Canadian Business Awards 2026 | 9 Contact: Valerie Saltel Company: ExploreTNL Web Address: ExploreTNL.ca / horizontnl.ca bilingual was a requirement of the role, however Valerie also triumphed with her ability to multi-task, remain autonomous and be transparent to gain trust. Her hard work and diligence paid off, however, and today, projects at ExploreTNL are numerous and diverse: from creating a new programme for the next generation of bilingual tourist guides in NL, to promoting the province on international francophone markets (Fr Canada, Fr Europe, Islands), and editing new brochures to make the tourist’s stay more unique. “We strive to embrace diversity,” she elaborates. “To reconnect with local culture, people, products and businesses, and to establish equality between origins.” All of this activity by ExploreTNL and HroizonTNL exists thanks to funding from Employment and Social Development Canada (EDSC/ESDC) and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA/APECA) - both of which are federal institutions in Canada that frequently collaborate on economic and community development, particularly regarding workforce development and regional economic growth in Atlantic Canada. Thanks to Valerie’s endeavours, ExploreTNL recently gained notable recognition in the Canadian Business Awards 2026, being crowned with the title of Best Regional Tourism Promotion Initiative 2026. “I feel proud to receive this award, which clearly means we are on the right tract to promote the local community with public funding,” Valerie enthuses. “I would like to thank the provincial government, NLITA NL indigenous Tourism, DMO in NL, and Hospitality NL for their trust and welcome in conferences and partnership.”
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