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May 2007 |  |
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VANCOUVER TOP NORTH AMERICAN CITY FOR INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS |
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The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), has rated Vancouver North America's top destination for international meetings. This report evaluates cities based on the number of international meetings hosted in the previous year. Vancouver hosted 50 meetings in 2006, placing it 24th internationally, well ahead of Toronto, San Francisco, New York City and Seattle. The next highest ranked North American cities were Boston and Montreal, which tied for an international position of 44. According to Stan Hagen, British Columbia's Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, the ranking represents a major achievement by Vancouver and B.C.'s tourism industry as a whole. "This designation confirms Vancouver's reputation and appeal among international meeting planners". Read the news release |
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| VANCOUVER HOSTED WORLD URBAN FORUM WINS TOP GREEN AWARD | |||
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The Vancouver hosted, World Urban Forum 3 took home top honors at the IMEX Green Meeting Awards held April 18. Hosted by UN-Habitat and the Government of Canada, the six-day, 10,000 participants Word Urban Forum 3, held at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre (VCEC) from June 19 to 23, was awarded the prestigious gold award for being the greenest meeting in 2006. The green-mandated conference instigated an environmentally friendly procurement strategy, focused on waste minimization, and set out to be carbon neutral. The conference organizers also set stringent environmental requirements for the venue, and the VCEC was chosen for its exemplary set of green features including seawater cooling systems, low flow toilets, an organic waste recycling program, re-useable glassware and the use of green certified housekeeping and cleaning products. This award confirms Vancouver's prominence as a green meeting destination and demonstrates that Vancouver's significant meetings and conventions industry need not conflict with our city's environmental sensibilities. http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/press.php?action=showstory&newsid=130 |
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| GLOBAL WARMING TOUR OF DISAPPEARING GLACIER | |||
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Want to see climate change in action? In June and July Whistler Blackcomb is offering climate change tours on the Horstman Glacier. Glaciers are the most sensitive ecosystems for temperature change. The 37.5 hectare Horstman Glacier has lost about 9 percent of its mass in the last decade. http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=6d1fc7ad-bafa-4315-9981-f6d67debe4ce&k=76039 |
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| OLYMPICS GO GREEN | |||
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Leading the way to an environmentally friendly Winter Olympic Games, VANOC has implemented the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. These buildings will maximize use of power and heat sources that produce zero greenhouse gas emissions into the environment. Each venue will have recycling facilities and will work with local municipalities to pursue leading-edge waste strategies, both for the Games and after. http://www.vancouver2010.com/en |
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| SUSTAINABLE SALMON | |||
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The story of the salmon's journey is an arduous and bittersweet one. Every year during September and October, sockeye salmon return to the quiet banks of the Adams River to spawn and then die. Recent studies have shown that each year, the salmon population declines. In response, Armstrong Group (owners of Rocky Mountaineer Vacations and Gray Line West) has announced a long-term financial partnership with the Pacific Salmon Foundation. Over the next eight years, they will contribute $400,000 to support the foundation in conservation, restoration, community awareness and education. The company offers guests an experience that is truly connected to the land and communities in which they operate, as both Rocky Mountaineer and Whistler Mountaineer trains, as well as Gray Line West motor coach routes, follow some of the largest and most important salmon runs in North America, particularly along the Fraser River. www.rockymountaineer.com www.thinksalmon.com |
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| ECOmmodation | |||
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The Hotel Association of Canada's ECOmmodation Rating Program is a graduated rating system designed to recognize hotels, motels, and resorts that are committed to improving their fiscal and environmental performance. Based on the results of a comprehensive environmental audit, hoteliers are awarded a 1-5 green key rating and given guidance on how to "unlock" opportunities to reduce operating costs and environmental impacts through reduced utility consumption, employee training, and supply chain management. The more keys the better. www.hacgreenhotels.com/home/default.asp
The Green Hotel Plus Award
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| 100-MILE DIET CUTS "TRAVEL MILES" FOR FOOD | |||
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When the average North American sits down to eat, each ingredient has typically traveled at least 1,500 miles. In 2005, two Vancouver journalists, Alisa Smith and James MacKinnon, chose to confront this unsettling statistic with a simple experiment. For one year, they would buy or gather their food and drink from within 100 miles of their Vancouver apartment. Their "100-Mile Diet" struck a deeper chord than anyone could have predicted. Within weeks, reprints of their blog at thetyee.ca had appeared on sites across the internet. Then came the media, from BBC Worldwide to Utne magazine. Now, the duo has released a book entitled The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating. While this started in Vancouver, the movement has spread throughout the world as people try to tackle issues around food and the environment.
