Manic Monday | BC Tourism Industry Moves Sustainably Forward Together

By all accounts, the Tourism Industry Conference held in Victoria was another great success, congratulations to TIABC and all of those that worked tirelessly to host this important industry event.

I was personally unable to attend the meetings last week but TOTA had tremendous representation by way of our Chair, Frank Antoine; Vice-Chair, Michael Ballingall; Director, Beverley DeSantis; and our Accessibility Specialist, Sonja Gaudet, who was also a presenter in one of the workshops. Thank you to all of them for representing the region so well and a special mention to Tourism Kamloops on winning the Innovation Award and Ogopogo Tours for receiving the Leading Accessibility Award!

I was also very appreciative to hear that the Federal Minister Melanie Joly and Provincial Minister Lisa Beare both took the time in their addresses to the delegates to recognize the work that the Thompson Okanagan Region and the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association has undertaken in the past several years in moving forward with a Responsible and Sustainability Destination Management Strategy.

Finally, we were very pleased that the BC Tourism Ministry Framework is founded on developing the industry in a sustainable way and understand that Destination BC, under the direction of Marsha Walden, is moving forward the concept of Destination Stewardship and embracing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the UNWTO for the Province.  Well done!  This literally speaks directly to our work as a region.  We believe strongly that protecting and managing our natural and cultural assets, today, and creating a thoughtful and planned approach to tourism for the future is not only timely but imperative.

We embrace the opportunity to work closely with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Destination BC, the other Regional DMO's and the Communities in moving this Provincial mandate forward. Never has it been more important than it is now to work together.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | The UNWTO Takes On Plastic... You Can Too

Plastic is often attributed to the 1960s, a bi-product of the space program, it was once considered a practical and necessary application that quickly found its way into our everyday life. Yet you might be surprised to learn that first plastic, "polyethylene", was created in 1898 and it wasn't long after that, in 1907, as a result of a number of breakthroughs that the product advances resulted in plastic began being mass-produced.

Its popularity grew as it became apparent that plastic was versatile, durable and efficient and most useful in keeping our food supply safe and sanitary. The use of plastic has enabled us to enjoy many products we take for granted but as we know all too well has resulted in disturbing and devastating unintended consequences.

One of the big issues is that plastic lasts; not just years or decades but centuries, and as we know all too well today, it is gravely affecting many aspects of our environment, most critically our oceans and marine life.

This past week the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), together with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, officially announced the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative.

With a priority to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced by the tourism sector, the initiative has laid out the following actionable commitments to be achieved by 2025:

• Eliminate problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging and items;

• Take action to move from single-use to reuse models or reusable alternatives;

• Engage the value chain to move towards 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable;

• Take action to increase the amount of recycled content across all plastic packaging and items used;

• Commit to collaborate and invest to increase the recycling and composting rates for plastics;

• Report publicly and annually on progress made towards these targets.

This program is now a focal point of the Sustainable Tourism Programme and One Planet Network. This network currently unites 450 businesses, governments, stakeholders and other partners in a sophisticated and thoughtful approach to the use of plastics.

Eliminate entirely where possible, implement recycling and reusable techniques where appropriate and utilize compostable solutions.

TOTA is committed to this program and you and your business can be too!

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Global Sustainable Tourism Conference 2020 - Coming to the Thompson Okanagan

It was truly an emotional moment, last Friday, when the announcement was formally made that the 2020 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference would take place November 19th - 22nd in Kelowna, BC.

This decision is a direct result of the dedicated work that has taken place across the Province by communities, tourism stakeholders, and partners who have recognized the importance of responsible and sustainable tourism practices, management, and development. It is a recognition of the importance we collectively place on these issues and the leadership work that is taking place in this area. A huge thank you also goes to our host partners including Tourism Kelowna and Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort - this would not have happened without them.

Not only is this the first time for this conference in our Thompson Okanagan region but the first time for this event to take place in Canada!

We hope you will consider taking part in this global event taking place in our backyard. Tourism industry leaders from around the world will come together to discuss critical issues, important trends, and best practices focused on ensuring the long term health and wellbeing of the tourism industry.

Special thanks go to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council for having the confidence in us to host such an important event.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | New Measures for Success

By now many of you will have seen the Press Release that formally announced the Thompson Okanagan as the newest Observatory selected by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, for participation in their INSTO program. But I am sure that most of you are scratching your head and saying what does that mean?

The acronym itself "INSTO" means the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories, but that again that really clears up nothing.

