Tourism Whistler's media website wins Canadian national award ...

WHISTLER, British Columbia -- The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) recognized Tourism Whistler's online travel media website as the best in the business this week at the ninth annual GoMedia Canada Marketplace conference in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Tourism Whistler's online media room, located at www.whistler.com/media, was the 2012 recipient of Best Online Media Centre Award.

Judge Barbara Tong, producer at Business News Network, looked for overall content and visuals, as well as usability, design and innovation. "The Tourism Whistler site understands the needs of media," said Tong. "It alerts me to three things that all media want to see right away: search, images and contact information. One click on these topics and I'm in. The many categories on the Media Marmot search page are useful, providing the media user with additional ideas and info. While the Fresh Image Gallery allows the user to download the images right away, without cumbersome sign -in and passwords. Fantastic for all journalists on deadlines."

In creating the site, Tourism Whistler's IT and Communications teams collaborated to provide journalists and broadcasters with a unique and intuitive site that allows for quick and easy access to an extensive library of material for use in researching and producing editorial coverage about the resort. Story starters, local personality profiles, media releases and backgrounders are easily accessible with the user-friendly Media Marmot search.

The Media Marmot was named in honour of the hoary marmot, from which Whistler earned its name due to the whistling sound made by these furry residents.

"We're very excited and honoured to receive this recognition," said Kerry Duff, Tourism Whistler's Travel Media Manager. "It was important to us to build a media site that would be of the utmost convenience to media sourcing information, images and video footage for their Whistler coverage," she said. "We are thrilled to be able to provide this resource and are extremely pleased that it meets the needs of our audience."

The enhanced online media room is an extension of Tourism Whistler's ongoing commitment to meeting the changing needs of print, online and broadcast media.

Whistler is Canada's premier year-round leisure and meeting destination located in the Coast Mountains 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Consistently rated the top ski resort in North America, Whistler was the Host Mountain Resort of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The resort offers an extensive range of accommodations totaling 10,000 bedrooms among 24 hotels as well as townhomes, condos, B&Bs and chalets. Whistler also boasts more than 100 restaurants and bars, 200 retail shops, 25 spas and countless activity options from world-renowned skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking and golf, to hiking, rock climbing, and watersports. The Resort Municipality of Whistler is home to a diverse community of more than 10,000 permanent residents.

Tourism Whistler is the member-based marketing and sales organization representing Whistler, operating the Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler Golf Club, Whistler Visitor Centre, as well as 1.800.WHISTLER and whistler.com - Whistler's official source for visitor bookings and information. As the convention and visitors bureau for the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler represents more than 7,000 members who own, manage and operate properties or businesses on resort lands including hotels, restaurants, activity operators and retail shops.

Media can visit whistler.com/media for Whistler facts, media releases, story starters, local personality profiles and access to images and B-roll.

Media Contacts:
Mary Zinck - Coordinator, Travel Media
T: 604-938-2702
E: mzinck@tourismwhistler.com

W: whistler.com/media
T: @mediaTWhistler
F: Facebook.com/GoWhistler

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