Like the tourism industry itself, the list of participants for the 2012 Canadian Badlands Tourism Development Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) is growing at a rapid pace. After being open for registrations for just one week, over 80 delegates have already registered.
    At the current rate of registration, the conference is on pace to welcome over 200 delegates. At the first Canadian Badlands Tourism Development Conference in 2011, organizers hosted 179 participants.
    “We’re thrilled with the early response” says Executive Director Bob Davis. “We believe this conference offers a lot of opportunity for learning, networking and especially for getting motivated to ‘raise the bar’ in tourism in the Canadian Badlands.”
    The 2012 conference offers a number of highlights including keynote speaker Donald Cooper, a Tourism Readiness workshop for small business, sessions on cluster building and working with media, a showcase of tourism products and stakeholders, and a VIP dinner with Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation Jack Hayden. The entire event will be held in the new Badlands Community Facility in Drumheller.
    The cost to attend the conference is $80 per person and includes lunch, all sessions, reception, dinner and showcase. For more information and to register visit, canadianbadlands.org/conference.