Manic Monday | Bon Voyage and Welcome Aboard...

After almost seven years we said farewell to our friend and colleague Howard Grieve, who officially retired from TOTA and his role in Travel Trade and Media this past Friday, June 29th.  Howard was a dedicated tourism professional whom we all enjoyed working with and who will be missed by our entire team, his associates at Destination BC, and by all of our many tourism stakeholders around the region. We know in the coming weeks and months Howard will be found out travelling the region on his motorcycle and checking in on many of you to see how things are going. He may be retired, but we know tourism is in his blood and he will never be far away.

As difficult as it was to say our goodbyes to Howard we are also very pleased to be announcing two new members to our TOTA family who we know will continue to help move us forward not only Travel Trade and Travel Media, but in the Digital and Social space as well. Please help us in welcoming Carla Young, Travel Media and Digital Marketing Specialist, who has recently moved to the Okanagan from Regina where she had worked with Tourism Saskatchewan. Also joining our team is a face that many in the industry will be familiar with, Ingrid Dilschneider, who has accepted the position of Travel Trade and Digital Marketing Specialist. Ingrid, as some of you will know, has lived and worked in the region for many years and most recently was a business development manager at Predator Ridge Resort.

We know you will support both of these individuals in their new endeavors and look forward to watching them continue to develop relationships with our communities and stakeholders and to find new and innovative ways to bring our products and services to the Travel Trade, Travel Media and the online Digital and Social world.

And so we say.... "Bon Voyage ......and.....Welcome Aboard"

Howard Grieve

Carla Young

Ingrid Dilschneider

Carla Young, Travel Media and Digital Marketing Specialist

Carla comes to TOTA after 12 years at Tourism Saskatchewan.  Her roles have ranged from travel counseling, travel media, travel trade and digital marketing.  Her experience in Saskatchewan has given her a deep knowledge of the tourism industry and tourism marketing trends. Carla is excited to get to know the Thompson Okanagan region and to bring her skills to the team.

Ingrid Dilschneider, Travel Trade and Digital Marketing Specialist

From luxury resorts and wineries to one of the Thompson Okanagan’s signature golf resorts, Ingrid Dilschneider has worked with some of Western Canada’s best-known tourism products.

Ingrid’s 35 years of experience in hospitality, with such brands as Fairmont, Delta, and Mission Hill Family Estate, included positions in marketing, communications, special events, and operations. She’s probably best known for her eight-year tenure as the Director of Business Development at Predator Ridge, one of Canada’s top golf communities.  The Vernon-based development is home to two championship golf courses, a luxury resort, and more than 700 year-round homes.

In addition, Ingrid’s passion for tourism led her to be heavily involved in both Municipal, City and Provincial tourism boards where she worked hard to ensure tourism remained a top priority in all sectors. Her most proud accomplishment in this realm was being part of the Tourism Industry Association of BC Task Force, where they worked with industry to help mold what is now Destination BC.

In the summer of 2017, Ingrid began a new chapter in her life, launching her own marketing and special events company where she specialized in affordable marketing services for small businesses. Her company’s success reflects her hard work while helping her clients maintain their passion for their product while she navigated the mysteries of marketing for them.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO