Travel Alberta gave the Jasper Pride Festival Society a belated birthday present earlier this week, when the one-year-old society was awarded an Alberta Tourism Award (ALTO), Oct. 20.
Jasper Pride was nominated in the category of Marketing Excellence (with a budget of $10,000-$50,000) for its campaign promoting the the fifth annual Jasper Pride Weekend, in partnership with Tourism Jasper. The brand new society, which formed in September 2013 and is run by a handful of dedicated volunteers, was pitted against two of Alberta’s “big players” in the tourism industry: Banff Lake Louise Tourism and Drumheller’s Royal Tyrrell Museum, and despite its underdog status, it came out on top.
“We’re kind of overwhelmed,” said the society’s marketing director, Jörg Michel following the awards. “We never expected to win. We had really, really strong competition with Banff Lake Louise Tourism and the Royal Tyrell Museum—those are two big players and we’re just a teeny tiny society with a few volunteers.
“But when the words were spoken—’Jasper Pride Festival Society’—we were obviously all in cheers and there was a lot of emotion at the table. It was quite something.”
Michel accepted the award on behalf of the society, but he said it belongs to more than just the board and the volunteers, it also belongs to the community of Jasper.
“We’re really proud of our organization and all of the hard work of all of our volunteers. For them it’s an awesome recognition and it’s a big reward, but it’s also great recognition for Jasper as a whole; the whole community won this award—we couldn’t have done it without the community.”
The ALTO awards are held annually during the Travel Alberta Industry Conference in Banff to recognize nine individuals and organizations committed to enriching Alberta’s tourism industry.
Michel said it’s exciting to be recognized among the province’s leading tourism operators and organizations, especially with an event like the Jasper Pride Weekend.
“It’s a huge step for us,” he said, “and it also sends a huge message.
“We’re sending the message that we have a great festival; we’re sending a second message that we are an open and inclusive destination and community; and we’re sending the message that that happens year round.”
Mary Darling, CEO of Tourism Jasper, echoed that sentiment, noting that more than 600 people were in attendance at the awards and they now know—if they didn’t already—that Jasper is open to people of all stripes.
“It’s letting Alberta know, and really the world know, that we’re a community that welcomes everyone.”
As well as the Jasper Pride Festival Society, Alpine Village Cabin Resort was also nominated for two ALTOs: Alberta Pride, and Service Excellence.
Although the resort didn’t take home an award in either category, Darling pointed out that it was a great honour just to be a finalist.
“There was over 70 applications for the awards, that’s the most applications that the conference has ever seen, so even to be a finalist is an absolute honour and to be up there in consideration with some of the major players in the province, it’s just great.”
Nicole Veerman
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