Event Testimonials

FIRST CANADA-E-CONNECT STRATEGY CONFERENCE &

FIRST CANADIAN E-TOURISM AWARDS

Founder, Producer & Chair: Jens Thraenhart

First Canada-e-Connect Strategy Conference (Vancouver, November 2007): Video
First Canadian e-Tourism Awards (Vancouver, November 2007): Video

“The Canada-e-Connect conference brought together an exceptional audience of top-level travel industry professionals — in attendance was the Who’s Who of the Canadian travel industry. The conference delivered an intense series of well-run, information-rich seminars, and a lively, business-oriented networking environment between sessions. We had exactly the conversations we had hoped to have at the conference.

As a platinum sponsor of Canada-e-Connect, Yahoo! Canada was pleased with its speaking opportunities, branding, and booth exposure. Together with the Canadian Tourism Commission, we were also co-sponsors of the industry’s first annual Canadian e-Tourism Awards, hosted by the Canadian e-Tourism Council (where we awarded a rare Yahoo! Big Idea Chair to the best in show), and the after-awards party evening. Both of these events were elegantly executed and very well-attended; in sum, a success for both the attendees and the sponsors.

As a member of the new Canadian e-Tourism Council, I was impressed by the Council’s all-day planning session, chaired by Jens Thraenhart of the Canadian Tourism Commission. The members made clear that the Council will serve an unmet need, enabling an unprecedented forum for cross-industry collaboration to advances the interests of Canadian travel.

This was just the inaugural year of this new conference, but I suspect that it will become a perennial mainstay of the Canadian travel and tourism industry.”

Hunter Madsen, Marketing Director, Yahoo! Canada, Toronto ON

“Jens, I just wanted to let you know that you did a superb job at pulling together the conference. It was a really packed agenda with a nice balance of speakers and panelists. Additionally, the council is a great idea - an excellent way of getting the industry to work together … an example, really.”
Monique Charette, Senior Marketing Advisor, Parks Canada, Ottawa ON

“Jens, I wanted to write to thank you on behalf of UNWTO and to express my personal thanks for the superb event you put on. It was professional, profound and lots of fun – a perfect combination.”

Geoffrey Lipman, Assistant Secretary General, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Madrid Spain

“Jens, congratulations to you and your team for a very well delivered event last week.  I was struck by how engaged the delegates were, and how timely and relevant the conference content was for them.  Many people noted what a great ‘first’ effort it was – but I think it was a great effort by any standard.  Bravo!”

Michele McKenzie, President& CEO, Canadian Tourism Commission, Vancouver BC

“Fantastic job!  Great conference.  Feedback from all quarters was very positive.  Big kudos.” Joel Peters, Chief Marketing Officer, Tourism Toronto

“I just want to take this opportunity, while sitting at the airport this morning, to THANK YOU and your TEAM for the best and most educational conference! You are absolutely amazing!”

Carol Alderdice, Manager, Web Development Tourism, New Brunswick

“I just wanted to drop you a quick note to congratulate you and your team for putting on a great conference.  I learned a ton about new media and its potential applications for tourism promotion.”

Ted Lee, Chief Financial Officer, Tourism Vancouver

“Congratulations on a very successful Canada E Connect. I cried, laughed, and learned.”

Cameron Spence, International Portfolio Manager, Travel Alberta

“I just wanted to send a note of congratulations on running a very informative conference. You had such a smooth operation going. Anyway, wonderful conference.”

Alastair Smith, Outside the Cube, Yukon

“It was a great opportunity for me to be invited at the conference and to learn and be inspired from the industry experts. I deeply appreciate and would like to give thanks to you and all the staff. Jens, your blog has been the source of inspiration and motivation for me.”
Alan Jeon, Winner, Canada-e-Connect Student Competition

“Please accept my sincere congratulations for an outstanding conference. One of the main motivations for an academic like me to attend a conference is the possibility to bring new material that could be used in his/her teaching activities.”
Prof. Dr. François Bédard, Director, International Center for Education and Research, Université du Québec à Montréal, School of Business

Congratulations to Jens and crew - I don’t think that I’ve ever attended a conference that had me thinking so much. It was a welcome energy boost and tremendous opportunity to connect with all of the other E-Council members.
Rick Gaunt, Director of Research and IT, Travel Manitoba

We finished Canada-e-Connect yesterday. I had a great time at the conference. Jens and his team did a fantastic job putting it together. The speakers were excellent, the award show very cool (and short). The people attending diverse and from all over the country.”

William Bakker, Director E-Business, Tourism British Columbia, Vancouver BC

Jens, I just wanted to congratulate you once again on the Conference. I took a lot of feedback and it was all exceptionally positive and full of suggestions for next year… Great job and thank you for including me. For my part, the conference unexpectedly fueled some real passion in me personally and I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
Brian Hewlitt, CIO, iTravel 2000, Toronto ON

Just wanted to say I read Tips from the T-List last night and loved it! Congrats on making such a compelling and insightful book! It’s a must read for the travel digiterti crowd!

Also, thanks for the conference….I wish I could have been there for more, but I was very impressed with what I saw and experienced, and was wishing for more….my hat is tipped to you. Richard Bangs, Author & TV Host, Adventures with Purpose, Los Angeles CA

Thanks for inviting me to participate in such a superb event.

Eric Basha, Industry Managing Director, Worldwide Tourism, Microsoft, Seattle WA

“Jens, thanks again for inviting me to the Canada e-Connect. You did a tremendous job in planning every aspect of the conference. The quality of the speakers and presentations was overall very good. The social events around the conference were also great. In sum it was a great show and I would look forward to participating again in the future.”

Jason Houle, VP Travel, Lixto Software GmbH, Vienna Austria

Congrats on an outstanding initiative. I learned a lot during the event.

Jon Mamela, Director Product and Service Strategy, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Toronto ON

Jens and his team over at Tourism Canada should be very proud of their work in putting on one of the best shows in Travel and Tourism in a long time. Great Content, well manage show and 300 very engaged attendees made it work well. If you get the chance to go next year - I recommend it highly.

Timothy J O’Neil-Dunne, Managing Partner, T2Impact Ltd, Seattle WA

Jens is a rockstar. He doesn’t just plan a conference; he plans a whole party around it. Very cool.

Jeremy Gutsche, CEO, TrendHunter Magazine, Toronto ON