Speakers

Keynote Speaker

Arthur DeJong

Arthur DeJong has been with Whistler Blackcomb for more than 25 years. Through various roles including Ski Patrol Manager and Mountain Operations Manager for Blackcomb, Arthur has gained an exceptional familiarity with our mountain terrain and a deep understanding of the workings of the mountain ecosystem.

Arthur pioneered work in the area of environmental planning on Whistler Blackcomb which has led him to his current position of Mountain Planning and Environmental Resource Manager. In this role, Arthur works to marry planning techniques that both improve the guest experience and respect the natural environment.

Arthur has been an active member of the Whistler community for many years and believes that the key to effective planning is openness and community involvement. Arthur is currently active in numerous community social and environmental groups. He also dedicates volunteer time to crisis line counseling and international aid programs.

Arthur is also a founding member of the BC Sustainable Tourism Collective - and is the Mountain Planning and Environmental Resource Manager for Whistler/Blackcomb.  He has spoken all over the world and here is a link for an interview he did in DAVOS.  http://www.travelmole.tv/watch_vdo.php?id=589. 

Dr. Klaus W. Roth
Head of Strategy and Olympic Tourism Marketing
Travel Alberta Government

Klaus has over 40 years experience in the private and public sector in national and international markets.

No stranger to our industry, he served for ten years as Director of Marketing at Tourism Yukon and as a member of  the ATMC.

Klaus was also a member of several CTC Committees and Vice chair of TIAC.

He is now the Head of Strategy at Travel Alberta where he was Portfolio Manager for The Americas for over nine years.

Natalie Lauzon, Marketing Manager, Overseas
Canadian Tourism Commission

Natalie Lauzon presently works at the Canadian Tourism Commission as a Marketing Manager, Overseas. The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) is a crown corporation of the Canadian government dedicated to promoting the growth and profitability of the Canadian tourism industry by marketing Canada as a desirable travel destination and providing timely and accurate information to the Canadian tourism industry to assist in its decision-making.

Natalie’s role within the marketing department includes providing leadership, advice and recommendations for the development of marketing strategies and priorities of the Board of Directors, the President and CTC executive management for the Asia-Pacific Program supporting marketing strategies for Japan, South Korea, China and Australia and Europe supporting Germany, the UK and France.  Natalie leads the business development of existing and new business lines and plans and manages business development and initiatives for a multi-million dollar, integrated program to attract matching partnership investment for the promotion of Canada to the Asia-Pacific and European markets as a desirable tourism and travel destination.

Deirdre Campbell, Owner
Tartan Group

The owner of The Tartan Group, Deirdre has been a communications professional in Canada for 18 years.  She has helped a variety of businesses and organizations become more sustainable and substantially raise their community, national and international profile through marketing communications and public relations including reputation management, stakeholder relations, media relations, event management, advertising, promotion and community partnerships. Deirdre’s success at working with numerous stakeholder groups has provided her with a solid reputation as a strategic communications planner.

In 2003, Deirdre completed her MBA in PR/Communications through Royal Roads University and the focus of her MBA Occupational Consulting Project was the development of a culinary tourism program for Tourism BC.   Another achievement is helping create the BC Sustainable Tourism Collective, a  group of six influential tourism operators founded on the vision that travel within B.C. can foster appreciation and stewardship for the natural environment, regions and communities.
Today, Deirdre and her team have offices in Victoria and Vancouver as well as a growing partnership in Melbourne, Australia.  Together, they help businesses build a more sustainable future using strategic communications and robust consumer research.   http://www.tartangroup.ca/

Pierre Germain - Director
Yukon Government – Department of
Tourism & Culture - Tourism Branch

Pierre Germain was appointed Director of Tourism for the Department of Tourism and Culture (Tourism Yukon) April 1, 2005 and is responsible for all aspects of tourism marketing, product development and research for the Yukon Government. Since joining the Department of Tourism and Culture in 1991, Mr. Germain has held a number of positions including Director of Marketing, Manager of Travel Trade, Marketing Officer North America and Market Research Officer. Born and raised in the Yukon, he is a graduate of the University of Victoria and the British Columbia Institute of Technology.  Prior to joining the Yukon Government Pierre held a variety of management positions within the cruise tour and accommodation sectors.

Mr. Germain has held a number of positions on numerous committees including the Canadian Tourism Commission’s US Leisure, Asia/Pacific and European Executive committees, the Alaska Travel Industry Association’s Marketing Committee, the Tourism Alliance for Western and Northern Canada, the Canada’s North Tourism Marketing Partnership, the 2007 Canada Winter Games National Marketing Campaign and numerous marketing committees within the Yukon including the Yukon Tourism Marketing Partnership, the Senior Marketing Committee, the Yukon Convention Bureau and the Wilderness Tourism Association of the Yukon.

Denny Kobayashi - CAE,  Manager of Marketing Operations – The Americas
Yukon Government – Department of Tourism & Culture – Tourism Branch

Mr. Kobayashi has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration, holds a post-graduate professional designation as a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and is currently enrolled in the Master of Arts – Tourism Management Program at Royal Roads University.

Born and raised in Winfield, British Columbia, Mr. Kobayashi moved to the Yukon in 1980 living in the communities of Whitehorse and Dawson City.  He is the proud father of three young women who were born and raised in the Yukon.

Mr. Kobayashi worked in the retail food industry for twenty years, including eight years as the owner-operator of retail supermarkets in Denver, Colorado, Prince Rupert B.C. and two businesses in Dawson City, Yukon.   Mr. Kobayashi has worked in senior management positions in the non-profit sector for more than ten years.  Prior to joining the Government of Yukon in April 2000, Mr. Kobayashi was the Executive Director and CEO of the Klondike Visitors Association in Dawson City, Yukon responsible to manage the Association’s business interests that included Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino and the Palace Grand Theatre as well as functioning as the Director of Marketing.

In his current position Mr. Kobayashi is responsible for all Tourism marketing activities in North and Latin America including trade and consumer marketing campaigns, websites, advertising programs, print collateral, media, public relations and photography.  Mr. Kobayashi represents the Government of Yukon – Department of Tourism & Culture on several national and international committees including the Canadian Tourism Commission’s – Americas Leisure Committee, Canada’s E-Marketing Council, Yukon Tourism Marketing Partnership – Senior Marketing Committee, Tourism North and co-chairs the Yukon Government’s 2010 Interdepartmental Committee.

Mr. Kobayashi currently leads the team that implements the Yukon Brand Strategy, Interactive Strategy and develops Tourism Yukon’s Three-Year Strategic Plan for North and Latin America.

Shannon McNevin- Product Development Officer
Tourism Product Development & Research - Yukon Tourism & Culture

Shannon McNevin, began working with the Department of Tourism and Culture in the marketing unit in 2003 until she received a full time position in 2005 with the product development and research unit. She was employed in the hospitality sector for many years and has been working in the tourism industry for the past 12 years with the majority of those in private sector. She has extensive inbound/receptive tour operator experience packaging and selling products to Yukon and Alaska and the rest of Canada. She gladly shares this insight with those venturing into the business of tourism. She also administers the Product Development Partnership Program and works closely with Yukon's tourism associations on projects that are a benefit to Yukon's tourism industry as a whole.