News & Resources
The latest Thompson Okanagan tourism industry news from TOTA, tourism businesses, and communities.
Save the Date for the 2025 TOTA AGM & Summit
Save the date for the 2025 AGM & Summit!
Save the date for the 2025 TOTA AGM & Summit on October 22 & 23, 2025 in partnership with Tourism Kelowna and the KF Centre for Excellence.
Visit the Summit website for event information and updates. See you all next year!
ETSI-BC Has Been Approved for Over $800,000 in Funding for the Southern Interior
The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) has been approved for $804,230 in funding to support 26 projects that will help support the economic growth of the Southern Interior of B.C.
The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) has been approved for $804,230 in funding to support 26 projects that will help support the economic growth of the Southern Interior of B.C.
The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association is among the 26 other approved projects that will receive funding from ETSI-BC.
Read the full press release for information about the project.
Destination Canada Traveller Segmentation Program
Destination Canada has released the Traveller Segmentation Program.
Destination Canada has released the Traveller Segmentation Program, which allows stakeholders to discover visitor behaviors and preferences to see what motivates, inspires, and drives travellers. This tool will enable more meaningful, targeted, and impactful marketing and destination management strategies.
Explore all the segmentation tools available in the new program.
Media Coverage as a Result of Hosting Traditional Travel Media
The TOTA Travel Media team works with Destination BC, Communities Destination Management Organizations, and businesses to host media in the Thompson Okanagan Region. This effort results in the region being highlighted in worldwide outlets that will attract visitors. Please find the coverage as a result of hosting opportunities below.
The TOTA Travel Media team works with Destination BC, Communities Destination Management Organizations, and businesses to host traditional travel media in the Thompson Okanagan Region. This effort results in the region being highlighted in worldwide outlets that will attract visitors. Please find the coverage as a result of hosting opportunities below.
Global Sustainable Tourism Council Attraction Criteria Early Adoption Program
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has launched an early adopter program for the GSTC attraction criteria. Applications will open in January 2025.
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has launched an early adopter program for the GSTC attraction criteria.
The early adoption program will begin in January 2025, interested parties can find more information about the program’s activities and applications here.
Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Kelowna Airport is Biosphere Committed
The Hampton Inn and Suites Kelowna Airport is located across the highway from Kelowna International Airport and has been a sustainably minded accommodation since its inception.
The Hampton Inn and Suites Kelowna Airport is located across the highway from Kelowna International Airport and has been a sustainably minded accommodation since its inception. The building and guest rooms were constructed from modular pieces intended for assembly with reduced waste, labour and time. Everything from the heating and cooling systems, lighting, and materials were carefully chosen to keep sustainability in mind and the team at the Hampton Inn and Suites plan to continue to focus on these sustainable choices going forward.
Sustainability Initiatives
This hotel was developed with the Hilton’s Travel with Purpose 2030 goals in mind. This strategy aims to create a positive environmental and social impact supported by best-in-class governance practices across the hotel's operations, supply chain, and in its community. To support these goals, the Hampton Inn and Suites reduces emissions from energy and water use and also reduces the waste they direct to landfills.
To meet these goals, the hotel has reduced its use of plastics by providing water fill stations, reduced energy use by installing motion sensors on lights, and reduced water usage by installing timers in their landscaping program. The Hampton Inn and Suites is also a proud participant in Clean the World, a program that helps save lives through soap recycling and providing hygiene solutions for preventable illnesses.
When asked about what it was like participating in TOTA’s Biosphere program, Keira Niebuhr, Accommodation Controller, had this to say: “Working towards Biosphere Committed has been an exercise in acknowledging the multitude of methods we are already using in our day-to-day operations that align with the SDG’s and discovering some new methods that can only better the support we provide to our team. Working with TOTA and affiliated partners has been key to discovering opportunities in adding new sustainable measures or processes to our tool belt.”
Biosphere Commitment Program
The Thompson Okanagan Biosphere Commitment Program is a sustainability program offered by the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association. The focus is to equip tourism businesses in the region with tools and resources to continuously measure, manage, and report sustainability management efforts. The program prepares businesses for a globally recognized certification, to show alignment of business operations with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Thompson Okanagan Biosphere Destination Certification.