INSTO was initiated by the UNWTO to help assess if work being undertaken to ensure the long term sustainability of tourism, is in fact, moving the needle.  It monitors the actions and initiatives by organizations, such as ourselves,  worldwide to determine if there is a measurable impact.

In the longer term, it has and will provide factual and relevant information, measured over time,  that can assist in implementing sustainable practices, policies, strategies, and management. It works to ensure that tourism is not only playing a role in the protection of the Earth but most importantly that what we are doing is working. The insights are further shared among the participating observatories.

Locations are selected based on a lengthy application process that TOTA undertook this spring and summer, the outcome of which was the acceptance of the Thompson Okanagan Region in this world-leading initiative.

We would love to talk to you more about what this means and how you can get involved in this as a stakeholder in this region.  Please don't hesitate to contact our office and set up a time to meet with our team.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Sustainable Tourism on the World Stage

It is a tremendous honour to have been invited to attend the United Nations World Tourism Organization's (UNWTO) 23rd General Assembly taking place this week in St Petersburg, Russia.

There is representation at these meetings from around the world with more than 150 countries taking part.

The focus will be on sustainable, responsible tourism development and delivery which is now considered to be fundamental to the well-being of the tourism industry for the long term. Best practices, challenges, issues, concerns, and debate should result in tremendous learning, and clearer approaches to forward-thinking in the managing of tourism assets.

I'm very excited to announce that later this week the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association will also be recognized at the UNWTO Awards as one of three finalists, among an original field of over 190 applicants worldwide, for the work that is currently being done in this critical area of sustainable responsible tourism.

There will be a lot to share in the days and weeks ahead to come from these meetings and we will be posting relevant information to the TOTABC.org website and News Centre so be sure to connect with us there for links and uploads.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | You Aren't Just What You Wear but Who You Are Representing

Recently while traveling I happened to be sitting next to a uniformed employee who was clearly not working but in transit. I don't know if they had just finished a shift or if their day was about to begin, the fact was, that they were in full uniform complete with name tag and credentials.

Taking a seat next to them I made a couple of casual comments, not intending to make small talk but briefly commenting, positively, on their organization. My attempt at conversation was met with complete disdain, a relatively unintelligible comment, and body language which clearly indicated they were disinterested in any further dialogue. Somewhat taken aback, and even a bit shocked, I turned to my phone as we all do and buried myself in my emails and ignoring them for the balance of the short journey. However, days later I continue to not only ponder the behavior of this ill-mannered individual but to have commented on it with many friends and again, here, in Manic.

Call me old fashioned, but to my way of thinking whether you consider yourself to be on duty or off, you are a representative of your organization when you are wearing their clothing. The attitude this individual displayed not only reflects poorly on them as a professional but additionally caused me to consider the company they work for in a slightly different light. It actually was damaging to the company brand. Imagine all the time, money and effort that goes into creating a brand image only to have it as an employee, in this case, a walking billboard, tarnish that brand so quickly and completely. I liken it to meeting your favorite comedian only to find out that in person they are rude, or worse yet, angry as opposed to funny.

It is something that needs to be considered in the training and development of new employees and a reminder for those that have been around for a while.  We are the company, an integral part of the brand, any time we are wearing company clothing. We are what we wear and who we are representing and if that messaging cannot be controlled other options need to be considered.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Building a Responsible Sustainable Tourism Industry

Every day the momentum for building a Responsible Sustainable Tourism Industry continues to expand and we are very pleased to announce that our partners at GreenStep Solutions have launched Sustainable Tourism 2030.

This initiative,10 years in the making, will continue to assist the tourism industry with guidance and support in understanding how they are measuring up in their sustainability efforts and will assist them in identifying where and how to make necessary changes and improvements. Foundational to the program is a free online scorecard that can be found at www.sustainabletourism2030.com that can assist businesses in their initial benchmarking.

TOTA will be working closely with Green Step Solutions to see this measurement tool move forward and become widely adopted by our own stakeholders while we continue to advance our industry's commitment to sustainability through our Biosphere Adhension committed companies program.

For more information or to join us on our Sustainable Journey contact Mike Overend at industrysupport@totabc.com

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | What if you could implement a win, win, win, win initiative?

Attracting and retaining employees has long been a challenge in many industries and with tourism being so labour intensive it has always been a critical issue. Many things contribute to employee retention but there are some new and unique ideas starting to gain momentum.

