For the second year in a row, SOCAN sponsored the musical opening ceremony of the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (TIANS) "Tourism Summit 2008," held Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, 2008, at the World Trade & Convention Centre in Halifax. The opening consisted of a standout performance by Halifax-based precision drumming ensemble Squid, accompanied by two Celtic dancers.

The conference included two days of tourism-based workshops and speakers, along with a one-day trade show on Dec. 1, and the Crystal Tourism Awards of Excellence on Dec. 2. SOCAN's Tim Hardy and Erica Gallant both manned the SOCAN booth at the trade show, while Hardy alone attended the awards.

The trade show allowed delegates to network with exhibitors, as well as student attendees drawn from the numerous tourism and hospitality programs of Nova Scotia post-secondary institutions. Many of the students were very interested in SOCAN, from both a licensing and a membership perspective.

Delegates consistently mentioned to Hardy and Gallant that they enjoyed the musical opening, and that it was great to see SOCAN giving back to the industry through its sponsorship and attendance at the conference. The trade show finished with a prize draw, as we gave away two SOCAN sweatshirts.