Tides
Promoting and advancing the tourism industry in Prince Edward Island
Tourism
MAY 2012
IN THIS ISSUE
Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island
President's View.............................. 2 Executive Director's Report........... 3 Top Notch Charters ..........................4 Ferry Tales & Deep History ........... 5 Reay to Work in the Tourism Industry / New Members.................6 TIAPEI’s HR Champion, Jim Gertridge.................................... 8
PEI National Park - 75 Years / Tourism Training Courses / FAM Tours........................................ 9 Succession Planning...................... 10 PEI Rural Beautification Society Competitions................................. 11
Published BY TIAPEI 25 Queen Street, 3rd Floor P.O. Box 2050, Charlottetown, PE Canada C1A 7N7 Phone: (902) 566-5008 Toll-free: 1-866-566-5008 Fax: (902) 368-3605 Toll-free fax: 1-877-368-3605
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T O U R I S M T I D E S - M AY 2 0 1 2
PRESIDENT'S view
DEAR Tourism Operators: With the arrival of this beautiful spring weather I am sure you are all ahead of the game in preparing for the busy tourism season. I want to wish you a very successful and busy season and ask that you contact TIAPEI if we can assist you in any way. I am very pleased to report that this year's job fairs, offered through TIAPEI, have been very well attended. The Charlottetown job fair had 900 attendees while the Summerside fair had more than 500 in attendance. This year we were also
fortunate to receive funding for an additional job fair in the Cavendish area, to assist with seasonal job requirements in the surrounding region. Our tourism training courses are underway as of mid April. Training is being offered in basic cook, housekeeping, tour guide, food, beverage and wine server, Super Host, Emerit and product knowledge. We strongly encourage your input for any future training needs that you feel would be helpful to your business. We would like to thank Minister Henderson for supporting our training programs and leading by example with having all Provincial Park employees complete the Super Host training program. At TIAPEI we will continue to work closely with all levels of government, industry, and the Human Resource Sector Council to build a 3 to 5 year Human Resource
"...the adoption of HST will greatly benefit our smaller tourism operators... "
Working Together to Build a Strong Industry
O
n behalf of the Government of Prince Edward Island, I’m pleased to wish all operators in every region of our province a successful 2012 summer tourism season. This summer will see the return of some favourite activities such as the Cavendish Beach Music Festival, the Island Fusion Festival, Atlantic Canada International Air Show and the Charlottetown Festival. Prince Edward Island will also host some exciting new events, such as Atlanticade Motorcycle Festival, as well as the taping of an episode of the popular TV series Come Dine With Me Canada. I want to thank everyone who works in our tourism industry for your commitment to our province. Tourism is built on partnerships. By working together I’m confident we’ll continue to build a stronger industry and economy for all Islanders.
