Manic Monday | Events expose us to our country

With the start of spring break, I could not help but reflect on the many times over my life that I helped pack up the family car with my dad and we headed out of town on an "adventure".

More often than not these so called adventures were not a "spring break" as we know them today nor were they a vacation or even a holiday, but rather these trips tended to center around events and activities that dad had a keen interest in.

We might have been heading out to a fall fair, Folklorama, Expo, car show, or travelling to a rodeo. What I remember clearly is that they were almost always activities he needed or wanted to do and the rest of us were along for the ride.

Not surprisingly, these trips often turned out to be some of the best of times as we discovered parts of the country that we otherwise may not have travelled to, partook in activities that taught us something new, and enabled an opportunity to interact and engage with the local community in a different and unique manner.

This glimpse into my past is simply to remind us all just how important the many festivals and events are that take place throughout the region. Whether we are hosting a Granfondo or a Giants Head Grind; a Shakespeare Workshop or a Routes and Blues Festival - all provide amazing opportunities to attract guests to our region throughout the year.   Welcoming many visitors to the region who may be enticed to visit us for the first time, based on special interests and some who may only have been brought along for the ride.

As a community we need to make sure that we support these initiatives large and small to ensure their long term success and continue to attract those moms and dads with reluctant children in tow who will become the foundation of our tourism visitation in the years and decades to come.

On a final note we are very excited to congratulate Big White in its successful bid to host the 61st Annual World Airline Ski Championships which will take place in March of 2020. Indications are we will see between 450 - 500 ski enthusiasts from around the world who will visit our region, many for the first time, but we believe not for the last time.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO