It is being described as the best annual general meeting the Northern BC Tourism Association has had in its six year history, and it happened last weekend in Masset.
"I'm extremely tired but extremely ecstatic," organizer Shirley Kricheldorf said, "it couldn't have been better, the weather was shining on Masset."
About 55 delegates from the northern part of the province and elsewhere arrived on the islands last Thursday evening, ready for a day of touring on Friday and the association's annual general meeting Saturday, followed by more tours.
The event has been in the works since Masset convinced the association to come a year ago, and it went off without a hitch, including the best weather of the month.
"Everybody went away from here happier than you know what," organizer Casey Jarvis said, "We had a few say it was the best agm they have ever attended. It was wonderful."
On Friday, delegates and their spouses visited Port Clements, Tlell and Skidegate before returning to Masset. Then, on Saturday, after the meeting, they had the chance to visit Tow Hill, Old Massett, the Dixon Entrance Maritime Museum, and play golf or take a bike tour.
"The tours were great, they had a chance to see much of the islands, they loved what they saw and they'll be back," Ms Kricheldorf said, adding that there is going be some economic spinoff from the meeting. Not only were the delegates impressed with the islands, they were impressed with some local products and there is now talk of setting up a retail store near Prince Rupert's cruise ship dock to sell products from the islands. As well, several local producers made good regional contacts.
Some highlights, and there were many-the fabulous crab dinner donated by West Coast Fishing Club, the $350 Miss Teen Haida Gwaii Leigh-Anna Jones raised for the run for breast cancer, taking place tomorrow (Friday) in Vancouver, and, for Casey Jarvis at least, "when everybody literally everybody shook our hands and said what a wonderful job, what a wonderful place."
Delegates included Prince Rupert mayor Herb Pond, Glenn Saunders of the Cow Bay Merchants Association, Darryl Tucker of Hawkair, April Moi of the Northern Rockies Alaska Highway Tourism Association, Grant Piffer of Shames Mountain Ski Corp., and Frank Wilps, Yukon Government-Tourism, among others.
All in all, a great weekend for Masset and for the islands. "They said we raised the bar for the agm," Shirley Kricheldorf said.