Tourism Saskatchewan has released the names of 37 finalists for the Saskatchewan Tourism Awards of Excellence for 2011. More than 90 nominations were received in the 15 award categories.
The finalists and award recipients will be honoured at the 23 annual Saskatchewan Tourism Awards of Excellence Gala, which will be celebrated on March 22 at the Regina Inn Hotel & Conference Centre in Regina. The recipient of the Chairman's Lifetime Achievement Award will also be announced that night.
"As always, Tourism Saskatchewan looks forward to paying tribute to the remarkable Saskatchewan 'ambassadors' who have been chosen as finalists," Dr. Lynda Haverstock, President/CEO of Tourism Saskatchewan, said. "With 93 impressive nominations, the Selection Committee faced a challenging task. The volume of submissions speaks to the range and quality of experiences in Saskatchewan, and emphasizes that tourism operators and stakeholders take pride in their work and are committed to a 'Culture of Quality.' Tourism Saskatchewan looks forward to honouring these businesses and individuals for their commitment to a growing, dynamic sector that contributes nearly $1.68 billion to the province's economy and employs 58,000 citizens."
Two provincial finalists from Tourism Yorkton have been chosen. Neil Thom, Tourism president for the Fred Heal Tourism Ambassador Award and the Painted Hand Casino, for the Human Resource Development Award.