Robert Henderson Minister of Tourism and Culture Province of Prince Edward Island
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Strategic Plan for tourism, one that addresses the many challenges facing our operators in the coming years. We need your guidance, input and commitment to assist in building this plan. TIAPEI has openly lobbied for a HST tax environment for PEI to allow our province to be on a level playing field with our sister provinces. On behalf of TIAPEI, I want to acknowledge and thank the Provincial Government for their plan to implement the HST in 2013. We believe that the adoption of HST will greatly benefit our smaller tourism operators who make up the tourism landscape on PEI. We also understand that we must continue to lobby and support the HST during this planning and implementation period. TIAPEI continues to lobby government to use the rate of inflation as a basis for any future increases to the minimum wage on PEI as opposed to the recent larger increases which have had a heavy impact on small businesses. We will continue to ensure that the opinions of our industry are heard regarding minimum wage increases. Now, more than ever, our industry needs to be vocal with any concerns facing our tourism sector. Recent budget cuts to all levels of government will continue to challenge our economy and our industry. We need to continually stress the valuable contribution tourism dollars make to our Prince Edward Island economy. We need your input and a unified voice from our industry to keep our concerns top of mind. Please lead by example and become more actively involved as we work toward moving our tourism industry forward strategically, into the future. Respectfully submitted by Elaine Thomson, TIAPEI President
Core Staff: Don Cudmore Executive Director dcudmore@tiapei.pe.ca Colleen Bowes Co-ordinator Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership actp@tiapei.pe.ca Kelley Keefe Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership UK Program Manager kkeefe@tiapei.pe.ca Jamie Vander Kooi Technology Resource Coordinator jamie@tiapei.pe.ca Dianne Bishop Executive Assistant & Board Secretary dbishop@tiapei.pe.ca Fernanda Fallesen Financial Administrator ffallesen@tiapei.pe.ca
Training & Education: Kathy Livingstone Director of Training & Education klivingstone@tiapei.pe.ca Lori DesRoches Administrative Assistant ldesroches@tiapei.pe.ca Rod Clark Marketing Co-ordinator rclark@tiapei.pe.ca Andrea Boehner HR Advisor aboehner@tiapei.pe.ca Debbie Mol Tourism Employment & Education Coordinator dmol@tiapei.pe.ca
Executive Committee President
Elaine Thomson
Vice President
Kevin Mouflier
Secretary
Zubair Siddiqi
Treasurer
Tyson MacInnis
Past-President
Thom MacMillan
Executive Director Don Cudmore Members at Large: David Anderson, Robert Jourdain
Board of Directors Amanda Barlow Charlene Belsher Alcide Bernard Darcy Butler George Campbell Roxanne Carmody Liam Dolan Jane Dunphy Patsy Gotell David Groom Mary Kendrick Leslie Kwiatkowski Judy MacDonald
Mary Lou MacFarlane Amanda MacIntyre Oralie MacKay Rhonda Maillet Sheri Lee McKenna Pat Notman Tom Rath Mitchell Rennie Doreen Sark Erskine Smith Carolyn Thorne Barb Trainor Darrin White
T O U R I S M I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N O F P R I N C E E D W A R D I S L A N D
Executive Director’s Report
Dear Tourism Operators: Spring is in the air and many of you will be busy preparing for what we hope is a busy tourism season. I hope you all have a successful season and look forward to seeing many of you as I travel across the Island this summer. For many years the Tourism Tides publication has enjoyed great support from industry and industry suppliers such as Johnston’s Complete Service Centre, Grant Thornton, West Can Group, A – 1 Vacuum, Caseley’s Tent & Party Rental, Service Master Restore and Kwik Kopy, to name a few of the companies that have been very supportive of Tourism Tides and other TIAPEI communication efforts throughout the years. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Northumberland Ferries Limited ("NFL"), new sponsors of the cover page of Tourism Tides, our industry newsletter. Not only is NFL a tremendous transportation partner, they continue to demonstrate their involvement in the tourism industry through regular attendance at TIAPEI events, coming forward as sponsors when asked demonstrates an ongoing commitment to the industry. TIAPEI welcomes submissions from tourism operators and organizations for Tourism Tides, our e-news blasts and online newsletters so please contact us with your stories or ideas for any of these communication publications. Communication, education
