Manic Monday | The Visitor Network in BC - Powerful and Important

We all know that making sure visitors have the information they need to enjoy their vacation is key to a great stay. Many would say that everything you need these days can be found on the internet, but the 100 plus visitors centres in the province would indicate that spending one on one time with guests is still a very important method for delivering information to travellers.

For many years, TOTA has operated a centre on Highway 97 C known as the Route 97 Visitor Inspiration Centre and it is one of the busiest locations in the province.

Our Manager, Frank Stewart, together with Marla, Darnel, Josh, Emily, Dorothy and Fred are there 7 days a week to provide information and plenty of genuine hospitality to individuals travelling from all parts of Canada, the US, and from around the world. Last year, the Centre welcomed nearly 50,000 people over 5 short months and so far this summer the numbers are up over 15%!

Frank and Marla joined us at the centre 3 summers ago having relocated from Calgary after years in the hotel industry. They have worked hard to make sure that the centre is well managed, spotlessly clean, and stocked with unique gift items that make great souvenirs. Darnel St Pierre, one of two summer students, is with us for his second season, while Josh Bennett has joined us for his first summer. These young gentlemen attend Simon Fraser University and Okanagan College respectively and are both tremendous assets to the team. Emily Baldwin has also been with us for the past two years and prior to that had worked in other visitor centre locations. Emily is very knowledgable about the area and at anticipating our guest's needs. Fred and Dorothy Blunden are the newest additions working with us part-time this year and we hope to have them continue on in future summers.

This group is there for all of the guests that stop in when travelling through the region, but they are also there for you and your business. Take the time to make sure they know about where your business is located and what you have available. If you are able to, drop by and meet them, and if you aren't able to, take the time to meet the team at the Visitor Centre nearest to you. They all share information with each other and have a common goal to service our guests and make sure their trip exceeds expectations. This truly makes the BC Visitor Network, financially supported by communities across the province and Destination BC, to be a powerful and important part of tourism in British Columbia.

The Route 97 Visitor Inspiration Centre is open 7 days a week until August 31st and thereafter is open 5 days a week until after Thanksgiving.

"Dew Drop Inn" 

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | We are all more interesting together...

Everything is more interesting, more colourful and far more meaningful when you add a touch of culture.

Recently, we had a staff meeting where four of our team introduced us to a particular aspect of their history and traditions.  Louisa Li, our UBCO summer student assisting with the Biosphere Adhesion program, introduced us to the art of drinking ceremonial Chinese tea.

It was fascinating to learn about the various qualities of tea leaves, the ageing process and the proper way to brew different types of tea. The similarity to growing and fermenting wine could not be ignored and the reverence around the tea service is something very special. Each of us gained a new appreciation for tea and Louisa has been kept busy brewing ever since that meeting.

Greg Hopf, the Indigenous Tourism Specialist at TOTA, together with UBCO summer student Pala Kovacs who is also engaged in this area, took us through a traditional Indigenous smudging ceremony. As we watched the Sage catch fire and then fill the air with its sweet-savoury essence, they explained the importance this tradition has in all Indigenous communities.

Smudging can be used to rid a person or an area of negative energy, to call upon ancestors for guidance or protection, or as a means to cleanse the soul.  Done by some on a daily basis, at special gatherings, to mark special occasions, or to ready a home for its new occupant, the importance of the smudge runs deep within Indigenous peoples and we were all very honoured to be invited to take part.

Anirudh Kukrety, our practicum student from Royal Roads University in Victoria, has come to Canada by way of New Delhi India. Working on the Sustainability file at TOTA, he also found the time last week to prepare his own homemade butter chicken recipe together with a selection of Naan bread.

Lunch for 20 did not phase him as he happily prepared more than we could eat in one day! It would not be an understatement that this was collectively agreed to be one of the best butter chicken dishes any of us had tasted and while the secret is for sure in the spices direct from India, Anirudh tells us the real secret is in using fewer tomatoes and more cream. Whatever the secret...delicious!

We have all been enriched by this opportunity to learn from those around us and with each new lesson, comes a closer, richer relationship. This is true as we travel and as others travel to visit us. The more we share and explain, the more we all get to know and appreciate each other, our unique qualities, special histories and shared desires the more connected we become.

I want to thank each of these individuals for taking the time to share a bit of their story with our entire team. I encourage others to take the time to do the same.

We are all more interesting, together.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Not Just About Booking But Booking Different!

