Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Board
In February 2009, the Honourable Minister Clyde Jackman, former Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, unveiled UNCOMMON POTENTIAL: A Vision for Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism (Vision 2020). Vision 2020 was developed over a three year period under the guidance of a Vision Steering Committee. The Vision Steering Committee consisted of representatives from government and industry, consultant expertise and industry consultation.
Vision 2020 establishes a number of priorities and broad actions to guide the development of Newfoundland and Labrador’s tourism industry over the next decade. It outlines seven strategic directions that need to be addressed to build this sector in Newfoundland and Labrador and increase its economic value.
The first step in Vision 2020 was to create a Tourism Board; an industry-government team committed to ensuring that it reaches Vision 2020’s target of doubling annual tourism revenues by 2020. The implementation of this partnership would allow industry and government to work together in a more cooperative and cohesive manner.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Board was established in June 2009. The mandate of the Board is to advise on the implementation of Vision 2020. The Board will report annually to the Minister on the status of its developments and recommendations.
The structure of the Tourism Board calls for thirteen representatives; Chair, four industry leaders, four Destination Marketing Organizations leaders and four government leaders. Members will serve for two-three years and are selected/appointed in conjunction with Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador (HNL), the Province’s four Destination Marketing Organizations and Government. The Board is further supported by an industry secretariat (Tourism Board Manager) to carry out policy, administrative, and communication functions.
Current Tourism Board Members:
Stan Cook, Jr.
Chair, NL Tourism Board
Stan Cook Jr. is a private tourism owner and operator from St. John’s. His family business is located in Cape Broyle
The family business, Stan Cook Sea-Kayak Adventures, is one of the province’s first adventure tourism operations, having been in business since 1970. Stan Jr. was the founding President of the Adventure Tourism Association of Newfoundland and Labrador.
He is the chair of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada. He chairs the Brand Experiences with the Canadian Tourism Commission. Stan was co-chair of the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership. He is a Past Chair of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador. He is chair of the Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism. Member of the Canadian Sustainable Tourism Advisory Council.
John Dicks
Chair, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador
John Dicks was appointed Chair of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador in 2010. He has extensive experience within the tourism industry including having served as Director of Marketing, Destination St. John’s (1998-2005) and Chair of the East Coast Music Awards and Conference (2004). He has served on numerous culture and tourism committees over the last 30 years, including the East Coast Music Association, Resource Centre for the Arts, Canadian Theater Festival Society, St. John’s Cultural Tourism Steering Committee, Quintessential Vocal Ensemble and St. John’s Board of Trade. In 1996, he received HNL’s Golden Umbrella Award for contribution to professional development in the tourism industry, and in 2003 received the St. John’s Board of Trade Business Achievement Award for marketing and promotion excellence.
Judy Sparkes-Giannou
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador representative
Judy Sparkes-Giannou became involved in the tourism industry of Newfoundland & Labrador over 20 years ago. Since then, her name has become synonymous with tourism provincially, regionally and nationally. In her current role as Managing Director of Clayton Hospitality, Judy takes on an active role in the growth and development of the Comfort Inn Airport, St. John’s and the Comfort Inn, Gander. Numerous investments in real estate and various companies throughout Atlantic Canada keep Judy engaged in a diverse range of business activities throughout the region.
From 1998 – 2010, Judy was owner and President of Maxxim Vacations, Judy led the growth of this company to not only be Newfoundland & Labrador’s largest tour wholesaler, but also one of Atlantic Canada’s leading travel providers. This growth has taken place amidst the worst external influences the industry has ever seen. Maxxim Vacations grew to become one of Canada’s most respected tourism companies.
Judy Sparkes-Giannou has served on the Board of Directors for the St. John’s Board of Trade, the executive of Hospitality Newfoundland & Labrador; the executive of the Hotel Association of Canada; two terms as President of the Newfoundland & Labrador Hotel Association, and any number of committees for a variety of tourism associations throughout the Province. Judy was Chair of the Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism Marketing Council and most recently, she played an integral role in identifying the need as well as the development of Uncommon Potential, a renewed vision for the tourism industry in NL towards 2020.
