January 11, 2011
Province Appoints New Chair to Travel Manitoba
Culture, Heritage and Tourism Minister Flor Marcelino today welcomed Bob Sparrow as the incoming board chair of Travel Manitoba.
“Mr. Sparrow is a long-standing member of Manitoba’s business community,” said Marcelino. “Throughout the years, he has played an active role in the province’s tourism industry and I am pleased he has accepted the challenge of serving as chair.”
Sparrow and his family are the owners and operators of the Inn at the Forks and the Norwood Hotel. He is chair of the finance committee for the Manitoba Hotel Association and is a member of the board of directors of Economic Development Winnipeg. For the past 17 years, he has served as chair of the board of directors of Venture Manitoba Tours Ltd., a provincial government-owned corporation responsible for management of the Falcon Lake Golf Course in Whiteshell Provincial Park.
Marcelino also thanked Paul Robson, the former chair and current president of the Red River Exhibition, for all his work over the years as chair of Travel Manitoba.
“I also wish to thank our outgoing chair, Paul Robson, for his valued contributions and insights during his term,” said Marcelino. “Mr. Robson was instrumental in the establishment of Travel Manitoba as a crown corporation in 2005 and we appreciate his integrity, professionalism and commitment to the success of the tourism industry in Manitoba.”
Marcelino said she was confident that Sparrow, along with the Travel Manitoba board of directors, will continue the good work of his predecessor by providing leadership and feedback to government as he works to expand Manitoba’s share of the tourism marketplace.
Marcelino also welcomed Travel Manitoba’s new chief executive officer Colin Ferguson. Ferguson replaces Hubert Mesman who recently retired.
Travel Manitoba, a crown agency, is responsible for tourism marketing, visitor information services, product development, research and public information. Manitoba’s tourism industry contributes approximately $1.2 billion to the provincial economy and employs 15,000 Manitobans.
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