One emerging trend in employee benefits is the concept of employers supporting the volunteerism efforts of their team. Employees are encouraged as individuals, departments or groups to offer their time and in some cases, their expertise for the betterment of communities, near or far and the citizens who live there. In turn, employers reward them for doing so. Initiatives can range from cleaning local beaches to building homes in 3rd world countries, helping with a hot meal program at a local school to helping in an African orphanage and everything in between.

Time donated by Individual employees is tracked and recognized by the organization in a variety of different ways. The business itself is also able to measure the total contribution as an organization that has been donated for the betterment of others. Differentiating themselves as an employer who cares.

This story is truly a win, win, win, win.  Not only do communities and individuals who are in need, benefit, but recent studies indicate that programs like these can reduce employee turnover by as much as 57%.  Employees feel better about themselves and about the company they work for and take pride in knowing their employer cares. Consumers do too and more and more millennials want to purchase from philanthropic-minded companies.

If you think this is something your company could benefit from there are businesses that can help you get started. In our own region, one such company is  Do Some Good, developed by local business partners.

What do you have to lose.....with a win, win, win, win initiative? It seems to me you have only got the opportunity to gain....

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Finding our Place at the Place Marketing Forum

Last week I was very honored to be in attendance to receive the International Place Marketing Award at the 7th Annual Place Marketing Forum hosted, this year, in Lille France. The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association received this honor in recognition of our ongoing work in Responsible Sustainable Tourism and as part of this recognition I was also recognized as a Laureate by Aix Masielle University; both tremendous honors.

Awards are presented in five separate categories with the jury making their selection based on three areas of criteria including Innovation, Remarkable Results, and Emblematic Projects. In the Tourism Category, we were up against outstanding competitors including Amsterdam, Brand USA, Kenya Tourism Board, Australia, Denmark and three separate submissions from France.

The conference format is conducted in the same way each year where there is a presentation of the Remarkable Case followed by round table discussions and debate and finally the presentation of the Award.

Since its inception in 2013 there have been a total of 42 Laureates presented with the Place Marketing Award and as of April 4th, 2019 we can be very proud to be recognized within this prestigious international group.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | It is easier than ever to be GREEN!

Our partners at Green Step have been working hard on a Business Recycling Education Program that started back in 2017.

Their hard work has culminated in the creation of tool-kits to help three distinct groups; businesses, multi-family buildings, and festivals/events. These resources will assist in better recycling practices and increase waste diversion. The toolkits are available on the Regional District’s website at the following link:

http://www.rdos.bc.ca/departments/public-works/solid-waste/business-and-multi-family-recycling/

Toolkits contain helpful and useful guidance, best practice examples, and free resources for anyone to download and use. Each toolkit contains a how-to guide, signage and colour scheme best practices, signage examples, and many other resources.

We encourage you to please share the link and attached news release with your network, and let us and Green Step know when and how you can get it out so they can report back to the RDOS.

For more information on the Business Education Program, contact Cameron Baughen at the RDOS (cbaughen@rdos.bc.ca, 250-490-4203)

Again, congratulations to Green Step in moving this forward and making it easier than ever to be Green.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | What's your IMPACT?

By definition, the word IMPACT means "to have a strong effect on someone or something". Without question, Tourism does just that. It has a major impact on our residents, communities, wildlife, watershed, lands, and ecosystems.

Developed well, it can provide visitors and locals alike with a lifetime of memories, heightened knowledge of history and culture, unleash great emotion and can effect transformative change. Left unchecked, it can do all this but at great cost and great damage.

Our Association’s steadfast strategic journey into responsible and sustainable tourism development and delivery was undertaken to ensure that there was a focus on growing a healthy visitor economy for the long term. One that recognizes the tremendous economic opportunity and benefits that tourism brings to an area, coupled with an appreciation of the potential negative impacts.

This week, we gather as a Tourism Industry in Victoria to continue the dialogue on this critical topic.  As we watch the growing tourism demand worldwide it is more important than ever to take steps to manage our industry properly.  The annual IMPACT conference has been designed to help us do this.  Bringing speakers from around the globe and providing a forum for discussions that can and will help us make important industry decisions, decisions that will IMPACT us all well into the future.

I am honoured to be speaking - and TOTA is pleased to be a sponsor - at this year’s IMPACT event and I look forward to meeting with many colleagues.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Awards….Why Bother?

It has been a tremendous year for our region and Association, not only being nominated for but shortlisted and even winning several prestigious awards around the world, against some very strong and, quite frankly, much larger in terms of budgets competition.

