BC Tourism Industry Awards Nominations Now Open

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - July 09, 2015) - Destination BC and the Tourism Industry Association of BC are pleased to open the call for nominations for the 2015 BC Tourism Industry Awards.

These awards recognize excellence in the province's tourism industry. Recipients provide outstanding service, exemplify best business practices and innovative marketing, and deliver tourism experiences that contribute to the success of BC's tourism industry -- which currently generates $13.9 billion in revenue for the province's economy.

Five awards will be handed out at the Tourism Awards Gala, held during the BC Tourism Industry Conference. Award information and nomination forms can be found on the conference website. Submission deadline is September 4, 2015.

The BC Tourism Industry Conference runs from October 19-21, 2015. The conference will offer a variety of keynote speakers, workshops and the Tourism Awards Gala which is on October 20^th. Conference registration will be open on July 13^th.

Tourism is a critical part of BC's economy. The industry is showing excellent growth and has huge opportunity ahead. BC's international overnight visitors grew by 5.3% in 2014. Tourism employed more than 132,000 people in British Columbia in 2013, generating an additional 3,800 new jobs from the previous year.

Quotes:
Marsha Walden, CEO, Destination BC
"We are very excited to see what nominations will be put forward for the 2015 BC Tourism Industry Awards. I encourage tourism business, organizations and individuals from across the province to submit nominations for an opportunity to be recognized by their industry peers."

Jim Humphrey, TIABC Chair, Tourism Industry Association of BC
"The BC Tourism Industry Awards are an important part of the conference -- a chance to recognize the innovation and leadership that our industry is known for. TIABC looks forward to hosting the industry in October."

About Destination BC:
Destination BC is an industry-led Crown corporation that works collaboratively with tourism stakeholders across the province to coordinate marketing at the international, provincial, regional and local levels. For more information about Destination BC's programs and services, please visit: http://www.DestinationBC.ca/

About the Tourism Industry Association of BC:
The Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) advocates for the interests of British Columbia's $13 billion+ tourism economy. As a not-for-profit trade association, TIABC works collaboratively with its members -- private sector tourism businesses, industry associations and destination marketing organizations -- to ensure the best working environment for a competitive tourism industry.

For trip-planning inspiration, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube and Instagram.