All of us in the tourism industry are well aware that over the past many years there has been tremendous growth in online booking sites. To varying degrees, whether you fully embrace the concept or not, these sites have become one of the mainstream shelves where the industry is able to sell tourism products and services.

Most recently we have begun working with the site BookDifferent.com, based in the Netherlands. This group, who has collaborated with Raptim Humanitarian Travel, is focused on connecting potential travellers with locations and accommodations that are committed to sustainable and responsible tourism development and delivery. With their bookings growing annually at exponential rates, they know that there is a new breed of traveller emerging who are careful about their choices whether on vacation or business trips.

BookDifferent has also partnered with Green Key International and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council to ensure clear and consistent global ratings and labelling of tourism products. Their vision is to "make the world green while you sleep," which aligns clearly with our region's sustainable and responsible tourism development and delivery values.

BookDifferent together with our team has created a section on their website that features our region and highlights the Thompson Okanagan's Biosphere Certification and our commitment to being a sustainable tourism destination. In addition, we are working with them to ensure that the Region’s stakeholders actively involved in the Biosphere Adhesion Committed Entity Program are featured and well represented on this booking platform by helping to upgrade their profile and sustainability ratings on the site.

Travel is changing, travellers are changing and booking different is one way of connecting to those changes.

View Website

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | We are far from perfect but...

July 1st, 2019, Canada's 152nd birthday and the day that most Canadians across the country take time to celebrate the nation. While this country is not perfect, I have to say that after the extensive travel that I had the opportunity to do over the past year, I have never been more proud of being a Canadian.

It is always easy to point out what we are doing wrong, but on this Canada Day, perhaps it is a good time to reflect on a few of the many things we are doing right - things we often take for granted.

For me, top of mind is the tremendous diversity of people, cultures, and history that make up Canada from over 250 ethnic origins. We are countries within a country and all of the opportunities and possibilities that this diversity allows.

The long and dark history with the Indigenous peoples is beginning to turn a page as the truth is being spoken and understood through reconciliation being a collective critical goal.

We are humble, we apologize to a fault and we have tremendous enthusiasm for anything Canadian - just think Raptors..."We the North."

Most of us have access to clean fresh water, good food, well-maintained highways, amazing national parks, backcountry trails, safe cities, rural landscapes, and a bounty of stunning wildlife.

We are not perfect, we have a lot of work to do to live up the reputation we have in the world, but we have the potential and a desire to continue to move forward and be a better nation.

Happy Birthday Canada Day - 152 Years Young...

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Research Highlights the Significance of Tourism in the Thompson Okanagan

While I am certain that most of you will take the time to read the new research TOTA has posted to our News Centre I thought I would recap a few of the highlights to tweak your interest.

This research is based on our work with TELUS Insights, which aggregates cell phone tower data and provides raw information to our research group. The information posted now is the 2018 year in review baseline. The next post will be Jan-May 2018 compared to 2019.

It is important to note that the figures below are for visitation from out of the region. No travel by residents of the Thompson Okanagan within the Thompson Okanagan is included in these figures.

In 2018 the Thompson Okanagan Region saw:

• 9.6 million (minimum one night) overnight stays

• 84 % or 8.1 million were from domestic markets

• 16 % or 1.5 million were from international markets

• Canadian travel into the region was 56% from BC, 27% from Alberta and 5% each from Saskatchewan and Ontario

• The US lead international visitation at 65% followed by Australia, Germany and China at 7%, 5% and 4% respectively

As you read through the report you will find many more interesting pieces of data including details on the types of visitors we are attracting identified through Destination Canada’s Explorer Quotient (EQ) Market segmentation program and Environics Analytics research.

If you are interested in learning more or how you can apply our research and insights to your business or organization contact:

Simone Carlysle-Smith, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
Managing Director for Symphony Tourism Services
sts@totabc.com

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | I Know Which History I Want To Be A Part Of...

June 21st is Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada, and while we should be celebrating the Indigenous Culture in this Country every day, this is a very special time that calls out to all of us to learn more about the history and culture of this land for millennia.  Further, this is a time to reach out and appreciate the road that the Indigenous people have had to walk, to experience the remarkable music and dance that these nations share, and to appreciate the spiritual connection that has always been part of the first peoples.

The Indigenous people truly understand the importance of sustainability, the protection of mother earth, the connection between humans, animals, land, water and the Creator.

