Manic Monday | The Difference in a Decade
It is now less than 10 days until Christmas is upon us and 2 short weeks until we begin not only a new year but a new decade.
It seems a fitting moment to reflect on the last 10 years and the changes in the conversation that have occurred since we were poised on brink of 2010.
The end of 2009 marked a time for celebration as we anxiously awaited the 2010 Winter Olympics which were about to take place in Vancouver and that were ultimately an unprecedented legacy for British Columbia.
That event changed us all, drew us together and saw the province and the tourism industry come into its own, truly come of age. The spotlight shone brightly as we welcomed the world and we basked in the afterglow for months and years thereafter.
Today as we await the arrival of 2020, we are less celebratory and the entire world is much more pensive. Political unrest is a global phenomenon as is the dialogue on climate change reaching an intensity where even non-believers are having to concede the situation must be addressed.
In British Columbia and the Thompson Okanagan Region, we are once again poised to play a significant role on the world stage as we continue to move forward, make important decisions and changes ultimately embracing new ideas and concepts that will we believe will make positive impacts.
Outdoor experiences and our natural, authentic beauty is our product, it is the feature that motivates people to live here or visit and one that we all must work to preserve and protect. In 2020 we will also set the stage by welcoming the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Conference to our region, a first for Canada. We know when that day arrives we will be ready to assist in having the critical conversations necessary, helping to set new directions and focus, and collaborating on global agreements that will be beneficial to all.
The world has changed quite dramatically in a short 10 years and with it, our responsibilities have also changed, grown and become much clearer.
On behalf of myself, our Board of Directors and all of our team at TOTA we look forward to working with you in 2020 and beyond and we are confident that as we move forward toward 2030 we will collectively make the right choices for the best possible future.
Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO
