The Idaho Conference on Recreation and Tourism held their 25th annual conference on May 8,9 & 10 of 2012. It was the 25th anniversary of the Idaho Travel Council, and was held here in Coeur d’Alene, at the Coeur d’Alene Resort and Convention Center. We were very excited about the unique opportunity, provided us to be a partner with the state to help host the conference and hold our annual IBBA conference. Jay Karen, President and CEO of PAII was a keynote speaker Wednesday morning. His topic was “Mastering Online Reviews and Reputation Management.” Tim Brady, owner of 40 Putney Road B&B in Vermont, was a keynote on Wednesday afternoon and his topic was “Expose Yourself, Putting Personality Up Front To Increase Your Business.”

Jay Karen, President and CEO of PAII, presented Ruth May, Innkeeper of Reflections Inn in Kooskia Idaho, with the annual Inn-spirational Innkeeper Award at the ICORT conference in May. Ruth was among several nominees for this year’s award. Having Jay available to present this award, made this portion of the luncheon a big hit! An excerpt of the presentation can be found below:
“Seventeen years ago, an energetic couple found themselves on the upper portion of the Clearwater River surrounded by forest, and turned a rustic sportsman’s hangout into a beautiful & serene bed & breakfast inn that attracts visitors from far & wide.

Also noteworthy has been their 17 year commitment to not only the Inn, but also the economic viability of the area, through their community involvement & long-range vision.

They are good industry partners realizing success involves more than guests entering their inn. They share their vast knowledge of the area’s history, and match their guests with appropriate activities and experiences while in Idaho. If that means referrals to other inns or businesses, they are most generous to do so.

They also wholeheartedly believe in the value of industry involvement via the Idaho Bed and Breakfast Association, the Professional Association of Innkeepers International, and Idaho Tourism in all its facets.”

We had a booth for IBBA and it drew quite a bit of interest from attendees as we displayed products and services provided by all of our preferred vendors. We also proudly displayed our award winning state brochure, which was given top honors from a field of 32 brochures submitted for review.