and long range goals are keys to the success of any industry and tourism is no exception. TIAPEI’s yearly November Annual General Meeting and March Tourism Conference are the primary forums for education and communication for the tourism industry. Industry partners, the Tourism Advisory Council, Tourism and Culture PEI and ACOA are frequent presenters at these events in an effort to keep tourism operators as informed about marketing plans, long term goals and strategies and industry initiatives as possible. We have been very busy at the TIAPEI office over the past several months, concentrating on many issues that should help us move forward in trying times. Our Human Resources training division, along with the Tourism Human Resources Sector Council, continues to present excellent initiatives such a new heightened awareness of SuperHost training, professional certification and short term training programs. We are pleased to announce, with the blessing and encouragement of Minister Henderson, we have been asked to present our SuperHost training program to all of the Provincial Parks employees (over 80 individuals). We have also asked in our training funding request that the Province of PEI take a leadership role with us and subsidize those employees who successfully complete the professional certification process. Our goal at TIAPEI is to increase the number of certified employees substantially over the next couple of years. The Tourism Human Resources Sector Council, as well as all other
PEI Sector Councils, are being reviewed by Innovation PEI and their original March 31st deadline has been extended to May 31st. We really need to embark on some substantial HR initiatives including a 3 – 5 year HR Strategy. The Sector Council will be hosting a HR Focus Group on Friday, May 25th to look at what a HR Strategy would include. To update you on some of our ongoing activities: The Arts and Heritage Trail was very successful last year and we expect equal, if not increased success for this project in 2012. The Book PEI TIAPEI Advisory Committee has been very active and, led by Chair Robert Jourdain, has been examining new initiatives that would improve the existing system by adding features that allow the consumer to access more of our product with less effort. The packaging tool that was discussed in November was looked at by the Committee and it was felt more education and testing is needed before it is rolled out this fall. The RTA process is going very well and it is becoming obvious to the TIAPEI Executive that when this process is complete we will need to examine our Board structure to incorporate these new entities. TIAPEI has lobbied diligently over the past several years to promote the HST in PEI. On April 19th, Minister of Finance Wes Sheridan announced plans to implement the HST in April 2013. A huge thank you to the Ghiz government in listening! The adoption of the HST is a significant, positive change for small business on PEI and we believe
"Communication, education and long range goals are keys to the success of any industry and tourism is no exception."
the benefits are great. In closing, I would like to make a couple of points I feel are important to the success of our industry. First, we need to acknowledge and understand the realities of budget cuts on both the Federal and Provincial levels and rise to the occasion by working closely together to “get the best bang for our buck” possible. My second point is more of a call to action - Lead by example. I would like to challenge you to work together on initiatives that will be beneficial to your business as well as your neighbour’s and extend your knowledge to any new operators to help them establish their tourism skills. Best of luck with the 2012 tourism season and please feel free to contact either myself or any member of the Executive and Board of Directors if you have any concerns or ideas you would like to put forward. Respectfully submitted, Don Cudmore, Executive Director
NEWLY
CERTIFIED
Corey Veld Event Manager
Wendy Murphy
Food & Beverage Manager
Melissa Pollard Supervisor
Devon LeBlanc Supervisor
Jeff Jewell
Front Desk Agent
Marc Brunet Wine Server
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T O U R I S M T I D E S - M AY 2 0 1 2
Top Notch Charters
Mark Jenkins is the owner /operator of Top Notch Lobster Tours. He is a fourth generation lobster fisherman out of Fortune, P.E.I. After the spring lobster season is over, Mark and his brother Cody, who also has his own lobster gear, move 'Top Notch' into the Charlottetown Harbour. These brothers run the lobster tours beginning July 1st until mid September. While on one
of their tours you will learn firsthand how lobster fishermen make a living here on Prince Edward Island. Mark will touch on the science, history, biology, habitat and, most important to him, conservation measures they have in place. To help you understand all this they will haul lobster traps and a crab trap. After you are full of new exciting knowledge of the great job they
have, Cody throws the anchor and you will enjoy a lobster meal aboard the boat. While you are digging into your lobster dinner, Mark will talk about some of the other fisheries that take place on P.E.I. This brother duo enjoy entertaining a maximum of 12 people which makes the tour very personable and easy for all to get involved as much as they choose. If you are looking to
learn and experience one of P.E.I.'s great traditions from the horse's mouth, join Mark and Cody aboard Top Notch Lobster Tours.