Visitors wanting to experience the 100-Mile Diet firsthand need look no further than Vancouver's Raincity Grill and their "100-Mile Tasting Menu" which is comprised of ingredients all from within 100 miles of the restaurant. www.100milediet.org www.raincitygrill.com |
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| IF YOU LOVE SEAFOOD - AND THE OCEANS - CHOOSE OCEAN WISE | |||
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British Columbia is known for its fresh, high quality seafood. Ocean Wise is a Vancouver Aquarium conservation program created to help restaurants and their customers make environmentally friendly seafood choices. To be sure you're making the most responsible seafood choices, look for the Ocean Wise symbol on menus at the 39 participating restaurants. It's your assurance that a seafood dish has been guaranteed ocean-friendly by the Vancouver Aquarium. So now you can enjoy a great meal - while doing your part to protect our oceans. www.vanaqua.org/conservation/oceanwise/home.html |
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| SEE YOU THERE! | |||
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May 16: See Wendy Surkan at the New York Society of Association Executives (NYSAE) monthly meeting held at the Affinia Manhattan. Tourism Vancouver, the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre and the Canadian Tourism Commission are sponsoring the luncheon. The meeting includes a full day Membership Management Institute designed for designed specifically for CEOs, Presidents, Executive Directors, Deputy Directors and Membership Directors. NYSAE's Annual General Meeting will be held over the Vancouver sponsored luncheon.
May 17: Bronwyn Slade will be conducting her Annual May Sales Mission to Southern California and Arizona with Tourism Vancouver convention hotel members targeting both corporate and association clients via one on one sales calls. In addition, the team will be attending Meetings Market Academy & Exhibition in Arizona May 21: Wendy Surkan will be attending Experient's "Meet with Success" educational and networking event in New York City at the Hilton New York. June 3-5: Richard Yore will be traveling to Meeting & Incentive tradeshow, Meeting Place Mexico in Puerto Vallarta June 3-5. As North American Chapter Chair of the International Congress & Convention Association, Richard has been invited to be a part of the panel discussing International Congresses: Revealing the Secrets of Success. Topics include relationships between Convention Bureau (CVB) and Convention Centers, how to build successful meeting proposals using resources of the CVB, convention centre and local Professional Congress Organizers. June 4- 8: Dorte Ottesen is participating in a series of BestCities Client Educational Workshops in Geneva, Brussels and Paris in cooperation with the convention centers from the BestCities. Jillian Smith will be representing Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre. The clients are decision makers from international associations based in the 3 cities, and the workshop is focusing on attendance building and cooperation with destination marketing companies. |
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| LOOK WHO'S COMING TO VANCOUVER | |||
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September 16th, 2007: LifeSport Coaching recently announced that Vancouver will host the third stop on the new Subaru West Coast Triathlon Series. The Subaru Vancouver International Half-Iron will be staged in the magnificent setting of the Spanish Banks Beaches with views of the downtown Vancouver skyline and the picturesque North Shore Mountains.
Peter Ladner, Vancouver City Councilor and Honorary Chairman of the Event, stated "This will be the only half-iron man triathlon in Canada held in an urban setting and a key event in helping Vancouver achieve its goal of being 20% more active by the 2010 Olympic Games." The event will feature local and international elite athletes as well as amateur participants from across North America. Jasper Blake, 2006 Iron man Canada Champion, said "The timing of this event is perfect as it will provide an opportunity for many athletes in North America to cap off their season with a great race. It will also be an excellent preparation race for the athletes competing in the Hawaii Iron man in October." |
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