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Viking Encampment Receives Cultural Tourism Award Sandra Kelly, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, today announced that the Viking Encampment Historical Reenactment Program is the recipient of this year's Cultural Tourism Award. The Viking Encampment is a project of the Viking Trail Tourism Association, in partnership with the L'Anse Aux Meadows National Historic Site. The award was presented over the weekend at the Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Annual Convention in Gander. "The Viking Encampment, in its very first year of operation, has demonstrated innovative thinking in promoting cultural expression within the province's tourism industry," Minister Kelly said. "The winner of the 1998 Cultural Tourism Award can be proud of the fact that renowned international historians and scholars have extended accolades for the project's historical integrity and genuine interpretation." The Viking Encampment portrays life in a seasonal Viking camp, similar to that established by the Norse at L'Anse Aux Meadows nearly 1,000 years ago. It was offered to tourists this past year as a result of extensive training, skill development and strong endorsement by community members and the local business sector. The program features period-style artifacts and costumed historic interpreters, and takes place at a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Minister Kelly presented the award to Carolyn Lavers, Chairperson of the Viking Trail Tourism Association, and Randy Letto, Marketing Director for the VTTA. The Cultural Tourism Award, first awarded in 1997, is designed to promote and enhance cultural tourism in the province. The annual award is a joint initiative by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, and the federal Department of Canadian Heritage, with corporate sponsorship provided by NewTel Communications. Contact: Doug Burgess, Director of Communications, (709) 729-0928.
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