Updates, webinars, events, opportunities to get involved, resources, and research to support Thompson Okanagan tourism professionals.
Midnight Musings from the TOTA Team
Hi there,
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association and our other regional partners in the BC Regional Tourism Secretariat (BCRTS), launched the BC Tourism Resiliency Network and regional Thompson Okanagan Tourism Resiliency Program. This initiative enabled our team members to work one-on-one with tourism industry stakeholders to assist in navigating the challenging realities the pandemic caused. The program helped provide a better understanding of the government support available, identifying where additional requirements were needed and ensuring communication between the needs of the industry and the government at every level.
Last week in Ottawa, at the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)'s annual awards ceremony, one Thompson Okanagan stakeholders, Kimo Linders of ERTCU Travel Group, was recognized with the Small or Medium-Sized Business of the Year Award.
Kimo and his wife worked hard through the past two years to reinvent their business model, adapt, adjust, and provide ongoing feedback on areas of need.
We appreciate that Kimo recognized TOTA and the Tourism Resiliency Program as important to their recovery and congratulate him on his dedication and commitment to their business and the tourism industry.
The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) is conducting an industry-wide survey to understand the current sustainability practices of tourism companies in the Thompson Okanagan region, and how to best support sustainability efforts in the coming years.
Thompson Okanagan tourism company owners and senior managers are invited to submit the survey by December 2. Every survey submission will be entered into a draw for an opportunity to win one of two $100 Amazon Gift Cards as a thank you for your time. The draw is limited to one entry per company.
Host: Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA)
The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) is presenting a virtual walkthrough of the Biosphere Sustainable Lifestyle Platform for B.C. tourism companies and how it can help to track progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the BiosphereSustainable.com platform, a sustainability management system for tourism companies.
Host: TOTA, Boundary Country, Christina Lake Tourism
TOTA is hosting a line-up of seven diverse and dazzling events to officially commemorate the reopening of the Thompson Okanagan region post-pandemic, and to celebrate its people and cultures. The 7 Celebrations - Reconnect in the Thompson Okanagan is an invitation to revisit the sights, sounds, people, and culture through a region-wide celebration set to take place In November 2022 to March 2023.
The next event is in Christina Lake on January 27-29, 2023
Event Details
Over the last 200 years, many intrepid explorers have visited Christina Lake and the surrounding area. Christina Lake was part of the region inhabited by the Sinixt First Nations, also known as the Arrow Lakes People. Age-old pictographs are at several places along the northeast lakeshore—evidence of these first inhabitants and visiting tribes. They offer a tantalizing glimpse into the region’s past.
Revisit the legend and lore of the lake and learn about the Indigenous, and later, Japanese culture that composes this community. Local artists, performers, and storytellers will all be present to celebrate and educate locals and visitors of the history and current happenings of Christina Lake and Boundary Country.
Book your stay and plan to join the celebrations today at BoundaryCountry.com.
The Tourism Digital Academy is a free, digital marketing program designed for BC-based tourism businesses to complete at their own pace over 6 months.
This program is focused on providing practical, actionable guidance to set you on a path to complete your businesses’ digital marketing plan, from setting goals, to building a better understanding of SEO, website usability, content, email marketing, analytics and more.
This self-guided online program includes six (6) months of access to:
Eight (8) 1-hour videos, each focusing on a different aspect of digital marketing
Resources, tools, and templates to support learning throughout the program
A marketing plan template with instructions and activities to guide development of your own plan
Destination BC has partnered with Small Business BC to offer free access for tourism business stakeholders across the province to online education supporting COVID-19 recovery. o access the webinars free of charge, register online using coupon code DBC3034.
eLearningU Recording: Creating Content that Travelers Love with:Alicia Rae-Light, Content Creator
Learn from Alicia Rae-Light, a veteran travel writer, journalist and content creator who has built her career by creating content that gets noticed and gets shared. She’ll share how small brands can get noticed by travel journalists, what goes into creating high quality content, and advice that she’d share with tourism brands that are looking to step up their blogs, itineraries or any other content.
This lesson can be accessed through eLearningU, a virtual platform that provides digital marketing lessons to the tourism industry through a collection of online certifications and lessons.
Thompson Okanagan tourism professionals get 50% off a three month subscription, which includes Live Lessons, recording and the Tourism Digital Marketing Course.