24/7 ON CALL SERVICE
www.johnstonsPEI.com
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T O U R I S M I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N O F P R I N C E E D W A R D I S L A N D
Ferry Tales & Deep History “On the surface, the PEI Ferry is a means to travel between Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia – but in reality, it’s much more than that,” says Jessica Gillis, Marketing and Sales Coordinator of Northumberland Ferries Limited. “It’s part of the island experience that makes Prince Edward Island as unique as its potatoes and seafood.” In fact, the history of the ferry service between Wood Islands, Prince Edward Island and Caribou, Nova Scotia dates back over 70 years, to 1941. It is believed that discussions of ferry service were spearheaded by the Hon. D. A. Mackinnon, Lieutenant-Governor of PEI during his term of office from 1904-1910. The original ferry, named the M.V. Prince Nova set sail for the
first time at 11:00 am on June 28, 1941 from Caribou, Nova Scotia, under the command of Captain John Dicks. At that time, the ferry could hold only up to 14 automobiles and the rate for an automobile was a mere $3.00 for a return trip! Many believed the project to be a bit foolish – but the numbers certainly proved them wrong. In its inaugural year, the ferry service carried over 25,000 passengers and by 1945, the traffic had increased by over eighty percent. Creating a significant economic impact in Eastern PEI, Northumberland Ferries Limited retired the M.V. Prince Nova and brought in the M.V. Confederation and the M.V. Holiday Island. Both ferries operate from May to December and sail across the Northumberland
DEPARTING WOOD ISLANDS, PEI TO CARIBOU, NS
Straight in approximately 75 minutes. Yet, anybody who has taken the ferry to travel between Caribou and Wood Islands understands that this trip is more than simply saving on driving; it’s a connection to the Island’s past, present and future. The Wood Islands ferry has provided transportation for soldiers coming home from the Second World War. Its decks have become a common meeting ground for forging new friendships among onboard passengers. And while some look forward to 75 minutes of basking in the warm sun and taking in the fresh, sea salt breeze; others look forward to spending their lives with a special
someone after delivering a romantic wedding proposal onboard a ferry. In over 70 years of service, PEI Ferry has played the leading role in many fond memories of both locals and visitors alike. Pay the toll and find your story – Island style.
Why drive when you can sail? Call us toll free 1.800.761.2806 or visit us online www.nfl-bay.com
DEPARTING CARIBOU, NS TO WOOD ISLANDS, PEI
2012 DATES
SAILING TIMES9:00
2012 DATES
SAILING TIMES9:00
MAY 1 - JUNE 16
6:30, 9:30, 13:00, 16:30, 20:00
MAY 1 - JUNE 16
8:00, 11:15, 14:45, 18;15, 21:30
JUNE 17 - JUNE 28
6:30, 9:30, 11:15, 13:00, 14:45, 16:30, 20:00
JUNE 17 - JUNE 28
8:00, 11:15, 13:00, 14:45, 16:30, 18:15, 21:30
JUNE 29 - SEPT 3
6:30, 8:00, 9:30, 11:15, 13:00, 14:45, 16:30, 18:15, 20:00
JUNE 29 - SEPT 3
8:00, 9:30, 11:15, 13:00, 14:45, 16:30, 18:15, 20:00, 21:30
SEPT 4 - OCT 8
6:30, 9:30, 11:15, 13:00, 14:45, 16:30, 20:00
SEPT 4 - OCT 8
8:00, 11:15, 13:00, 14:45, 16:30, 18:15, 21:30
OCT 9 - NOV 10
6:30, 9:30, 13:00, 16:30, 20:00
OCT 9 - NOV 10
8:00, 11:15, 14:45, 18:15, 21:30
NOV 11 - NOV 30
6:30, 11:15, 14:45, 18:15
NOV 11 - NOV 30
9:30, 13:00, 16:30, 20:00
DEC 1 - DEC 20
8:00, 11:15, 16:30
DEC 1 - DEC 20
9:30, 13:00, 18:15
Note: 18:15 departure from Caribou Dec 20th cancelled
CALL 1-800-761-2806 OR BOOK ONLINE AND SAVE AT WWW.NFL-BAY.COM
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T O U R I S M T I D E S - M AY 2 0 1 2
2 Longworth Avenue, Charlottetown, PE C1A 5A2
Tel: 902-566-3131 Fax: 902-628-1982 Toll Free: 888-566-3131