Judy Sparkes-Giannou is also the recipient of the President’s Award from the Newfoundland & Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs (NLOWE). The Board of Directors presents this prestigious award to a person that has exhibited significant leadership characteristics in supporting and enhancing entrepreneurship for women. Atlantic Business Magazine named Judy as one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEO’s and she was identified by Progress Magazine as one of the top 25 people to watch in the Atlantic Region.
Peter Antle
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador representative
Peter Antle is the General Manager of the Greenwood Inn & Suites (Fortis Properties) located in Corner Brook since 2006. Currently he serves on the HNL Policy Committee and is a member of the Western DMO.
His work career spans from roles with the federal and provincial governments, health care sector, sport tourism, and resort development. As a volunteer, Peter has been active within the tourism sector as an organizer of multi-sport adventure racing events, MuchMusic Snow Job, the Corner Brook ITU Triathlon World Cup and Ironman Newfoundland events. Currently, he is an active community volunteer with Rotary and Scouts Canada.
Barry Rogers
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador representative
Barry Rogers is the owner and president of Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours in Twillingate and St. John's, recipient of the 2011 Tourism Atlantic Technology Award.
Barry brings experience from multiple industries to the NL Tourism Board. He is an award winning Enrolment Director with the Newfoundland & Labrador branch of Canadian Scholarship Trust Consultants Inc. For the past 34 years, he has pioneered the oldest and most successful RESP provider in Canada in multiple regions: Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Yukon. He continues to provide services that will enable post-secondary students across eastern and northern Canada to lead our country to a better future.
Descended from a long line of seafarers, Barry grew up on Twillingate Island where he learned to love and respect the ocean. This upbringing led him to start Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours in Twillingate in 1999. The honesty, conscientiousness, and friendliness he developed in the financial world uniquely prepared him for tourism. He has since dedicated himself to providing life-changing experiences and encounters with true Newfoundland and Labrador culture to all of his guests. Barry has grown his business, with expansion into St. John's Harbourfront, into one of the province's largest and most successful boat tour operations. For over ten years, he has provided culturally immersive oceanic experiences to visitors as they search for icebergs and whales in two of Newfoundland and Labrador's most popular tourist destinations.
Barry is also a board member of Adventure Central, Central Newfoundland's Destination Management Organization.
Maria Matthews
Chair, Go Western Newfoundland
Maria Matthews brings over 16 years tourism experience and currently owns and operates Vision The Atlantic Canada Co. - A receptive wholesale Tour Operator that specializes in packaging and selling Atlantic Canada Travel product to the International Travel Trade. She has also recently started with 2 other partners M3B/Visit Humber Valley a marketing company that operates 25 chalets at Humber Valley Resort.
Since graduating from the Southampton University in 1992 with a Tourism Management BA (Hons) Degree she worked for 7 years for British Airways and British Airways Holidays before emigrating from the UK to NL 9 years ago.
She is the current chair of the Western Destination Marketing Organization, was up until this February - the vice president of HNL and served for 5 years as the industry rep on behalf of NL for ACTP (Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership). She was also a steering committee member of the Provincially led product development study as well as the Winter tourism strategy.
Doug Loucks
Chair, Destination St. John's
Doug Loucks is General Manager of the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre in St. John’s. This is Atlantic Canada’s largest convention hotel and the flagship hotel of Fortis Properties who own and operate an additional 22 hotels across Canada.
Doug accepted his position in the summer of 2007 and relocated his family to Newfoundland from Ontario. Doug has led the hotel to three consecutive “Franchise Hotel of the Year” Awards (2008, 2009 and 2010) as distinguished by Delta Hotels. This award is given to the franchise hotel that best exemplifies customer service excellence balanced by strong financial results. Recently, Doug joined the tourism board as the Chair of Destination St. John’s after completing two years as Vice-Chair.
