Claude-Jean Harel to deliver opening keynote at major urban revitalization conference in Québec City

June 14, 2008

Great Excursions Founder Claude-Jean Harel will deliver a keynote address at the 21st annual “Fondation Rues Principales” colloquium on September 24 in Québec City. More than 400 international urban revitalization stakeholders are expected to attend the event which will focus on the role culture plays in making downtown cores more attractive.

In his presentation, Harel is expected to address how local culture and sense of place contribute to creating more attractive urban spaces. Aspects like the arts, traditional knowledge, history, architecture, heritage, nature, landscapes and their interpretation will be discussed, as they all help make our downtowns more attractive. Yet they are regularly overlooked by economic development and tourism marketing organizations, often perceived as more concerned with filling hotels rooms than with developing a unique competitive advantage for the cities they serve. Are the two mutually incompatible? “Not at all,” Harel argues. “They are, rather, mutual contributors,” he believes.

“In a world where there is increased competitiveness for investment and tourism dollars with the emergence of new destinations in Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, it has become imperative that we shift our focus to the applications of the principles of authenticity in our efforts to develop a competitive advantage, and to communicating that more effectively in our bids to host meetings and events in our towns and cities.”

“For this to happen, a new kind of dialogue must take place between the corporate world, destination marketing and the cultural industries organizations that work for us,” notes Harel, “one that goes beyond traditional philanthropy and that is based on the recognition that we are all the stewards of our community’s economic well-being ? that we are all community investors.”

Through his analyses and examples of best practices around aspects of culture and the arts as urban enhancers, Claude-Jean Harel will share a number of insightful observations with colloquium participants, in what promises to a very engaging session.

For more information, contact:
Claude-Jean Harel, MA MAHI
The Great Excursions Company
3416 Gordon Road
Regina, SK S4S 2V4
CANADA
(306) 569-1571 phone
(306) 569-3182 fax
Skype: cj_harel
email: cj@greatexcursions.travel
http://www.greatexcursions.travel