OTTAWA, March 20, 2024—Yesterday evening, Ottawa Tourism welcomed members of the local tourism community for the second iteration of the Shine On Awards to recognize customer service excellence and celebrate the frontline tourism industry. The event was held at the Canadian Museum of History and included a networking event attended by Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, followed by an awards presentation.
Award presenters included The Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Federal Minister of Tourism; Stefanie Siska, C’est Bon Ottawa Co-owner, President and General Manager and Ottawa Tourism Board Chair; and Steve Ball, President of the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association.
The Shine On Awards were developed by Ottawa Tourism to recognize excellent service in all areas of frontline hospitality. A panel of industry experts evaluated the nominations that were collected during the 2023 calendar year and decided on the winners for each category, as well as a final Shine On Grand Prize Winner for customer service excellence.
The following winners were recognized for their exceptional service:
- Amisha Chudasama, from The Westin Ottawa, in the “Exceptional Leadership” category.
- RaeAnn Davey, from Fulton’s Sugar Bush and Maple Shop, in the “Exceptional Service: Attraction” category.
- Sirma Martineau, from Delta Hotels by Marriott Ottawa City Centre, in the “Exceptional Service: Festival/Banquet/Event” category.
- Ryan Taylor, from Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market, in the “Exceptional Service: Guest Relations” category.
- Maureen Clawson, from Hyatt Place Ottawa West, in the “Exceptional Service: Heart of House” category.
- Nikolay Stanchulov, from Les Suites Ottawa, in the “Exceptional Service: Hotel” category.
- Zooyoun Kim, from Dhruvees Restaurant, in the “Exceptional Service: Restaurant/Culinary” category.
- Megan Williams, from Ottawa Yacht Tours, in the “Exceptional Service: Tour Services” category.
The Shine On Awards Overall Grand Prize went to Nikolay Stanchulov. A skilled Front Desk Agent at Les Suites Ottawa, Nikolay consistently demonstrates outstanding guest service and commitment. His willingness to answer last-minute calls and provide exceptional service, even in challenging situations, has created lasting experiences for hotel guests. Nikolay enjoys incorporating thoughtful gestures whenever he can to ensure guests have a memorable stay. In recognition of his dedication, the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association awarded him a two-night stay at a hotel of his choice. This well-deserved opportunity will allow him to rest and relax for a weekend and explore downtown Ottawa.
“Our tourism industry is showing great strength as we enter an renewed era of growth, and our wonderful frontline staff is key in delivering excellent visitor experiences every day,” says Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “We are pleased to continue to provide this opportunity for employers to acknowledge and celebrate the excellent work their staff do to enhance the success and reputation of our destination, in the presence of industry colleagues and partners.”
The Shine On Program includes the Shine On Awards as well as the Shine On Academy, an online training tool including customer service best practices, destination knowledge and information about the tourism industry. Ottawa Tourism encourages member organizations to nominate their employees for a 2024 Shine On Award. Nominations are now open! Visit www.ShineOnOttawa.ca for more information.
You can find and download photos recapping the event by following the link below.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ottawatourism/albums/72177720315557787/
Courtesy of Ottawa Tourism.
About Ottawa Tourism
Through its values of inclusivity, trust, collaboration, and innovation, Ottawa Tourism pursues its vision to be one of Canada’s most visited, sustainable, vibrant, and appealing urban destinations, as well as the tourism authority for key economic development and city-building decisions in Ottawa. Before the pandemic, the industry welcomed an estimated 11 million visitors annually and generated $3 billion in economic output.
For more information, please contact:
Jérôme Miousse
Director, Public Affairs
corporate@ottawatourism.ca