Our region “Thompson Okanagan” is being recognized as a leader in strategic vision in Sustainable / Responsible Tourism operation and development and this recognition is coming from organizations who are themselves Leaders in Tourism.

It began last February, not long after the Biosphere Certification where the region received the World Travel and Tourism Council’s “Tourism for Tomorrow Destination Award”. This was quickly followed by the 2018 World Tourism Award as North America’s Responsible Tourism Destination and finally this past Saturday we were proud to be named as the World Tourism Award’s Responsible Tourism Destination World Wide for 2018.  Further, we have been Silver medalists or top finalists in a variety of award programs including SKAL, International Travel and Tourism Awards Planning Institute of BC, Land Awards finalist, and the list goes on.

Along the way I have been asked what all this means for the region, does it really matter, why bother, how can tourism stakeholders benefit and my answer is always the same:

“This is putting the Thompson Okanagan in the minds of industry partners and travellers worldwide and shows we are collectively heading in the right direction. These awards belong to our region, Province, and Country, and in turn to each one of you as tourism stakeholders. We are showing the next generation of guests that we are different, that we stand for something, and that we understand the value of the area we so proudly represent and do business in. These are difference makers for you and every resident who calls the Thompson Okanagan home.

Responsible / Sustainable tourism is what consumers both young and old are asking for at an increasing rate. Today’s research indicates that ¾ of all travellers say sustainability important in their travel decisions and in a 2015 report, 66 % of the US market indicated they would pay more for certified sustainable products ( a number that was from 55% the year prior).

Our guests are changing, but we are poised to meet that change and to let them know that these are issues we have been actively looking at for many years and more recently focused on everything we do and say. In the coming weeks, we will be launching a new and exciting initiative with organizations like the Responsible Tourism Institute and bookdifferent.com, which again we see as helping our stakeholders lead the way and communicate their commitment to long-term responsible thinking.

Awards…well you can say “well why bother” or you can get involved and get behind this movement to elevate the Thompson Okanagan on the world stage and invite them to visit.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Sustainability starts with every individual

Creating a sustainable tourism destination begins with a commitment by each and every community and stakeholder in the region.  As I have noted before, the work that was done leading up to the Biosphere Responsible Tourism designation for the Thompson Okanagan achieved in early November was just the beginning of an exciting journey that we believe will have wide-spread implications on our long-term successful development as a tourism destination. Those opportunities will begin to be realized as early as this year!

Currently, I am in Madrid, Spain attending and presenting to a worldwide conference on Sustainability highlighting the Thompson Okanagan Region and our focus on this critical issue. This opportunity puts our area of British Columbia and Canada front and centre on the world stage and assists us in bringing forward our message regarding the right tourist at the right time in the right place. It also enables us to connect with other tourism destinations who have learned how best to engage in regional sustainability practices.

Also, this month in Victoria for the first time there is an Impact Conference being held which will bring together government officials, business leaders, special interest groups, tourism organizations, and stakeholders to discuss the issues around climate change, floods, fires, severe winter and ultimately the long-term sustainability of the tourism industry. If you are to attend we encourage you to register for this event.

Finally, in the coming weeks, you will start to see announcements from our TOTA team on how you and your business can take an active role in developing your business in a way that is responsible and sustainable.

This is a team event and together we can make a difference. Sustainability starts with each of us and every action small and large contributing to an enormous change.

We look forward to an exciting year of change in 2018 and working closely with our DMO partners creating a road map that will ensure we all see a healthy and vibrant tourism industry for the long term.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | The Future we get is the Future we deserve.....

This past week I had the opportunity to speak at a conference hosted by our new partners the Responsible Tourism Institute and Biosphere who will be assisting our region in achieving International Accreditation as a Sustainable Tourism Destination. This event was attended by tourism representatives from around the globe as well as members of the UNWTO and UNESCO who discussed and debated the importance of the strategic management of the burgeoning world tourism industry.

An industry where there has been annual growth of 4% or greater since 2009, it currently represents 1.5 trillion in US dollars a GDP of 10%, and an estimated 1.8 billion people are expected to be travelling by the year 2030; these are all unprecedented numbers.

The magnitude of this is almost incomprehensible and brings both extremely positive opportunities through economic growth, improved interpersonal relations between nations and tremendous knowledge, education and personal growth as well as a wide variety of concerns and challenges.

The proper development of a sustainable tourism industry means much more than the consideration for the environment and implementation of green practices, it must also take into account social effects including the impacts on residents of a tourism destination, demands on infrastructure and the economic impacts on businesses, communities and individuals. As the traveler ventures ever further we all have a responsibility to develop guiding principles that will assist in ensuring both residents and visitors can enjoy the natural beauty and authenticity of an area for the long term.

