For immediate release
July 25, 2006

Toronto Tourism Strengthens International Team

Toronto, ON – Tourism Toronto, The Toronto Convention and Visitor Association, today announced two new appointments to strengthen its international team.  Alice Au has been promoted to Director of Sales, International Meetings and Events, and Grace Ping Huang joins as Manager, China Market Development.  Both are critical roles in advancing the Toronto region as a premier global destination for convention and leisure travel.

For the past two years, Alice Au held the position of Account Director, Canadian Associations at Tourism Toronto. She was recognized as the organization’s top performer in 2005 for convention sales.  Prior to Tourism Toronto, Alice dedicated 20 years to the hotel industry in various posts as Director of Catering, Director of Association Sales and Director of Sales and Marketing.  She is an active member of Meeting Professional’s International and the Canadian Society of Association Executives, and is affiliated with the National Association of Catering Executives.  Fluent in English, French, Mandarin and Cantonese, Alice will focus on building Tourism Toronto’s convention sales in the highly competitive international market.
 
In a newly created position as Manager, China Market Development, Ms. Grace Ping Huang joins Tourism Toronto to help advance the organization’s sales and marketing initiatives targeting China.  With two decades of tourism marketing experience, Ms. Huang brings to Tourism Toronto strong knowledge and contacts in the Chinese market. She most recently held the position of Deputy Director, China National Tourist Office in Toronto. 

"Overseas markets are becoming more and more important to both convention and leisure travel to the Toronto region, and China in particular is emerging as a powerful opportunity," said Bruce MacMillan, President and CEO of Tourism Toronto. "By augmenting our international team we are putting Toronto in the best position to capitalize on the growing overseas opportunity."

About Tourism Toronto
Tourism Toronto, Toronto’s Convention and Visitors Association, is an industry association of more than 1,000 members established to strategically sell and market the Greater Toronto Region as a remarkable destination for tourists, convention delegates and business travelers around the globe.   For more information on Tourism Toronto, please visit, www.torontotourism.com.

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For more information contact:
Michele Simpson
Manager, Media Relations
(416) 987-1738
msimpson@torcvb.com