February 22, 2018 – Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador hosted the annual Tourism Excellence Awards Gala on Thursday night as the grand finale to the 35th Annual Conference and Trade Show, held in St. John’s from February 20-22. The Tourism Excellence Awards Gala featured the presentation of the Tourism Excellence Awards, recognizing the outstanding tourism leaders and businesses that make great contributions to the provincial tourism industry.
The H. Clayton Sparkes Accommodator Award of Excellence was presented to the Royal Inn + Suites, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL.
The H. Clayton Sparkes Accommodator Award of Excellence, sponsored by the Sparkes Family in recognition of the contribution their father made to the tourism industry in Newfoundland and Labrador, recognizes an individual or company in the accommodations sector within the province who exhibits a dedication to quality service, a commitment to the tourism industry, making a solid contribution to the communities in which they live. These are all qualities of Clayton Sparkes and the Sparkes Family deemed it fitting that an award recognizing these characteristics in others be presented in his name.
The Royal Inn + Suites was acquired by the Nunacor Development Corporation, the economic development arm of the NunatuKavut Community Council, in December 2016, making it the only Indigenous community-owned hotel in the province. Since that time, new ownership has made numerous improvements to the property to enhance the guest experience while demonstrating a commitment to supporting local businesses and leading tourism development in Labrador.
In the past year, the hotel has improved its Canada Select rating to 4-stars and has cemented its position as Happy Valley-Goose Bay’s #1 hotel according to TripAdvisor and Google hotel reviews. In addition, the hotel’s market share has skyrocketed from 19% to 25%, all while maintaining a year-round occupancy of over 80%.
This award was presented to the Royal Inn + Suites at the Tourism Excellence Awards Gala by Judy Sparkes Giannou on behalf of Clayton Hospitality Inc.
For more information and to view all award recipients, please click here.
