Morson man received prestigious tourism award

Jerry Fisher of Morson is the recipient of the 2002 Bob Giles Award, Minister of Tourism and Recreation Frank Klees announced during the Northern Ontario Tourist Outfitters Association (NOTO) annual conference.
Since 1977, the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation has been honouring the NOTO operator who has made an outstanding contribution to resource-based tourism in Ontario with the Bob Giles Award.
“Jerry Fisher shows leadership in every area important to tourism operators, and is a great Bob Giles Award winner,” said Klees. “I am particularly impressed by the work Jerry has done to make people aware of the importance of tourism to the economy of Northern Ontario. In 1999, Northern Ontario had 121.7 million visitors who spent $1.3 billion – that’s big business and creates a lot of jobs.”
Fisher, who operates Grassy Narrows Lodge and Tamarack Lodge north of Rainy River spearheaded the development of an Economic pact Survey/Study for the Sunset Country Travel Association. He also developed a coalition of regional and provincial patterns to look at ways to streamline entry procedures for tourists entering Canada, and took a lead role in working with industry partners to try to address impacts from storm-related damages to northwestern Ontario in early July 2002.
“Jerry Fisher is an excellent choice for the Bob Giles Award,” said Minister of Northern Development and Mines Jim Wilson. “Jerry was at the forefront in helping tourism operators and other business people in the northwest get compensation for the damage done to uninsured property in the storms in July.”
“I am pleased that the ministry chose an outfitter who is active as a volunteer in the associations that promote and support tourism in Northern Ontario,” said NOTO president Betty McGie. “We need tourism advocates, and the Bob Giles Award reminds everyone that we value our volunteers.”
Fisher served as a director of the North Western Ontario Tourism Association (NWOTA) from 1992 to 1996, and as vice-president since 1996. He was on the board of directors of the Sunset Country Travel Association from 1997 to 2000 and spearheaded creation of Morson Tourism Association in 1994.