive Director, Meetings & Conventions at Tourism Calgary
Committee membership is on a volunteer basis and for a maximum three-year term. Future opportunities to join our advisory committees will be posted on our website and in Destination Canada News. Any questions about the committees can be directed to advisorycommittees@destinationcanada.com
