Tourism Partner Recognized for Innovation
SAINT JOHN (NB) - One of Port Saint John’s tourism partners has been given an international award for innovation.Locally-owned tourism operator Aquila has been awarded the inaugural Tour-Smart Trophy by online travel magazine Tour-Smart for their innovation and leadership. The award will be announced officially on Friday on the site www.tour-smart.co.uk.The award recognizes tourism operators for innovation that benefits world-wide travel. Aquila’s Center for Cruise Excellence offers training programs to help tour operators and cruise destinations around the world achieve excellence in the cruise industry. This award recognizes Aquila’s Online Tour Guide Training and International Certification, which currently has guides enrolled from South Polynesia to Greenland and throughout the Caribbean."We were thrilled and honoured to be recognized globally for the work Aquila's Center for Cruise Excellence is doing training tour guides around the world," Aquila owner Beth Kelly Hatt said from the 2013 Cruise Shipping Miami conference and tradeshow.Speaking about the international recognition received by Aquila, Port Saint John President & CEO Jim Quinn, said, “this global recognition of excellence Aquila was awarded once again raises the bar in Saint John. The training program is based on a solid track-record operating out of this Port and experiences garnered in 25 solid years of cruise tourism in our city and region.” Like the Aquila team, Quinn was speaking from Cruise Shipping Miami where Port officials are busy promoting the city as a destination.A report released earlier this week by the Northwest and Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) shows 1,100 cruise ship calls in 2012 generated $2.38 billion in economic spinoffs. The report also shows Port Saint John is fourth in the country by passenger traffic.Both the Tour-Smart award and report speak to the mutual benefits of promoting cruise tourism in our region.
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