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summerside (902) 436-9155
montague (902) 838-4121
Twelve participants were selected to explore career opportunities in the tourism sector during the eight week classroom portion of the TIAPEI Ready To Work Program for youth. During this time the participants had the chance to experience a wide variety of activities including guest speakers from tourism operations, tours of local businesses, certification in First Aid, WHMIS, & CPR, Responsible Beverage Server Certificate, emerit Tourism Essentials certification and SuperHost. In April, students gathered to celebrate their successful completion of the classroom portion of the tourism course. Overall the participants felt the program helped them gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to enter and succeed in the tourism job market. Participants have started working
at hotels, gift shops, retail, restaurants, etc. When employers hire from this group they can receive a wage subsidy for eight weeks. One of the participants, Katie MacQuarrie, summed up the program, “The Ready To Work Program has helped me become more positive and made me believe that I can do anything I set my mind to…” After eight weeks Colin Livingstone and Mary Peardon, program facilitators, saw participants gain confidence and cheering each others successes. The TIAPEI Ready To Work Program is sponsored by the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council and funded in part under the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy.
New Members
Welcome New TIAPEI Member
Audit • Tax • Advisory Grant Thornton LLP. A Canadian Member of Grant Thornton International Ltd
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MindSWEEP Innovative IT Solutions PEI Golf Association
ATTENTION TRAVEL PARTNERS Bay Ferries and NFL Ferries is pleased to continue Maritime Travel Saver, a program designed to allow travelers to receive exclusive savings on accommodations, golf, events/activities, restaurants, and more. HOW IT WORKS The Maritime Travel Saver program is a FREE program that allows Maritime tourism partners to upload and share great promotions and packages with our passengers. Travel deals can be featured in a variety of categories, including accommodation, events, and attractions and must be limited to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. What’s more, there is no cost or limit to the amount of promotions uploaded over the course of the 2012 tourism season. You can manage your deals through the easy to use backend administration area and can have 2 deals published on the Web site at any point in time. All deals will be published on the high traffic www.NFL-Bay.com travel portal and will be promoted online and offline by Bay Ferries Limited at www.MaritimeTravelSaver.com. GETTING STARTED To begin entering your package or promotion in the online package manager, you must first register as a user. When your online profile has been successfully created, you can begin entering your travel deals at your convenience. To create your profile visit the following link: www.nfl-bay.com/maritime-travel-saver/login/ It’s that easy! Bay Ferries and NFL Ferries is pleased to offer this program to our travel partners throughout the Maritimes and hope that our passengers can experience the best of the three Maritime provinces via your operation. For more information, please contact: Jessica Gillis, Marketing & Sales Coordinator jgillis@nfl-bay.com (902) 626-2538
T O U R I S M T I D E S - M AY 2 0 1 2
HR Champion
TIAPEI would like to introduce, TIAPEI’s HR Champion, Jim Gertridge. Jim has been working in the tourism industry for the past 39 years and during this time he has worked in many areas of the accommodation business. Jim is currently the Director of Operations for Rodd Hotels and Resorts.
