Major wildlife conference happening tomorrow

NEWS RELEASE

TOURISM SAULT STE MARIE

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Sault Ste. Marie is hosting the 2017 North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association annual conference this week. Taking place July 17 to 22, the event is attracting around 400 game wardens and conservation officials from across Canada and the United States.

On Tuesday, July 18 at approximately 10:30 a.m., conference participants will be marching in full uniform from Quattro Hotel & Conference Centre to the Sault Ste. Marie Police Station.

The public is invited to watch the service. Drivers are reminded that one north-bound lane on Great Northern Road and one west-bound lane on Second Line will be occupied for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, with 400 visitors here for six days, the conference is injecting around $350,000 of direct visitor spending into the local economy. Given the benefits to the community, Tourism Sault Ste. Marie secured this event.

Last year, its team submitted a bid package and hosted officials from the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association to showcase local accommodation facilities and attractions. The goal was to demonstrate that the community is the perfect place to host the convention.

“With our natural beauty and recreation opportunities, our team was able to make the case that the Sault was a perfect place to host the 2017 North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association annual conference,” said Ian McMillan, Executive Director of Tourism Sault Ste. Marie, a division of the Economic Development Corporation. “This is a great opportunity for our city, and I thank our partners for helping to make this happen.”

Tourism Sault Ste. Marie works to draw visitors by securing major conferences, sports tournaments and special events, selling vacation packages, marketing area attractions and festivals, developing tourism products and infrastructure, and attracting cruise ships, motor coach tours and other group excursions. For more information, visit www.saulttourism.com. Also online: www.sault-canada.com.

To learn more about the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association, visit www.naweoa.org. Also online: www.peacegarden.com and www.gamewardenmuseum.org.

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