On June 21st there will be many and varied celebrations around our region and I encourage you to take the time to find out what is happening in your area and to take part in these special events.  Now is the time to stand together, to collaborate, to build understanding and to truly reconcile.

Never before have we had the generations of people both Indigenous and non-indigenous with the capacity to truly reach out and fully appreciate each other. Our world depends on it, and it will be our future generations who will look back on this moment in time and either celebrate us all for our collective wisdom, vision, desire for a world that is inclusive, compassionate, brave and so much better than what was before or they will have an alternative opinion of us...

I know which history I want to be part of...

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Crisis Management - Proper Communication is a Priority

There has been a lot of work going on behind the scenes over the past few years by members of BC’s Emergency Management team in British Columbia. One component of their focus has been finding ways of improving the flow of information and communications to ensure that everyone has access to details about an emergency situation and that they are as accurate and timely as possible.

One of our key challenges during past fire and flood seasons has been the often over dramatization and sensationalism of messaging, through a variety of media sources. Last summer, our team listened in horror as one Vancouver radio station indicated to their listeners that the situation in the “Okanagan” was dire and the travellers should rethink their plans for the weekend, to cancel and avoid the area. On that particular July weekend, nothing could have been farther from the truth. We did contact the station manager and they, in turn, retracted their comments but the damage, by then, had been done.

Without question, it is critical that everyone is kept safe and informed during emergencies that affect any part of our province; places to avoid; highway closures; campfire bans; backcountry conditions... the list goes on. But we also have a responsibility to tell travellers where they can travel to, what areas are unaffected, what routes are open and connect them to the many places they can and should continue to go to and enjoy their vacation.  Part of ensuring that this happens is to work much closer with our media partners, keeping them in check as they deliver their news stories.

The announcement last week, providing funding assistance for tourism Crisis Management Coordinators in our regions, will enable us to begin to do just that; work to get the right information into the traveller's hands as quickly as possible and help our Tourism Stakeholders who are unaffected continue to welcome guests.

We are very pleased in our TOTA office that Rob Grifone, is taking on this role and in the coming weeks and months, you will hear more about this position.

Our sincerest thanks to Hon. Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture for the continued support in assisting both the province and the regions with Emergency Management.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Rendez-vous Canada "For Glowing Hearts" Our Hearts Are Glowing

Once again the Canadian travel industry has come together to host our Domestic and International Travel Trade Partners at Rendez-vous Canada held last week in Toronto.  This event has been held across Canada for decades bringing trade operators from around the world, both familiar and new, to meet with Canadian tourism products and destinations from Coast to Coast to Coast. This year, over 620 trade buyers were in attendance representing more than 29 countries, and was by all accounts another resounding success!

Ingrid Dilschnieder, our TOTA Trade Director and Marketing team lead, was in attendance with a full slate of appointments over the 3 days even taking appointments outside of the regular times to accommodate the demand and interest in our Region.  Ingrid was also invited by Destination BC to an evening dinner function attended by a large delegation of Chinese buyers and was afforded the opportunity to get to better understand their requirements and how we, as a region, might meet them.  Well done Ingrid!

For myself, I was able to attend several meetings along with our Board Chairman, Frank Antoine, and we had a number of excellent discussions with industry stakeholders and partners including Parks Canada, Destination Canada, and Air Canada.

An exciting highlight of the week included Destination Canada’s launch of the new Canada Brand, "For Glowing Hearts". It doesn't get more Canadian than that and this new brand certainly drives home the message of our values as a people and a nation.

Congratulations once again to all those that work hard that make Rendezvous Canada happen each year;  to our hosts at Tourism Toronto;  organizers Tourism Industry Association of Canada, Destination Canada, and Destination British Columbia, and to all of the many representatives and sellers of tourism that bring their stories of Canada to life at this marketplace and to the buyers who are ready and waiting for new ways to promote and explore our country.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | TOTA on the World Stage with the UNWTO

Last week, I had the honour to attend and represent the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) at the 64th Meeting of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Regional Commission for the Americas in Guatemala.

This meeting unites tourism ministers and organizational leaders from North, Central, and South America, and it was a pleasure to be asked to speak at the International Seminar on Destination Management - New Challenges, New Solutions.