He is a great supporter of HR and during his tenure as General Manager at Rodd Miramichi River - A Rodd Signature Hotel, the hotel won several HR Awards. For 10 consecutive years the Rodd Miramichi River won Training and Certification Awards at the TIANB Annual General Meeting and is the
only hotel in New Brunswick to have 100% of their staff SuperHost certified. The TIAPEI HR Champion will provide advice on HR topics from an employer’s point of view. HR is a topic that for many tourism operators can be very scary. To run or own a small to medium size tourism business requires a large number of skills. HR is often one of the skills where employers face challenges and could use some support. TIAPEI has an HR Advisor, Andrea Boehner, who is available to provide guidance and support to any tourism operator but sometimes it takes words of wisdom from a fellow operator to hit home! Jim will use his many years of experience in the industry to share his views. This time of year, tourism operators are gearing up to fill job vacancies, so we asked our HR Champion for advice on recruiting staff. Q. What should employers look for in a resume? A. A clear, concise story of work history, relevant to the position being applied for. Q. What do employers look for in cover letters? A. A brief description of what the applicant can bring to the position. Q. Is it important for employers to have job descriptions for the positions they are recruiting for? A. Absolutely, we can’t ask our staff to be great at their jobs if we do not clearly state what they are and how to do them. Q. Are reference checks important? A. Yes, as much for employers as for our future employees. You want to make sure you have the right fit for your business and
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the new employee and vice versa. Criminal background checks are also becoming standard. Q. What is the most important skill employers should look for? A. Attitude, you can teach all the skills but you need the right attitude. Q. How important are first impressions? A. First impressions do count; a neat clean appearance, a firm handshake and eye contact go a long way when greeting a potential employer. Q. Where do employers advertise for job vacancies? A. On-line job banks seem to be most popular at this time as well as company websites and at job fairs. Q. What labour sources should employers look at to fill vacant positions? A. Seniors and early retirees are good options, as they are interested in part time positions to fit their life style. Newcomers are another great fit for many jobs as they are very interested in learning about and fitting into Canadian culture. We certainly benefit from hiring High School and University students.
It’s EASY to post a job ad on our
www.choosetourism.ca website!
T O U R I S M I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N O F P R I N C E E D W A R D I S L A N D
Prince Edward Island National Park is Celebrating 75 Years of Summer in 2012 2012 marks the 75th anniversary of Prince Edward Island National Park. Since its creation in 1937, PEI National Park has been an iconic destination that forms a cornerstone of the Island’s tourism industry. Originally, PEI National Park was created to provide a focal point for the Island’s slowly growing tourism industry. The plan for the national park was to establish a “typical seaside resort” at Dalvay-by-the-Sea. However, after a visit to PEI to view potential sites for the national park, the beauty of the coastline on PEI’s north shore inspired the Parks Branch to submit a proposal for a national park which included a strip of coastline 25 miles long extending from Dalvay to Cavendish. With Cavendish in the plans for the national park, Green Gables house and Cavendish Beach were also included, as they had already become a vacation destination for readers of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables.1 With the establishment of PEI National Park came the development of the land: the Gulf Shore Road, campgrounds,
picnic areas, beach facilities and boardwalks. Milestones include the construction of the Green Gables Golf Course, designed by well-known landscape architect Stanley Thompson. The first nine holes opened in 1939 and
in Canada and plays an important role in representing the natural and cultural history of PEI in our nation’s network of national parks: places that define Canada. To commemorate the 75th anniversary milestone, Parks
the remaining nine opened in 1940. The lifeguard service was established in 1948 in Cavendish and grew to include Dalvay in 1949. The popularity of PEI National Park quickly grew: from 2500 visitors in 1937 to 10,000 in 1938.1 Five years after being established, PEI National Park was the fifth most visited national park in Canada. Today, despite its small size, PEI National Park remains one of the most highly visited National Parks
Canada is providing new and exciting ways for Canadians to connect with PEI National Park. There will be a number of special events and initiatives throughout the year. To mark 75 years of PEI National Park, Islanders and visitors are being challenged by Parks Canada, go! PEI and the Parks and People Association to get active and hike, bike or rollerblade 75 km in the park in the 75 for 75 Trail Challenge. Participants can register online at
Tourism Training Courses SuperHost (1 day) Retail Training (1/2 day) Retail Training (1/2 day) SuperHost (1 day) Food, Beverage & Wine Server (1 day) SuperHost (1 day) Product Knowledge/ Island History (2 days) SuperHost (1 day) Food, Beverage & Wine Server (1 day) Food, Beverage & Wine Server (1 day) Food, Beverage & Wine Server (1 day) Food, Beverage & Wine Server (1 day) SuperHost (1 day) SuperHost (1 day)
