A familiar face at Tourism Timmins has earned a provincial nod.
This week, the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) announced Timmins' manager of tourism and events Guy Lamarche is the recipient of the 2019 Tourism Industry Award of Excellence's Lifetime Achievement Award. He is being honoured alongside Ian McMillan, who is currently the international marketing specialist for Destination Northern Ontario.
"This award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the development and promotion of Ontario’s tourism industry, and established a visible, long-term record of accomplishment that merits special attention. This is the first time that two individuals will be sharing the stage to receive the award at the Ontario Tourism Summit, and this speaks to the power of partnerships which is an important theme at Summit every year," said Beth Potter, TIAO president and CAO, in a news release.
According to the TIAO, Lamarche and McMillan's careers have been linked since 1983 when they first met.
"After being the youngest person hired in Ontario in an executive capacity under the Ontario Travel Association Program, Lamarche has been taking the tourism industry by storm," reads the news release.
"Guy’s strategic marketing plan and programs have not only led to an increased ridership on Northlander, Little Bear and Polar Bear Express, but his vision and success of a Kayak Festival in Timmins has been a template for others to use in the development of similar events around the region."
Lamarche and McMillan will be honoured at a special Lifetime Achievement Award lunch during the 2019 Ontario Tourism Summit the Blue Mountain Village Inn and Conference Centre.
