Manic Monday | Thompson Okanagan firmly on the International Radar

At the risk of sounding like my parents, I cannot believe that we have just completed another successful Rendezvous Canada Tradeshow. It feels like only weeks ago that our team returned from last year’s event in Calgary, and we have now once again completed a remarkable week of meetings and networking in Halifax.

For those that may not know, Rendezvous can best be described as speed dating with our Travel Trade operators over 3 lengthy days. It is 15 minute back-to-back appointments with Tour and Travel buyers from around the world, looking to showcase Canada in the tours and itineraries they offer to their customers.

To say it is a busy week does not even begin to tell the story.  It is enlightening, exhilarating, and quite frankly exhausting. It is the largest show of its kind in Canada and a tremendous opportunity to elevate our Region’s Export Ready Products to the world.

We were joined by many of our Industry Stakeholders from our Region who are well seasoned at this event as well as having several new faces in attendance bringing an ever expanding list of options for buyers to consider.

Our congratulations and heartfelt thank you goes out to the Province of Nova Scotia and the City of Halifax who played host to the record 1,500 plus delegates and to Destination Canada, Destination BC, and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada for organizing such a first class event.  Our maritime friends certainly know how entertain a large audience and everyone left feeling well looked after.

A special note of deep appreciation to TOTA’s Travel Trade Specialist Howard Grieve who, as always, represents our organization and industry with the utmost class and integrity.  Despite my efforts to encourage “4 more years” from him, Howard will be retiring in June and it was special to watch how many in this industry from around the globe approached him and paid tribute to his amazing efforts and career.  Thank you Howard from our entire TOTA team for representing us so well!

Canada, BC and the Thompson Okanagan is firmly on the radar screen of our international partners and the bookings are very strong for the coming years and growing.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO