Ottawa Tourism is grateful to Jantine Van Kregten, retiring Director of Communications, for her truly remarkable contributions, leadership, and service to Ottawa’s destination organization and whole destination. Currently in her 20th year with the organization, one of Jantine’s many contributions has been acting as the face of the organization vis-à-vis the travel media as well as in many instances, Ottawa’s local news outlets. She developed and ran a highly successful travel media relations program for Ottawa Tourism, resulting in constant and countless pieces of coverage about the many things that make Ottawa an appealing travel destination, inspiring many readers to visit our city.
Among Jantine’s proudest moments include showing off Ottawa to her national and international industry and travel media contacts in 2011 when Ottawa Tourism hosted the Travel Media Association of Canada annual conference; then once again, hosting the Canadian chapter of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) in 2015; and for a hat-trick with the hosting of the 2019 GoMedia Canada conference.
Jantine has cultivated excellent relationships with counterpart tourism organizations, including Destination Ontario, Destination Canada, TIAO, TIAC, and Tourisme Outaouais, as shown through her collaborations on pitches and sales blitzes with Tourisme Outaouais and other partners. Jantine has represented Ottawa globally, including at events in China, Mexico, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and many cities in the United States, and in almost every province in Canada. Jantine was most proud of the work she undertook with Just Food and the City of Ottawa on the establishment of Savour Ottawa, a program to elevate the use and appreciation of food and drink linked to local agriculture.
Jantine intends to assist with the transition to her eventual successor before taking her last day as an active Ottawa Tourism employee on June 7, 2023. Please join Ottawa Tourism in wishing Jantine the very best in her next chapter and thanking her for her outstanding work over the last 20 years. Thank you Jantine!
Ottawa Tourism has restructured the duties of the position and is currently seeking a Senior Manager, Travel Media Relations
