March 5, 1996
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)
Adventure tourism workshop travels the province
Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world. Adventure tourism is the fastest
growing portion of the tourism industry.
The Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, in cooperation with Hospitality
Newfoundland and Labrador, is hosting three full-day seminars entitled "Great Outdoor
Adventure Workshop".
Newfoundland and Labrador has a distinct advantage with its unique adventure tourism
product. This first of its kind seminar will focus on: tracking global trends; identifying
opportunities within the province; and selling these products to the international
marketplace.
An agenda for each meeting and a short biography for each of the speakers follows:
AGENDA
Newfoundland and Labrador's
Great Outdoor Adventure Tourism Workshop
8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. From Cape Chidley to Cape Race - A
direction for Newfoundland and Labrador.
Speaker - Susan Sherk, Assistant Deputy
Minister, Tourism, Culture and Recreation
The department's plan of action for
developing Adventure Tourism in the
province.
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Around the World - The Global Picture.
Speaker - Richard Deacon, Manager of Sobek
Expeditions Inc. in Canada (the largest
adventure company in the world)
What's driving the industry on a national
and a global scale, and what products and
services adventure tourists are seeking.
10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Question and Answer Period.
10:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Nutrition Break - Mingle and Network
10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. The Big Sell - Part I: Packaging your
Product for Great Sales.
Speaker - Richard Deacon, Manager of Sobek
Expeditions Inc. in Canada
Developing your product for tour operators
and for great sales. The hows and whys of
pricing your product. What operators need
to know about risk and liability.
12:00 noon - 1:15 p.m. Lunch
1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. The Big Sell - Part 2: Getting the Message
Out on Your Product.
Speaker - Michael Fox, World Consultant in
Marketing, Ecotourism & Strategic Planning
Selling your product.
2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Question and Answer Period.
2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Selling Newfoundland and Labrador's
Products
Speaker - Andrea Peddle, Manager of Market
Development, Department of Tourism,
Culture and Recreation
A view of what's happening on the
provincial scene.
2:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Nutrition Break - Mingle and Network
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. True Confessions - Operating an Adventure
Tour Business in Newfoundland and Labrador
Speakers - Barb Genge, Owner-operator,
Tuckamore Wilderness Lodge; Rosemary
Gatherall, Owner-operator, Gatheralls Boat
Tours; David Snow, Owner-operator,
Wildland Tours
Lessons from local operators.
4:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Ask the Experts - Panel Discussion
An opportunity to ask any of today's
experts your questions about operating an
adventure tour business.
4:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Wrap-up and Closing Remarks.
INVITED SPEAKERS
SUSAN SHERK
Susan is Assistant Deputy Minister of Tourism and Craft Development in this province.
She has worked for a university, private industry and government for the past 30 years in
the fields of community development, socio-economics and public affairs in both the United
States and Canada. For five years she was a Commissioner with the Economic Recovery
Commission in St. John's Susan was chosen by Canadian Business magazine as one of Canada's
outstanding business people in 1990.
RICHARD DEACON
Richard is the Manager of Mountain Travel Sobek in Canada. Mountain Travel Sobek is
the largest adventure company in the world. He has developed and marketed kayak and canoe
tours in all provinces and territories, conducted river trips in Costa Rica, Peru, Chile
and China, and is a nationally renowned authority on outdoor tourism and travel.
MICHAEL FOX
Michael is a world expert in the new field of ecotourism and an industry expert in the
travel and hospitality industries. He has been a successful entrepreneur in several
business ventures, winning awards for sales, public relations and marketing, and has
published articles and award winning brochures. He has travelled extensively, visiting and
doing business in more than 100 countries world wide.
ANDREA PEDDLE
Andrea is the Manager of Market Development with the Department of Tourism, Culture
and Recreation. She and her staff are responsible for identifying and expanding market
opportunities for Newfoundland and Labrador tourism products. They also advise and assist
the tourism industry with marketing and "selling" this province's tourism
products in the market place. Andrea has presented several seminars on marketing and
packaging throughout the province and is a member of the national "New Products and
Packaging" Committee of the Asia/Pacific Directorate of the Canadian Tourism
Commission.
LOCAL OPERATORS
BARB GENGE
Barb is respected in the outfitting industry for her high energy and good business
sense. She is the sole owner of Tuckamore Lodge, Main Brook, which caters to hunting
(moose, caribou, black bear) and fishing clientele throughout the world. In the past
couple of years she has expanded into adventure tours and is one of the few operators in
Canada who successfully caters to both consumptive (hunting/fishing) and non-consumptive
(adventure) markets. She currently books adventure tourists from Spain, France, Italy,
Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, England, United States and is looking to markets in
Brazil and Japan.
ROSEMARY GATHERALL
Rosemary, her husband Mike, and her two sons, Al and Michael, own and operate
Gatherall's Boat Tours Ltd. They live in Bay Bulls, which is about 20 minutes south of St.
John's. They have been in operation for nine years and according to Rosemary "are
withstanding the scrutiny of a highly competitive international market place and a very
discerning local market place." The services provided by Gatherall's Boat Tours
include:
- Interpretive tours of the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve
- Bed and Breakfast accommodations
- Food services
DAVID SNOW
David founded Wildland Tours in 1984 as a means of protecting Newfoundland's
spectacular nature by showcasing it to the world. Most of the customers for his wildlife
watching tours, hiking holidays and photographic safaris come from the United Kingdom,
Italy and Germany. This past summer Wildland Tours had clients from as far away as
Australia and New Zealand. In 1990, David was awarded the prestigious Tourism Industry
Association of Canada Governor General's Award for Conservation in recognition of his
dedication to promoting environmentally sustainable tourism. He has had over 100 articles
published in various periodicals and is a regular speaker to environmental and natural
history groups. David holds an honours degree in biology from Memorial University of
Newfoundland, with a speciality in marine birds and mammals.
Contact: Laura Cochrane, Public Relations Director, (709) 729- 0928.
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