Organizations can create customized sustainability plans through the Biosphere Sustainable Lifestyle platform and access dedicated support from industry experts.
Learn more about TOTA’s Biosphere Commitment Program
Four Points by Sheraton Kelowna Airport is Biosphere Committed
The Four Points by Sheraton is a pet-friendly hotel located across the highway from Kelowna International Airport (YLW). The Four Points by Sheraton belongs to the Marriott International brand, and is committed to creating a positive and sustainable impact wherever they do business.
The Four Points by Sheraton is a pet-friendly hotel located across the highway from Kelowna International Airport (YLW). The Four Points by Sheraton belongs to theMarriott International brand, and is committed to creating a positive and sustainable impact wherever they do business. Marriott's Climate Action Program focuses on responsible sourcing, water reduction, and waste reduction. This approach aims to reduce climate risks, promote sustainable growth, and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainability Initiatives
The team at the Four Points by Sheraton have always been aware of the impact that accommodations, catering, and dining have on the consumption of resources; therefore, they believe that the responsible management of resources and materials must align with their sustainable goals to promote an enduring industry.
There are a number of initiatives that the hotel and the hotel restaurant, Gulfstream, have taken to ensure they are aligning with these sustainability goals. To reduce the use of plastics, the hotel has installed a water station in the lobby that allows guests to refill reusable water bottles. Additionally, public use areas and offices have motion-activated lighting to help conserve energy. Amenities for guests are purchased in bulk to reduce packaging required for shipping, and Gulfstream uses entirely recyclable packaging for to-go orders.
Through their work with TOTA as well as their own research, the team at the Four Points found that a number of the methods they already used in their day-to-day operations aligned with the SDGs. Since then, they have been able to find and add new sustainable measures to their operations.
When asked about their experience working towards becoming Biosphere Committed, Keira Niebuhr, Accommodation Controller, had this to say for other businesses considering Biosphere: “The Biosphere program really has a plethora of activities that tie back to the Sustainable Development Goals, but don’t be alarmed by that number. So many of the activities may already be items you currently do, while others, once established, provide a foundation for equal treatment of staff, diverse community networks, and efficiencies available to save materials and resources.”
Biosphere Commitment Program
The Thompson Okanagan Biosphere Commitment Program is a sustainability program offered by the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association. The focus is to equip tourism businesses in the region with tools and resources to continuously measure, manage, and report sustainability management efforts. The program prepares businesses for a globally recognized certification, to show alignment of business operations with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Thompson Okanagan Biosphere Destination Certification.
Organizations can create customized sustainability plans through the Biosphere Sustainable Lifestyle platform and access dedicated support from industry experts.
Learn more about TOTA’s Biosphere Commitment Program
TIABC’s Voice of Tourism Episode 31 - Ellen Walker-Matthews
Listen as TOTA CEO Ellen Walker-Matthews chats with TIABC’s Voice of Tourism host Walt Judas about her career path, her work in sustainable tourism, and what challenges tourism business owners & operators are facing in the Thompson Okanagan.
Listen as TOTA CEO Ellen Walker-Matthews chats with TIABC’s Voice of Tourism host Walt Judas about her career path, her work in sustainable tourism, and what challenges tourism business owners & operators are facing in the Thompson Okanagan.
BC Tourism Climate Resiliency Initiative Micro Grant Program
This funding will support the implementation of recommendations in these businesses’ sustainability and climate adaptation planning.
Starting January 7, 2025, tourism businesses, non-profits, and Indigenous organizations within the tourism industry can apply for a micro-grant of up to $15,000 for projects that reduce energy use, waste, water consumption, and more. This funding will support the implementation of recommendations in these businesses’ sustainability and climate adaptation planning.
BC Tourism Industry Conference Award Nomination Open Until January 8
Nominate organizations and individuals for BC Tourism Industry Awards by January 8, 2025.
The BC Tourism Industry Conference Awards recognize and celebrate the leadership, innovation, and excellence in the BC tourism industry.
These awards will be presented at the conference Awards Gala evening on March 6, 2025.
Nominations are open until January 8, 2025.
Early Bird Pricing Available for BC Tourism Industry Conference 2025
Early bird registration for the Tourism Industry Conference is now available.
