NL: Historic B&B recognized as leader in technology

[GANDER, NL] — Dale Cameron and Todd Warren, owners of the George House Heritage Bed and Breakfast in Dildo, NL, were named this year’s recipient of the sixth-annual Tourism Atlantic Technology Award. The pair was recognized for adapting their business practices to incorporate technology and social media in their day-to-day work.

The award was presented this past weekend at Hotel Gander as part of  Lookout! Tourism Summit 2010, the annual convention and tradeshow for Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador.

“The Government of Canada, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, is pleased to be a part of a project that recognizes the success of tourism operations working to achieve best practices in technology,” said Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Gateway. “When a member of the tourism industry makes great strides in advancing their business, they help advance the region as a result.”

The Lloyd George House, built in 1885, is a landmark in the community and a symbol of the lasting influence of the George family. Before being converted into a bed and breakfast, the “second empire”-style house was used as a post office for almost 40 years. While upgrades, renovations and the use of technology have brought the house into the 21st century, it maintains a strong Victorian-period atmosphere.

The introduction of new technology included an on-line reservation system which allowed potential guests to check availability and make reservations for the room of their choice. Since its implementation, in October of 2009, rooms rapidly started filling up well into 2010.

“We have had tremendous success with the on-line reservation system,” said Cameron. “It has helped streamline our day-to-day responsibilities and allows us to book further into the future. Without our new system, that would have been difficult to do at this time of year.”

“We’ve updated Google.com and Google Maps with our GPS coordinates and contact information and we have been keeping our new blog up-to-date,” added Warren. The George House Heritage Bed and Breakfast can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.

In 2004, ACOA created this annual award to acknowledge one tourism operator in each Atlantic province for his or her innovative and creative use of technology to improve and grow their tourism operation.