May 3rd, O’Leary May 4th, Tignish May 17th, O’Leary May 29th, Summerside May 30th, Mill River May 31st, Alberton May 31st & June 1st Charlottetown June 5th, Cavendish June 5th, Summerside June 7th, Montague June 11th, Alberton June 13th, Cavendish June 13th, Tignish June 13th, Montague
For more information or to register, please contact Ashley at 902-566-5008 or email ahansen@tiapei.pe.ca
www.parksandpeople.ca, choose their challenge and track their success! A new book, Prince Edward Island National Park: Past and Present, produced by Parks and People Association and published by Acorn Press will be launched in June! This book celebrates the last 75 years of PEI National Park through a blend of historical photos and stunning images from leading Canadian photographers, including John Sylvester and Stephen Desroches. Don’t miss the biggest celebration of the year! The Brackley Beach Birthday Party will be held on Parks Day- Saturday, July 21. This event will feature a sandcastle-building contest, a surfguard competition, live music and much more! For more information and updates on our 75th anniversary events, check out our website: www.parkscanada.gc.ca/pei or our Facebook page: www.facebook. com/PEInationalpark and be sure to “Like” us! 1 MacEachern, A. 2001. Natural Selections: National Parks in Atlantic Canada, 1935-1970. McGill-Queen’s University Press. Montreal & Kingston.
June 2012 Familiarization Tours (FAM Tours) TIAPEI will once again be offering FAM tours to front line tourism employees. The tours are designed to give tourism employees and operators the opportunity to experience first-hand the products and services the Island has to offer. These fun and informative tours will travel to various locations, across the Island,
to familiarize employees with various businesses, cultures and activities. Western FAM Tour (1 day) – June 7th Eastern FAM Tour (1 day) – June 14th For more information call Kathy at 902-566-5008 or email klivingstone@tiapei. pe.ca
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T O U R I S M T I D E S - M AY 2 0 1 2
Want Long Term Success? Succession Planning Considers What’s Critical Succession planning is the key to selecting and developing the people you'll need to carry out the vision for your company. Often referred to in the realm of family business, it isn't just about replacing the boss upon retirement. Succession planning is about proactively preparing for the replacement of any key occupations within your organization. Preparing for the next generation of vital positions is important for any business. A well-defined succession plan will help your business endure in the event of a sudden departure. Apart from your own retirement, this may refer to key players in your company leaving of their own accord. High performers – like others – present a flight risk. And don't forget, an accident, illness or untimely death is always a possibility. It is important for your company's
future that you are prepared to replace people – before they leave. A Canadian Federation of Independent Business study reported that 48 per cent of small and medium-sized businesses plan for their future succession. Of those, “the majority are informal, unwritten plans, which have not necessarily been shared with the intended successor.” Why are so many business owners reluctant to plan ahead? It's true, most of us would rather not mull over the unpleasant thoughts of our own mortality. And for many, planning for retirement or the unexpected is far off enough that it is something to be dealt with later, much later. After all, there is always something more pressing that needs your attention. But to protect your hard-earned asset, you must prepare for the
Meet TIAPEI’s HR Champion Jim Gertridge
Visit HR Champion’s Corner at
choosetourism.ca
for more Human Resource tips! This project is funded in whole or in part by the Canada/Prince Edward Island Labour Market Development Agreement
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unknown. A succession plan is a • Develop candidates for the roadmap for your company's future. job. Make it a priority to train It means you won't be left in a replacements well before you'll lurch, financially or operationally, need to rely on them. Use cross if the unexpected happens. Do the training techniques to ensure work now to give your business the more than one person is capable best chance to survive in the future. of performing essential tasks. From doing payroll to using What do I need to do? computer systems to inventory In grooming employees for vital management, business continupositions, you'll want to select ity demands that another staff someone who has proven that he or member can step in if there is a she is capable of dealing with a vachange to the status quo. riety of challenging situations, and who shares your values and goals. • Establish a timeline for To do this successfully: specific events. Determine • Plan ahead. The most important aspect of succession planning is to start early. Planning well ahead will permit you to select and train several suitable replacements, working with them over time so that the ultimate candidate will be ready for the job when the day comes. • Determine who has the desire, skill and vision necessary for the job. You'll need to identify each candidate's strengths and weaknesses. Do they possess adequate leadership qualities? Test their abilities in different situations. Give them tasks that demand greater responsibility, and assess their capabilities in those roles. • Discuss your plans with top prospects. You don't want to plan around individuals who, for whatever reason, may not be inclined to step into the role you've imagined. Ask about their career goals, and ascertain their level of commitment to your company. Identify high performers early and only with their cooperation, target them with career path training that will help them suitably replace key positions.
