Recap of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism AGM & Summit 2023
On October 23 and 24, TOTA hosted the 2023 Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association AGM & Summit in Penticton, with 14 speakers, sharing inspiration and key learnings with over 140 attendees.
The theme, “Now is the Time,” reflected the focus on continuous preparation to ensure readiness of tourism professionals and businesses, which will ultimately elevate visitor experiences, strengthen businesses, and regenerate communities.
Attendees finished the event with many insights and connections to take back to their companies and communities.
The Summit raised over $6,000 to donate to regional wildfire relief efforts.
In case you missed it (or want to relive it), here are some of the highlights:
Welcome Reception
The Welcome Reception was an evening of networking, learning, and reconnecting with industry members at the Okanagan College Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence (JPCE), hosted by Travel Penticton.
TOTA CEO, Ellen Walker-Matthews and Travel Penticton Executive Director, Thom Tischik shared a warm welcome.
The event included tours of this LEED Platinum Certified building, which aligns with TOTA’s current sustainability initiatives and the Summit theme, Now is the Time.
Okanagan College chef, Israel Alvarez, prepared locally crafted Mexican cuisine, while Naramata Bench Wineries Association and Penticton Beer Blocks poured tastings of local beverages.
Several businesses showcased their services, including:
As well, Ebus provided a shuttle to and from the event venue and Nespresso showcased their recyclable single use coffee products.
The TOTA Destination Stewardship team shared information about the Thompson Okanagan Biosphere Destination Certification and how tourism businesses can get involved.
AGM
The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, at the Penticton Lakeside Resort, on the traditional, unceded, and ancestral territory of the Penticton Indian Band, home of the Syilx (Okanagan) People.
The meeting included an overview for the year ending March 31, 2023, the presentation of the Fiscal Year 2022/23 Audited Financial Statement, Governance Report, TOTA Activities, and the Board Election Results.
Summit
Opening
The day began with a welcome by Penticton Indian Band members, who sang the Okanagan Song and debuted a youth pow wow dancer.
TOTA CEO Ellen Walker-Matthews shared opening remarks, about the theme “Now is the Time” and including words of appreciation for the community host, Travel Penticton, the event sponsors, and the TOTA board directors and staff.
“We are faced with unbelievable changes and challenges in our world today and there is no question they are daunting. I know many ask the question: what possible difference can I make? But if each of us works at making an adjustment, little by little, progress and change can and will come.
Now is the Time for Collaborative Change.”
go2HR Zen Room
go2HR offers many mental health and other resources to the Thompson Okanagan tourism industry. To highlight this focus on mental health, go2HR hosted a Zen Room to create space for calm and prioritizing wellness.
The calming space provided a place for participants to take a break from the bustle and energy of the Summit sessions.
While there, participants could learn and practice quick, accessible techniques that they and their employees can use to help ease stress and anxiety as well as encourage a positive mindset.
Opening Keynote by Destination BC
Destination BC Maya Lange, Vice President, Global Marketing and Ali McKay, Vice President, Destination Stewardship shared Destination BC’s new corporate strategy, the upcoming Iconics rollout, and insights from the past year on crisis communications and recovery.
Destination BC works closely with the regions and impacted communities to provide timely, accurate information and develop campaigns and strategies that encourage travel when it is safe to do so.
FortisBC & Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)
As a strong TOTA partner and supporter of Thompson Okanagan tourism businesses, FortisBC’s Vlad Kostka was invited to say a few words about their current partnership to reduce the carbon footprint in the Thompson Okanagan region.
The partnership aims to increase awareness on the simplicity of switching to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) to heat and power homes and tourism businesses - and to inspire businesses and residents to take action.
Emergency Management, Planning, and Preparedness Panel
Prompted by this year’s environmental challenges we’ve faced as a region, this panel addressed BC’s current emergency management framework and explored ways to improve the system.
Walt Judas, Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia (TIABC) CEO and BC Tourism Emergency Management Committee member shared information about BC's emergency management system and how we can collaborate to become stronger when facing challenges.
As CEO, Walt leads multiple advocacy/policy files, sets the strategic course for TIABC, builds relationships with members and industry stakeholders, and communicates the value of BC’s visitor economy to various constituents.
Ingrid Jarrett, President & CEO of the BC Hotel Association (BCHA) discussed the role of accommodation in moments of crisis, including the efforts to implement a modern solution to an evolving issue.
Ingrid channels her extensive knowledge and acute insights into supporting, and advocating for, members of the hotel industry province-wide. She has been instrumental in leading the hospitality sector out of crisis caused by COVID-19, delivering hundreds of millions in financial relief, while also rebuilding the sector’s workforce and providing solutions for long-term tourism growth.
