The Alberta Tourism GRIT Awards honour the enduring values of Growth, Resilience and Inspiration in Tourism by purposefully helping to advance the ambitious vision articulated in Alberta's Higher Ground Tourism Strategy. By recognizing the Albertans who push the boundaries in the spirit of achieving their dreams, the awards celebrate the collective effort of the risk-takers, innovators and inspired leaders who are helping to transform the province into a top global destination.
The GRIT Awards celebrate tourism achievement in three distinct categories:
Tourism Growth Award (available to organizations only)
Description
The Tourism Growth Award honours a tourism organization that celebrates and encourages new tourism initiatives that not only offer exceptional experiences but also adhere to the principles of sustainability, community responsibility, and entrepreneurial innovation, in line with the Higher Ground Tourism strategy. The Tourism Growth Award aligns to this strategy by recognizing excellence in transformative and experiential tourism product development that embodies sustainability and community responsibility.
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Innovative, Growth-Oriented Product Development | 25.0% |
| Sustainability Practices | 10.0% |
| Community Responsibility | 10.0% |
| Entrepreneurial Spirit and Risk Taking | 20.0% |
| Alignment with Higher Ground Tourism Strategy | 10.0% |
| Measurable Impact | 15.0% |
| Reputation and Ethical Standards | 10.0% |
Tourism Resilience Award (available to organizations only)
Description
The Tourism Resilience Award honours a tourism organization that has clearly demonstrated an ability to anticipate, adapt to, and thrive in the face of industry-specific challenges while building long-term organizational strength and sustainability. This award recognizes those who proactively prepare for the future by addressing key elements of resilience—innovation, adaptability, operational sustainability, and workforce engagement—positioning Alberta's tourism sector as a global leader.
This award celebrates organizations that have been able to address industry-specific challenges such as:
- Implementation of a product or experience that measurably drove visitor demand in a non-peak season time of year.
- Innovative ways technology and communication efforts were applied to mitigate (or eliminate) environmental risk that materially impacted the visitor experience (eg. reduced GHGs, extended length of stay, improved satisfaction scores, etc.)
- Creative solutions to address labour and housing issues within the community that contributed to improved worker attraction and retention efforts.
- Actively engaging community residents, Indigenous partners or other stakeholder groups in efforts to advance sustainable tourism in their community.
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Strategic Agility and Adaptive Planning | 25.0% |
| Operational Sustainability | 10.0% |
| Workforce Resilience and Development | 15.0% |
| Innovation in Visitor Experience | 15.0% |
| Community and Stakeholder Collaboration | 10.0% |
| Resilience in Environmental and Climate Challenges | 15.0% |
| Measurable Results and Long-Term Vision | 5.0% |
| Alignment with Higher Ground Tourism Strategy | 5.0% |
Tourism Inspiration Award (available to individuals only)
Description
The Tourism Inspiration Award recognizes a young Albertan (aged 18-30) that has actively contributed to and is helping to shape the narrative around what a career in tourism can look like, and which emphasizes one's path to professional growth and development and how they've shared their passion for the industry with visitors, their co-workers and others they interact with within the community. By celebrating the achievements of inspired tourism leaders and ambassadors, this award reinforces Alberta's vision of a skilled, innovative, and sustainable tourism sector in line with the Higher Ground Tourism Strategy. *Note that self-nominations and nominations by immediate family members are prohibited in this category*
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Leadership and Impact | 25.0% |
| Innovation in Tourism | 15.0% |
| Commitment to Sustainability | 15.0% |
| Community Engagement | 20.0% |
| Professional Development | 15.0% |
| Alignment with Higher Ground Tourism Strategy (Pillar 3) | 10.0% |