I spoke alongside Humberto Rivas Ortega, Professor, School of Engineering in Management of Expeditions and Ecotourism, Chile, and Graciela Caffera, Representative del Este Convention&Visitors Bureau, Uruguay, on a panel moderated by Sandra Carvao, Chief, Market Intelligence and Competitiveness, UNWTO. The panel addressed Tourism Destination Governance - New Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), where we shared experiences of successful governance structures and had discussions around the new challenges and responsibilities of a DMO. Throughout the program, it was very encouraging that sustainability, accessibility, innovation, education, and over-tourism are key priorities as the tourism industry considers its future.

There were numerous highlights throughout the week; however,  the opportunity to discuss the Thompson Okanagans sustainability efforts with UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili and share best practices with tourism leaders from countries around the globe was a tremendous privilege.

There will be some exciting announcements to watch for in the coming months between the UNTWO and the Thompson Okanagan region as we continue to advance our collective efforts in sustainability.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Tourism Information Centres not Just for Visitors

The May Long Weekend always feels like the start of the summer Tourism Season in the Thompson Okanagan. Many attractions and activities open up after the long winter and we start to see vegetable and fruit stands coming to life along with other roadside vendors, food trucks,  farmers markets, and more. Everywhere you can feel the anticipation of summer in the air.

It is also when numerous Visitor Information Centres around the region, that are not all open year-round, once again open their doors and welcome our guests.

There are fantastic centers around the entire region offering travel ideas and advice on things to do. Many of the centres also have terrific gift and souvenir items, often sourced from local producers, artists, and companies. While these centers are promoted as "visitor services" they are also a great resource for those of us that live in these communities.

The Route 97 Connector Visitor Inspiration Centre, operated by TOTA, is currently open Wednesday - Sunday until the end of June when it will operate 7 days a week. Located just above Peachland, it is a gateway into the region welcoming more than 40,000 visitors annually. Over the coming weeks, it will be undergoing a number of significant changes to make it even more welcoming, thanks, in part to a BC Rural Dividend Grant.

Take the time to drop into one of the visitor centers around the Thompson Okanagan, you will be surprised about how much there is to learn and even to buy!

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 | TOTA Announces Rural Dividend Grant

On behalf of the TOTA Board of Directors and our staff and management, we wish to thank the Minister of Citizen's Services, the Honorable Jinny Sims who joined us in Kelowna last Friday at our TOTA office to formally announce our recent receipt of a Rural Dividend Grant.

These funds from this grant will be utilized to enhance our Route 97 Visitor Inspiration Centre, and together with our Indigenous Communities in the Thompson Okanagan to ensure the stories, history, and culture of our Interior Salish people are appropriately represented.

We appreciate this opportunity to welcome visitors to our region and provide them with a broader perspective on the Thompson Okanagan and the rich Indigenous history which has shaped our region.

Keep watching as the transformation begins and again our sincere thank you to the Minister for their ongoing support.

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 | Who knew there was a month for wine? It's April...No Foolin!

For the past few years, April has been recognized as BC Wine Month.  What this means for all of us who enjoy the odd glass or even bottle of BC's best is there are more opportunities than ever to try locally produced wines from vintners large and small.

Liquor stores will be promoting and carrying more BC products and throughout the province, special events, contests, and activities will be taking place at wineries, restaurants, hotels, through wine tour companies and as part of the many regional wine routes. All focused on recognizing, celebrating and elevating this province incredible wines. For more on the events taking place go to https://winebc.com/bc-wine-month/.

We should all be very proud of our of how far this industry has come and the ongoing recognition our wines receive both here at home and on the world stage. What better time to show your support, than April. Having said that any month is BC Wine Month this is just a great time to buy local and try new products.

Who knew there was a month for Wine....? #BCWINEMONTH

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 | Safety First Must Always Be the Priority

It has been a very difficult week for the tourism industry worldwide as we have collectively mourned the loss of the passengers on the Air Ethiopia Flight and are once again reminded of the lives lost in the Lion Air flight just 5 months ago. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families who have lost friends, relatives and colleagues in what can only be described as an unimaginable situation.

As collective minds work to resolve and solve the situation we applaud our Airlines and Government officials who have taken the necessary action to protect passengers and crew.  In Canada alone there are 40 planes on the ground at one of the busiest times of the year and Airlines are working to reroute and reassign flights, an almost insurmountable task given the magnitude of the situation.

But thankfully safety is a priority and this past week on CBC  I learned that in  2017 there were over four and a half billion passengers on nearly 45 million commercial flights, making aviation unquestionably safest forms of public transportation. Experts have long known that the most dangerous part of airline travel is the drive too and from the airport.

