Southwest Saskatchewan's tourism community received some welcome news earlier this week, as Tourism Saskatchewan released their 2016 finalists for the 12 Tourism Saskatchewan Awards on Thursday.

Seven of the 33 award finalists are from the southwest corner of the province.

The Cypress Hills Destination Area Inc. are finalists for three of the awards, the Fred Heal Tourism Ambassador Award (Destination Marketing Organization - Executive Director, Gail Kesslar), Tourism Employee of the Year Award (Finance Manager, Kristine Scheller), and the Gil Carduner Marketing Award.

"The award nominations are a testament to the exciting growth and innovation our member businesses are exhibiting here in the Cypress Hills Destination Area," says Executive Director Gail Kesslar. "The fact that our area and its members were finalists in six of the 12 awards given out is also a testament to the hard work of all of the business owners and of their employees within the Cypress Hills Destination Area."

Joining the Cypress Hills Destination Area Inc. on the lists of finalists is The Resort at Cypress Hills, Maple Creek for Business of the Year Award (Over 20 Employees). The Harvest Eatery & Fresh Market, Shaunavon has also been named as a finalist for the Business of the Year Award (Under 20 Employees).

The other two finalists from the southwest region will be competing against each other for the Rookie of the Year Award honours. The Grotto Gardens Country Market in Maple Creek and Cafe Terra in Eastend are two of the finalists for the award.

The finalists and award recipients will be honoured at the 28th annual Saskatchewan Tourism Awards of Excellence Gala, which will be celebrated on April 5th at the Sheraton Cavalier Saskatoon Hotel.