Updates, webinars, events, opportunities to get involved, resources, and research to support Thompson Okanagan tourism professionals.
Midnight Musings from the TOTA Team
Hi there,
Last week we were honoured to be joined by Minister Popham, Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport; together with Minister Robinson, Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, in Kelowna for the announcement of a new Food, Beverage, and Tourism Centre to open in 2026 at Okanagan College's Kelowna Campus.
This nearly $50M project will receive $44M in provincial funding and once complete will see an additional +500 Culinary, Hospitality, and Tourism students graduating annually; something that will benefit the entire tourism industry, throughout the region and beyond.
The Ministers were then hosted to high tea at the Hotel Eldorado. meeting with senior team members of Argus properties, as well as TOTA Chair Michael J Ballingall, Tourism Kelowna CEO Lisanne Ballantyne, and TOTA CEO, Ellen Walker-Matthews.
Minister Popham continued on with a tour of CedarCreek Estate Winery, heading into the vineyards for an overview of the fulsome regenerative initiatives that have been incorporated at their farm and that they continue to expand upon.
On Wednesday, Minister Sandhu hosted Minister Popham at a round table for a number of Vernon and area leaders followed by a meeting with the Canada West Ski Area Association. Finally, Minister Popham opened the BC Winter Games and attended a number of events.
We thank both ministers for joining us in the region last week to listen not only to the challenges and issues facing the region but the tremendous opportunities for our regional tourism industry.
We look forward to welcoming Minister Popham to join us throughout the region in the weeks and months to come.
go2HR is conducting a confidential wage survey for tourism and hospitality employers in the Thompson Okanagan region. The survey aims to compile current, region-specific wage information to help Thompson Okanagan employers make informed decisions about their business planning for the upcoming summer season and beyond.
The survey will run from March 9 to April 7, 2023. Results will not be shared publicly. Participants will receive a report in May 2023 with region-specific wage information to assist employers in making informed business decisions.
Hatch has prepared a survey for tourism stakeholders to share their feedback, along with a draw, with a chance to win a SilverStar Summer Getaway (1 night accommodation, 2 bike park / sightseeing tickets, bike rentals).
This free program will help you learn and plan through education, resources, customized action plans, and tools around the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability.
TOTA and Spinal Cord Injury BC have partnered to share 22 Virtual Venue Tours of Thompson Okanagan accommodation and attractions. The virtual tours showcase priority accessible features to help people easily plan a visit based on their specific requirements.
The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) launched the B.C. Community Well-Being Survey, on the International Day of Happiness, March 20. The survey, in partnership with Planet Happiness (a project of Happiness Alliance happycounts.org), is meant to strengthen the relationship between the tourism industry and residents of British Columbia.
B.C. residents, including tourism professionals, are invited to complete the survey by April 30, 2023.
Once completed you will receive a personal report highlighting your results compared to the average results of other residents in the region.
Accessible Tourism: A Growing Market: It's estimated that there are more than 1.3 billion people with disabilities globally, many of whom travel for work, leisure, and to visit friends and family. Learn more about this growing travel market and some top tips on becoming accessibility-friendly.
CanExport SMES and Innovation programs has reopened for new projects that will begin on or after April 1, 2023. CanExport SMEs provides up to $50,000 to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) registered in Canada for international business development activities (i.e. tourism businesses who cater to international visitors). The program helps develop export opportunities for products and services in new international markets. CanExport SMEs is open to all industry sectors.
A reminder the BC Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) provides assistance to hospitality workers who are experiencing imminent financial need due to a health condition experienced by themselves or a member of their family.
In order to be eligible for funding from the charity, an applicant must have explored all other potential avenues of funding. Whenever possible, we hope the BCHF help will enable individuals to recover and to return to work without the added burden of ongoing financial hardship.
Capilano University is inviting you to post seasonal job opportunities to a select group of 150+ co-op and practicum students seeking paid and unpaid work experience.
Post on the custom job board, accessed only by their 2023 co-op/practicum students. The students are motivated to gain experience and contribute to your company or organization.
The Ambassador Program is a one-of-a-kind, exclusively BC focused series of educational courses designed to share what makes BC wine so unique, and worth getting in your glass.
Wine industry and adjacent businesses such as wineries, wine retailers, restaurants, and hotels are eligible for partnership to provide complimentary access to the Ambassador Program Course Level One to their staff.