The United Nations 70th General Assembly has designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development and launched a program called "Travel Enjoy Respect”.

In the coming weeks, you will be hearing more and more from our TOTA team on sustainable tourism practices and we will be inviting stakeholders, government officials and local residents to participate in the discussions and planning. Never has the need for strategic planning for our tourism industry been greater and never have these words been truer …. The Future we get is the Future we deserve.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Not every tourist is a tourist we want...

33 years ago, and specifically 33 years ago on this day May 29th, my family relocated from Dauphin, Manitoba to Osoyoos. My father had suddenly realized that he could be a hotel owner where the winters were long and the weather harsh or a resort owner in a much warmer part of Canada, thus we were on the move.  A lot in this region has changed since 1984, particularly for those in the tourism industry and much of it has been for the better. While there is a lot of work to be done, we are maturing into a remarkable tourism destination that not only continues to attract the domestic drive markets but more and more we are realizing an increase in international guests. Our deepening visitor experience is at the core of this growth as we become steadily less and less reliant on summer sun and fun seekers, instead attracting visitors with much broader interests who are discovering the immense diversity of the region. Mountain ranges and lakes to the semi-arid desert, vineyards and orchards to grasslands, rock climbing and cycling to kayaking and snowshoeing, downhill and cross-country skiing to golfing and angling.....it is an area that truly has it all.

As the world begins to fall in love with this region it is imperative that we collectively create a roadmap to ensure that growth does not come at the expense of our natural beauty and fragile ecosystems. One of the steps that TOTA is taking toward the protection of our environment and the sustainability of our tourism industry is through the creation of a Charter of Sustainability.  To this end, late last week we announced our agreement with The Responsible Tourism Institute in Spain. This internationally recognized body will work with us in the coming months to evaluate our destination's sustainability practices and assist us in gaining accreditation for the region through their Biosphere program.  Our long-term goal is to continue to drive the tourism economy in a responsible manner helping to ensure the long-term success of our industry stakeholders and the protection of our natural assets for further generations. Tourism for tourism sake is not the goal...and not every visitor is a visitor we want....a strong vibrant tourism sector for the long term with the right guest enjoying the right experiences at the right time.

About RTI

The Responsible Tourism Institute hereinafter referred to as RTI, is a founding member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), international accreditation body, and an affiliated member of the World Tourism Organization (WTO). RTI promotes tourism models that directly contribute to effective maintenance and promotion of a destination’s cultural and natural heritage. Its goal is to promote sustainable development within the tourism industry while encouraging the employment of each destination’s intrinsic capacities.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday - March 14, 2016

"It's not easy being Green" so mused a small frog that managed to capture several generations with his sad lament. Being green isn't easy but it is getting easier since that day in 1970, just over 46 years ago, when these words were originally written. This week with St. Patrick's Day just ahead what better time to think about the concept of being Green.

It seems daily, if not hourly, we are being faced with the shocking evidence and effects of a warming planet. Weather systems have become increasingly more intense, oceans are warming, glaciers melting, sea levels rising and concerns mounting on how to manage all of the uncertainty.  Whether you believe in climate change or man's role in the issue it behooves us all to do what we can to take our planet's health seriously.

In 2016, TOTA with communities from across the region will embark on development of a Regional Charter of Sustainability; the first of it's kind in North America. This charter will address a wide variety of topics and issues surrounding the long term environmental, social and cultural sustainability of the Thompson Okanagan with a key area of focus will being Green Tourism; creating the right products - to attract the right visitors -  ensuring the protection of our regional and environmental assets over the long term.

In the short term, there are a variety of ways to start making a difference immediately.  GreenStep, a TOTA partner, can assist your business in identifying how to make small and large changes that will begin to reduce your carbon footprint. With offices located right here in the region, we encourage you to contact them directly and find out how you can participate in one of their complimentary webinars or have a Green evaluation of your business. We know from their research your customers will thank you for it.

TOTA is also working with Global Television to produce a series of vignettes highlighting tourism stakeholders that are actively working on Green Initiatives. For more information or to find out how you might participate in these programs, contact Meaghan Racine in our TOTA office - marketing@totabc.com.

Thompson Okanagan - Greenest Region in Canada?
The title will belong to someone eventually, why not us!

A Very Happy St Patrick's Day to all
as you raise your glass on the 17th - a challenge - to make your world a bit greener in 2016.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO