ATR ASSOCIÉES DU QUÉBEC ANNOUNCES THE FINALISTS FOR THE 2014 GRAND PRIX DU TOURISME QUÉBÉCOIS

Congratulations to Station touristique Val Saint-Côme, a finalist in the Campings and outdoor, sports and leisure sites category.

ATR associés du Québec, the provincial network of regional tourism associations (ATR), announced this morning the finalists for the 28th edition of the Grands Prix du tourisme québécois (GPTQ) competition. These prestigious tourism awards will be presented at the national gala on May 13 in Laval. The GPTQ awards recognize the innovative achievements of tourism companies and organizations, as well as the work of employees who have distinguished themselves among their peers.

This year, 144 companies, organizations and individuals are finalists in 19 categories, including Tourism Personality. The members of the national jury, whose identity will be revealed at the gala, nominated up to eight finalists for each competition category. They chose from regional winners in categories such as "agritourism and regional products", "tourist attractions", "campgrounds and outdoor, sports and leisure sites", "ecotourism and adventure tourism", "tourism festivals and events", "lodging", "tourism services" and "human resources"; however, there are 12 contenders for the title of Tourism personality. The complete list of nominees is appended to this press release and published on www.GPTQ.ca.

Evaluation of applications
To accomplish their task, the jury members evaluated the entries by awarding 60 points for innovation, whether in the development of the offering, marketing or management, 20 points for the company's overall competitiveness, and 20 points for respect for sustainable development. "To grow, Quebec's tourism industry must rely on the willingness and ability of businesses to enhance the visitor experience, which is why constant innovation is so important. That's why so many points are allocated to innovation results when scoring a candidate's file," mentioned Mr. François-G. Chevrier, President and CEO of ATR associés du Québec. For the categories dedicated to human resources, the evaluation of applications focuses primarily on the candidate's achievements.

Generous support
Such an evening would not be possible without the support of our valued partners. ATR associés du Québec would like to thank its loyal collaborator, Tourisme Québec, as well as its partners, including Bell Media, Rogers Publishing, La Presse, Québecor Media and the Société des casinos du Québec, whose generous contributions ensure the prestige and notoriety of the GPTQ Gala. ATR associés du Québec congratulates all the nominees. The names of the gold, silver and bronze winners and the tourism personality will be revealed throughout the evening of May 13 on Twitter with the keyword #GPTQ2014. Tickets for the national gala, to be held at the Sheraton Laval Hotel, are available now at www.atrassociees.com/fr/gala.

 Here are our 6 national finalists:
Agrotourism and regional products category : Vignoble Saint-GabrielSaint-Gabriel-de-Brandon
Category Campsites and outdoor, sports and leisure facilities : Val Saint-Côme tourist resort, Saint-Côme
Festivals and tourism events category - budget under $300,000 $ : Terrebonne Wine and History FestivalTerrebonne
Festivals and tourism events category - budget from 300,000 $ to 1 M $ : Fêtes Gourmandes de LanaudièreSaint-Jacques
Lodging category: 40 to 149 units: Impéria Hôtel et suites, Terrebonne
Lodging category Outfitters : Lac Saint-Pierre OutfitterSaint-Ignace-de-Loyola

 Congratulations to all and the best of luck at the national gala!

About the Grands Prix du tourisme québécois
Created in 1985, the Grands Prix du tourisme québécois highlight the efforts and dynamism of companies working in the tourism industry, while officially recognizing their exceptional contribution to positioning Quebec as a quality tourist destination.

About ATR associés du Québec and ATRs
ATR associées du Québec is a non-profit organization that brings together 21 of the 22 regional tourism associations (ATRs). It represents the collective interests of the RTAs and offers them a range of services. ATR associées du Québec also implements three tourism signage programs as an agent of Tourisme Québec and the Ministère des Transports du Québec. The ATRs represent more than 9,700 businesses and organizations in all sectors of the tourism industry: accommodation, food and beverage, tourist attractions, convention centers, cultural events, etc. As the preferred regional tourism contacts for the Quebec government and Tourisme Québec, the ATRs are responsible for regional coordination, promotion, development, hospitality and information within their territories. They contribute to the development and enhancement of the Quebec tourism industry for the benefit of all Quebec regions.

Source :
Associated ATRs of Quebec
François-G. Chevrier
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
450 686-8358, ext. 23 (office)
514 993-2746 (cell)

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