Moving forward there will be answers and there will be changes and while it does not, in any way, diminish the loss of life that has occurred, we will be the safer going forward.

If you find yourself travelling during this chaotic period, it is worth remembering that airline staff be it on the ground or in the air are working with you to get you on your way quickly and safely.  A word of support for those trying to get you where you are going can make everyone's experience better.

Safety first must always be our priority.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Honoured to Be In Outstanding Company

Last week, on the heels of a tremendous Tourism Industry Conference in Vancouver, I had the honour to be asked to a private dinner with Calin Rovinescu, President & CEO of Air Canada together with industry, education and sector leaders to discuss the BC economy’s challenges and opportunities.  Being able to share the great work of our tourism industry here in the Thompson Okanagan and opportunities to grow the market was such an honour. Special thanks to Craig Richmond, CEO of the Vancouver Airport Authority and the entire Air Canada team for putting on such an inspiring and thoughtful evening.

Then with our TOTA Board Chair, Frank Antoine, and others from the region, I headed to ITB Berlin, widely considered to be the world’s preeminent Travel Trade Show. The predominance of the dialogue at the Show, from every corner of the globe, centred on the issues of responsible sustainable tourism, whether it be development, measurement, monitoring or management.

Throughout the course of the week, Frank and I attended many thought-provoking sessions and met with tourism leaders from around the world who are actively focusing on these important issues. We had many opportunities to put the Thompson Okanagan forward and underscore our commitments to sustainability and to recognize and showcase all of the hard work our collective industry partners and stakeholders are doing in this region.  Our message is definitely being heard.

The Show had numerous highlights for us, far too many to outline here, however, there are some that definitely stood out.   We were honoured to have an opportunity to meet one on one with Dr Dirk Glaesser, Director for Sustainable Development of Tourism for the World Tourism Organization (WTO). We discussed opportunities for our region to form a long term partnership and engage with research programs that will enable us to better measure the impact of sustainable tourism development activities that are currently underway.

Later in the week, we joined  Lonneke de Kort,  CEO of Bookdifferent.com to formalize our formal partnership agreement which will see our organizations working together to develop a series of pilot digital promotional and research projects. In addition, this relationship is designed to ensure the Thompson Okanagan Region and its Biosphere Adhesion committed communities and businesses will be featured on their site.

We then signed a formal Tourism Development and Cultural Partnership MOU between TOTA and the Emerging Tourism Enterprises Association of Namibia, Africa.  This extraordinary opportunity will enable us to share best practices on sustainability, social development, and cultural tourism.

Frank was also a keynote speaker at the Berlin Economic Forum at the Institute of Cultural Diversity sharing the Region’s indigenous story and the power of cultural tourism in the reconciliation process.

And finally yes... there was an awards evening and we are very proud and pleased to share that the Thompson Okanagan Region ranked 2nd as the Top Green Destination in the Americas by the Global Green Destinations Organization. Our congratulations to Galapagos National Park, Ecuador who ranked first.

Believe me when I say just how honoured we were to be in such outstanding company.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | A Strategic Framework for Tourism in BC

Attending last week’s Tourism Industry Conference in Vancouver, hosted annually by TIABC, it was apparent that our industry has come of age and is definitely being taken seriously. With record attendance, a tremendous line up of speakers and insightful, thought-provoking breakout sessions (many that were standing room only), things felt different.

And... the numbers don't lie.  Destination BC's CEO Marsha Walden and the Minister for Tourism Arts and Culture, Lisa Beare were both in attendance presenting the irrefutable facts. The BC Tourism industry contributed 9 billion dollars to province’s GDP in 2017, it employs over 137,000 people in over 19,000 tourism-related experiences and in 2018 welcomed over 6 million visitors from around the world. Tourism is the province’s 3rd largest industry with year over year revenues continuing to climb and to outpace the rest of Canada.

The most significant announcement of the week, however, was the release of the Provincial Government’s New 3 year Strategic Framework for Tourism in BC. This critical roadmap highlights the important role that tourism must play in supporting People and Communities; Sustainably Growing the Visitor Economy; and Respecting Nature and the Environment. Focusing on all three of these pillars will ensure that the tourism industry not only continues to grow but does so in a way that recognizes its responsibility to all British Columbians.

To read the full document go to: Strategic Framework for Tourism In BC

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO