ROCKY HARBOUR —Turning Gros Morne into an outdoor classroom has netted a national award for a local tourism agency.
The Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism received the 2013 National Leadership Award from the Responsible Travel and Tourism Forum. The forum recognizes organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to socially, economically and environmentally responsible practices within the tourism industry.
The not-for-profit institute is based in Rocky Harbour and offers various training programs for tour operators throughout Atlantic Canada. It was founded in 2003.
“For us, I think it legitimizes what we do,” said Jonathan Foster, the institute’s executive director. “It helps us personally to get people outside our region to recognize us for doing something nationally that is relevant, not just for our region, but for tourism all across the country.”
Foster called the award a testament to the hard work that the staff of not just the institute, but of the institute’s partners: Parks Canada and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.