Wendy Magnes, Director, Economics and Corporate Initiatives, Province of BC, Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport - Tourism Sector Strategy shared an overview on tourism in BC:
BC’s Competitive Advantages
Hazards
2023 Overview
Power of Partnerships and Emergency
Management
Progress
Resources
Wendy joined the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport in May 2022, and currently has oversight for Crown corporate reporting for Destination BC and the BC Pavilion Corporation (BC Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre), industry economic data and research, Federal Provincial and Territorial tables for Tourism as well as several key industry initiatives including emergency management.
Garnet Mierau, Director of Forest Professionals of BC, shared insights on the the Forest Professional’s Role and FireSmart Efficacy.
As a registered professional forester, Garnet has over 30 years of experience in forest management in British Columbia, much of this within the wildfire niche.
He led a team of professionals working for the District of Logan Lake to prepare for and respond to the Tremont Wildfire in 2021, including years of wildfire risk reduction and FireSmart program management as well as community forest tenure management.
Recently, Garnet became the Director of Practice with the provincial regulator Forest Professionals BC (FPBC). FPBC works in the public interest by ensuring only those with the requisite education, experience, knowledge, and competence practise professional forestry.
Mathieu Bourbonnais, lead of the Earth Observation & Spatial Ecology Lab and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, shared his work developing new sensor networks for monitoring and predicting fire risk and fire behaviour, understanding ecological responses to changing fire regimes, and developing tools and training for proactive mitigation.
Regional Transportation Opportunities Panel
The beautiful landscape of the Thompson Okanagan presents transportation challenges, as well as opportunities. This panel of transportation experts addressed transportation challenges and alternative ways to connect the region.
Steve Sirett, Executive Director, Province of BC, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI), has over 15 years’ experience with MOTI, including 4 years in the Construction branch building roads across the province and 7 years leading the Okanagan-Shuswap District.
Steve shared MOTI’s guiding principles, themes, and priorities.
Johnathan Richardson, Vice President, Customer & Commercial of Pacific Coastal Airlines, oversees the teams that are accountable for all planning and service delivery aspects for Pacific Coastal Airlines serving 18 destinations across British Columbia with scheduled flight service, charter, and cargo solutions. Collectively these teams work together to provide safe and reliable air service to many communities throughout British Columbia supporting leisure, medical, and business travellers.
Dr. Gord Lovegrove, Associate Professor, UBCO School of Engineering, University of British Columbia Okanagan teaches and researches sustainable community development, including land use and transportation systems that promote a more sustainable quality of life for all.
Dr. Gord shared a transportation opportunity that could transform the Thompson Okanagan: the Okanagan Valley Electric Regional Passenger Rail (OVER PR).
Laurel Douglas, CEO of Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC), shared:
The Regional Transportation Study, a comprehensive study of the region’s ground passenger transportation gaps and opportunities.
RTE Funding Program to help strengthen the economy of the Southern Interior through enhanced connections
ETSI-BC is an important organisation for development of the region. Their role includes:
Helping to strengthen and diversify the economy of the BC Southern Interior.
Assisting communities to realize their economic development aspirations by providing funding, resources and knowledge.
Working with local governments, First Nations, business support organizations, industry groups.
Peter Truch, Professional Transportation Engineer, Independent Consultant, is a senior transportation planning, mobility, and operations engineer with more than two decades of experience. His practice focuses on master planning, universal design, and active transportation in the built environment and advises on the entire lifecycle of active transportation related projects, from planning and design to operational issues, financial implications, and the numerous links and associations to other fields.
Peter shared a presentation on Why In-Town Mobility Needs to Evolve.
Sustainability Keynote - Kelly Galaski, The Travel Foundation
The increasing impacts of climate change have greatly impacted the future of tourism in our region and far beyond.
Kelly Galaski, Sustainable Tourism Specialist from The Travel Foundation, shared how global destinations are working towards climate-positive and equitable tourism goals and TOTA stakeholders can follow suit via destination stewardship strategies and capacity building programs.
Now is the Time to listen, learn, and act to ensure prosperity for generations to come.
AGM & Summit 24 Location Announcement
Near the end of the event, the destination for the next TOTA AGM & Summit was announced. We are pleased to announce that the 2024 TOTA AGM & Summit will be held in the North Okanagan, in partnership with Tourism Vernon and Destination Silver Star on the unceded and traditional territory of the Okanagan Indian Band, home of the Syilx Okanagan People.
Be sure to subscribe to the TOTA Newsletter to get the registration details when they are announced.
Wildfire Relief Efforts
The event and silent auction raised over $6,000 to donate to regional wildfire relief efforts. The funds will be donated equally to the following charities:
Central Okanagan Fire Relief Fund, a group of professional firefighters from Kelowna, West Kelowna and Lake Country distributing funds to those impacted by wildfires in the area.
Shuswap Community Foundation Emergency Response Fund, to support the communities affected by the Bush Creek East wildfire in North Shuswap by assisting community-based organizations to recover and rebuild.
Thank you to those that donated silent auction items:
Thank you to the event sponsors