From 2000 to 2007 Doug and his family resided in Sarnia, Ontario where he managed the Holiday Inn. Doug was an active member of the community, chairing Tourism Sarnia Lambton for three terms. He was recognized by the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce as the “Leader of the Year” in 2005. Along with his team he accepted additional Chamber awards including: “Guest Service for large companies”, “Employee Relations for large companies” and an “Outstanding Business Achievement Award”. Under his leadership, the Holiday Inn Sarnia also accepted two “Awards of Excellence” in customer service as awarded by Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts. In Sarnia, Doug oversaw an aggressive capital expenditure program that grew the Holiday Inn by 50%; in terms of rooms and convention space to solidify its spot as the number one hotel in the Sarnia-Lambton region.
Doug is a graduate of George Brown College’s (Toronto) Hotel Management Program. He began his career with Canadian Pacific Hotels and Resort (Fairmont Hotels) and recognized early on a passion for Food and Beverage. Prior to becoming a General Manager, Doug was a Food and Beverage Director and in 2000 he was acknowledged as “Best of the Best” (Director) in North America by Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts.
Doug and his family have embraced the province of Newfoundland and Labrador as their new home and have become ambassadors and tourists exploring this great province coast to coast and engaging in all of the culture and beauty that it has to offer.
Trevor Stuber
Chair, Eastern Destination Management Organization
Trevor Stuber is the General Manager of The View Golf Resort, a family owned business located in Princeton.
Trevor’s involvement in the tourism industry is extensive. He currently is the Interim Chair of the newly established Eastern Destination Management Organization Inc. Board of Directors, Chair of Golf Newfoundland and Labrador and Chair of the Atlantic Chapter of the National Golf Course Owners Association. In 2007-2008 Trevor held a position as director with Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador.
Trevor is passionate and committed to the potential for tourism development in Newfoundland and Labrador and firmly believes that working together through partnerships with industry stakeholders is the key to providing quality experiences and services and increasing visitation to this province.
Peggy Hamilton
Chair, Adventure Central Newfoundland
Karen Skinner
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Newfoundland and Labrador office
Karen Skinner is the Director, Enterprise Development with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). During her career with ACOA, Karen has been involved in the design and management of programs aimed at stimulating economic and community development within Newfoundland and Labrador. She has been involved in a volunteer capacity with many organizations including the Board of Governors of the College of the North Atlantic, Economic Development Committee with the City of St. Johns and is current Chair of the Board of Directors of Shallaway, Newfoundland and Labrador Youth in Chorus.
Judith Hearn
Deputy Minister, Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
Mary Taylor-Ash
Assistant Deputy Minister, Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
Mary Taylor-Ash is the Assistant Deputy Minister of Tourism. She has extensive experience within the tourism industry, including having served as Executive Director of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador; Director of Sales and Marketing, and Director of Human Resources, with The Fairmont Newfoundland; Manager of Projects and Programs, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador; and, Sales Manager, Air Atlantic - Canadian Airlines. In 2001, she received Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador’s Golden Umbrella Award for contribution to professional development in the tourism industry.
Rita Malone
Assistant Deputy Minister (Regional Development), Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development
Rita Malone was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, Regional Operations, Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development in August/2004. Ms. Malone joined the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1985, after an eight year career in Branch Management with a major commercial bank serving in branches in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Since joining government, she has held a number of progressively responsible positions throughout government including management positions with the Department of Transportation and Communications, Public Service Commission with responsibility for Western Newfoundland and Labrador regions. She has been involved in economic and community development in senior management positions with Newfoundland and Labrador Development Corporation, Department of Development and Rural Renewal and Department of Industry, Trade and Rural Development. Ms. Malone has been involved in a number of volunteer leadership positions at provincial and national level including Chamber of Commerce, 1999 Canada Winter Games Board of Governors, Chair of Apparel Industry Development Conferences for Atlantic Canada, and Bid Chair for national and international sporting events including International Commonwealth Judo, Alpine Canada Ski Bid and is former long time Chair of Western Memorial Hospital Foundation, as well as held other executive positions for charitable organizations including the Diabetes’s Association.