BC youth aged 14-30 in BC impacted by wildfires can apply for a program to take climate action and support recovering communities: https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/transforming-climate-grief-into-action
Apply by April 21, 2023 to take part in a nine-month learning journey hosted by the Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement, with workshops and coaching with funding of up to $5,000 to run a climate action project.
Tourism and hospitality partners in British Columbia, including the Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC), go2HR, and Destination BC, have partnered to conduct a survey about the status of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) efforts of tourism and hospitality businesses around the province.
Take the anonymous DEIA survey to help inform DEIA needs, areas of focus, and a collective path forward. This survey provides an opportunity for meaningful DEIA engagement and open feedback, to gain a better understanding of DEIA efforts that will help lead us to a better future, together.
Please Share this opportunity with your network: BC has a large and diverse tourism ecosystem that offers unique and valuable perspectives. All tourism businesses and industry partners are strongly encouraged to take the survey and be part of the BC tourism and hospitality industry’s important DEIA journey.
This new advisory committee will support the advancement of accessibility and inclusion at Destination BC in the pursuit of a more inclusive and accessible tourism industry. The AIC will consist of 8-11 appointed members, the majority of which will be either persons with disabilities and/or individuals who support, or are from organizations that support persons with disabilities.
The appointed roles are for up to a three-year term beginning September 1, 2023. Committee members will receive an honorarium for meetings and reimbursement for related travel expenses.
WORTH Association is seeking to understand the status of gender equity initiatives, including beliefs and perceptions about equity efforts in British Columbia recreation, tourism and hospitality businesses.
Self-identifying woman working in the recreation, tourism or hospitality industry in British Columbia are invited to share their point of view in this five-minute anonymous survey.
Does your tourism business currently hold a Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF), or Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) loan? If so, TIAC wants to hear from you!
Last year, the government extended the repayment deadline for CEBA loan holders to qualify for partial loan forgiveness to December 31, 2023; but in recent months TIAC has heard from some operators that are concerned about their capacity to repay by then. As a result, TIAC is launching a study with Nanos Research to more fully understand the issue across Canada. The information obtained will provide TIAC with the critical information it needs to develop its strategic advocacy proposals to best serve the sector.
Over 50 tourism businesses and events are expected to be exhibiting at TRUE Penticton. It is completely FREE to attend, but donations of food items for the Penticton Community Fridge and Pantry are accepted and greatly appreciated. There will be adventure operators, rentals and tour companies, festivals and events, wine and craft beer tastings, artisan food samples, a kids scavenger hunt as well as the opportunity to win fantastic prizes.
Tourism Week is an annual invitation for all tourism partners to come together to champion and promote Canada’s destinations, tourism businesses, and employees – from coast to coast to coast. After more than two devastating years for tourism, border restrictions have finally been removed. The rebuilding of Canada’s visitor economy is now underway, but there’s a long way to go before tourism reclaims being the $105-billion economic powerhouse it was pre-pandemic. That’s why this year’s theme is CANADA: Powered by Tourism.
TIABC will once again be partnering with Destination BC to introduce a number of initiatives or ideas for DMOs and businesses to implement. Preparation is currently underway as we gather and develop resources that will provide you with tools to help us spread the message that #BCTourismCounts. Until then, mark Tourism Week 2023 in your calendar and start preparing.
The Pathway to Net Zero Carbon training MasterClass will provide participants with the key steps to measuring the carbon footprint of their organization based on the internationally accepted Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, and how to uncover the opportunities to both reduce emissions and save money. It is broken into the following three steps:
Step 1: The Carbon Challenge - review GHG accounting and reporting standards, and methods.
Step 2: How to Measure Your Carbon Footprint.
Step 3: We will help the participants on “How to Set Carbon Reduction Goals & Prioritize Actions based on a Net Zero Goal”.
.png?upscale=true&width=1120&upscale=true&name=Thompson%20Okanagan%20Wage%20Survey(s).png)
.png?upscale=true&width=1120&upscale=true&name=BC%20Tourism%20Resiliency%20Network%20(3).png)
.png?upscale=true&width=1120&upscale=true&name=Virtual%20Venue%20Tours%20(1).png)
+Association.png?upscale=true&width=320&upscale=true&name=Women+of+Recreation%2c+Tourism%2c+%26+Hospitality+(WORTH)+Association.png)
.png?upscale=true&width=320&upscale=true&name=FORTIS%20BC%20(1).png)