when training efforts will begin, professional development goals should be met, and primary responsibilities of a task should ultimately transfer. Whenever possible, handing over responsibility should be a gradual process to ensure a smooth and successful transition. Some managers will hesitate to give more responsibility to high performers, for fear of being outshone. This does your company a great disservice. Remember that a leader's calibre is often measured by the strength of the team he or she employs. Make the smartest move in regards to the well being of your business and plan ahead for the proper replacement of critical positions within your workplace to ensure the maintenance of their important functions. Source: www.go2hr.ca
Enter Your Tourism Business In The Prince Edward Island Rural Beautification Society Competitions Criteria for judging based on the following;
The Tourism Industry Association of PEI sponsors a Tourist Accommodation Improvement Competition through the Island’s Rural Beautification Society. The prizes of 1st $300, 2nd $200, and 3rd $100 are awarded on a provincial basis. The 1st place winner will be presented with the “Most Improved Tourist Industry Accommodations” Award for the year 2012. The Tourist Accommodations Improvement Competition is open to any tourist accommodation’s operator in the Province, (Hotels, Motels, Cottages, B&B’s, Inns, Resorts or Campground). The competition is based on the improvements to make your operation more attractive to tourists and the public.
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Repairs to and improvements of building(s) Painting of buildings Improvement to parking, identification, signage, lighting Planting of/or preservation of existing trees, shrubs, etc. Lawn construction and maintenance Flowers, both annual and perennial, display, maintenance, care Fencing, either decorative or privacy Free of litter on highway frontage, with grass trimmed General appearance of property Flag flying
It is very important to compile a list of the improvements undertaken and also very important to take pictures of your property before you start work. For more information or to receive an entry form call Joyce (902)672-2039. The entry fee cost is $15 for the first entry and $5 for each additional entry per competitor. Deadline for entries is May 19, 2012.
With nonstop flights daily from Charlottetown to NEW YORK, you can take a bite outta the big apple sooner and experience all the shopping, theatre, dining, sightseeing and nightlife of the City That Never Sleeps. *Flights operated by Delta Connections® carrier, Pinnacle Airlines. Delta flights nonstop daily from Charlottetown to New York, July 1-Sept 4/12.
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peace of mind My will is complete. Power of Attorney determined. Health Care Directive organized. Guardianship appointed. My executors know what to do. Our team of estate and succession planning lawyers in Charlottetown can help make this your reality. Start by calling Robin or David today. David Hooley 629.3903
Robin Aitken 629.3910
For details on what you need to consider, check out our Estate Planning and Executor Checklists for Prince Edward Island residents at coxandpalmerlaw.com/peaceofmind AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY Tel: (902)
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TRAMPOLINE BRANDING Contact: Larry Bootland 902 405 4809 Project: 9320C&P PEI Peace of Mind ad Client: Cox&Palmer Publication: Tourism Tides Size: 7.6875 x 4.8 Insertion Date: May, 2012 Photos/Logos: Hi res NOTE: All trapping is the responsibility of prepress
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