Early bird rates are available until January 15, 2025, for the BC Tourism Industry Conference 2025.
Register for the conference on March 5-7, 2025 in Vancouver, BC.
UN Tourism Finds Travel Spending Growing Faster Than Arrivals
UN Tourism has found that global tourism is set to recover by the end of the year. Destinations are exceeding 2019 numbers, and the global tourism sector has recovered 98% of pre-pandemic levels.
Read the full release by UN Tourism for full details.
DBC Learning Centre
Destination BC has a learning centre with free resources, tools, articles, videos, and guides including:
Digital Marketing
Experience Development
Social Media Marketing
Travel Trade & Travel Media
Applying Insights
Safety & Emergency Preparedness
Accessible Tourism
BC’s Destination Brand Resources
Access the resources from the learning centre here.
BCTCRI Micro-Grant Program Intake Information Session
Learn more about the micro-grant funding available for tourism businesses to implement sustainability and climate adaptation plans or certifications.
Register for the Monday, December 16, 2024 information session here.
Working Effectively with Indigenous Peoples Workshop
Sign up for the “Working Effectively with Indigenous Peoples Workshop” designed for tourism professionals in the BC tourism industry. These free sessions focus on strengthening relations and community connections.
Sessions will:
Build Stronger Relationships: Learn key strategies for respectful, effective collaboration.
Enhance Cultural Awareness: Gain insights into Indigenous history and contemporary issues.
Practical Learning: Interactive content focused on real-world applications.
Register now for sessions on January 14 & 16.
CRA GST/HST Information Session
The Canada Revenue Agency is holding information sessions on the GST/HST and how they will be applied during the GST/HST break.
The Canada Revenue Agency is holding information sessions on the GST/HST and how they will be applied during the GST/HST break.
English Information Session
Date: Monday, December 9, 2024
Time: 2:30 to 3:30 pm EST
Location: Microsoft Teams Live (English)
French Information Session
Date: Monday, December 9, 2024
Time: 1:00 to 2:00 pm EST
Location: Microsoft Teams Live (French)
You can also submit your questions to the CRA in advance using this link: GST/HST information session - Your questions for the Canada Revenue Agency.
Inter-Community Transportation Study
A study of the results from the Inter-Community Transportation Survey, including the methodology, findings, and recommendations are available to download.
The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association recently hosted “Community Voices Heard” in partnership with the Okanagan Transit Alliance and the University of British Columbia Okanagan. During this forum, the results of the Inter-Community Transportation Survey were discussed revealing the insights gathered from the survey conducted this summer.
A study of the results, including the methodology, findings, and recommendations is available to download.
Survey Presentation
TOTA Team Attends the BRC 2024 Building Resilient Communities Conference
The BC Regional Tourism Emergency Management Specialists, including the specialist from the TOTA team, attended the Building Resilient Communities conference in Penticton from November 18th to 21st.
The BRC 2024 Building Resilient Communities Conference, focused on fostering collaboration among local governments, First Nations, organizations, agencies, and businesses to enhance community resilience. The event featured a mix of presentations, training sessions, and workshops designed to encourage active participation and knowledge sharing. It emphasized the evolution of emergency preparedness and business continuity, expanding its scope to address broader aspects of community resilience. Attendees were provided a unique venue for learning and networking to encourage partnership and drive innovation and transformation.
For more details, visit the BRC Conference website.
The “Spark” Mentorship and Grants Program Brings Innovative Ideas to Boundary Country
Boundary Country has officially announced a new program to support innovative tourism ideas in the area.
The “Spark” Mentorship and Grants Program matches selected applicants with tourism mentors and provides a $3000 grant to develop and support new or current tourism ideas that encourage longer stays, address tourism needs, and enhance experiences in the region.
Interested applicants can apply by January 6, 2025.
For more information about the Boundary “Spark” Mentorships & Grants Program and upcoming Info Sessions, visit https://www.tourisminnovation.ca/boundarycountry.html
ITBC Leads the Development of a BC First Nations-led Tourism Destination Fund
Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) has been appointed by the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) to lead the development of a BC First Nations-led tourism destination fund.
This fund will prioritize a distinctions-based approach in alignment with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Declaration Act).