DBC - Be Prepared for Emergencies this Summer

Be prepared for emergencies this summer with the help of Destination BC’s recently updated Spring/Summer 2025 Emergency Messaging Guidance document. This guide outlines official emergency information sources and provides suggested messaging, actions, and other resources produced by the BC Tourism Emergency Management Committee for BC tourism businesses to help navigate questions, mitigate visitor concerns, and proactively manage perceptions during emergencies.

Job Opportunity - Travel Penticton Executive Director

As Executive Director for Travel Penticton Society, a Destination Marketing/Management Organization (DMMO), you'll be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the organization’s operations, developing and implementing strategic plans, staff development, and stakeholder relations, all while ensuring the organization's financial stability and mission success.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director plays a vital role in elevating Penticton and Penticton Metropolitan’s profile as a tourism and event destination, particularly within the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) and sport sectors in a sustainable manner that strengthens the local economy and enriches the quality of life.

Applications will be received until May 16, 2025

Make the Trip Home: a new domestic marketing campaign - DBC

Destination BC has launched Make the Trip Home: a new domestic marketing campaign designed to inspire BC residents to reconnect with the extraordinary places and experiences that exist right in their own backyard, while supporting local businesses, workers, and communities.

Starting April 24, this campaign encourages multi-day summer vacations within BC . The campaign will leverage mixed channels to help reach BC audiences.

So where do you come in? To help BC tourism partners get involved in the campaign DBC has created a Campaign Partner Toolkit that includes, social media templates that can be localized/customized, allowing partners to promote their offerings while aligning with the larger campaign, as well as messaging guidelines to help increase the message reach.

Summerland Waterfront Resort & Spa Named Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards Winner

Summerland Waterfront Resort & Spa is recognized in top 1% of hotels worldwide and among Canada’s top 25. Not only that but they are proud to announce continued success as a premier destination in British Columbia, having received three major accolades in Tripadvisor’s® Travelers’ Choice® Awards for 2025:

Travelers’ Choice Award – placing in the top 10% of hotels worldwide

Best of the Best Award – an elite recognition in the top 1% of all hotels globally

Top 25 Hotels in Canada – a national honour reflecting outstanding guest experience

These designations are based entirely on the consistent praise and positive reviews shared by travellers who visited and rated the resort on Tripadvisor over the past year.

Navigating Vintage 2024 – Winery, Restaurant, Retail Guides

Wines Growers British Columbia (WGBC) has developed strategic plans to support the wine industry through the use of out-of-province grapes for the 2024 vintage.

The plan involves the “Crafted in BC” messaging - a temporary positioning created to support BC wineries during the challenges of the 2024 vintage, a year marked by severe crop losses due to extreme weather. This allows wineries to transparently communicate the inclusion of out-of-province grapes in some wines, while still maintaining their commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and the long-term sustainability of the BC wine industry.

Tourism Climate Adaptation and Environmental Sustainability Business Survey Report

The first-ever province-wide Tourism Climate Adaptation and Environmental Sustainability Business Survey was successful, with more than 550 tourism businesses participating between January 21 and February 21, 2025.

The results provide baseline data on a common set of measures that will track sustainable practices and climate adaptation initiatives across the tourism industry in BC.

Key findings across three priority areas:

Emissions

• Tourism-related GHG emissions represent 3.1% of total industry emissions in BC

• 40% of tourism businesses have invested in energy management

• Transportation accounts for 68% of tourism-related emissions, primarily from domestic air travel and ground vehicle fuel consumption

Waste Management

• 17% of tourism businesses have performed waste audits in the past two years

• 40% have invested in waste management practices like reducing single-use plastics and food waste diversion

Climate Adaptation

• 27% of tourism businesses feel prepared for natural events like wildfires, floods, and droughts

• 64% have invested in climate adaptation measures, with 17% participating in FireSmarting programs

Short-term Rental Regulation Update and Business License Applications now open for the City of Kelowna

Kelowna City Council updated its short-term rental rules to match the new Provincial standards on April 14, 2025. The changes, backed by a strong long-term rental market, aim to protect housing availability, boost enforcement, and make things simpler for everyone. Short-term rentals are allowed in an operator’s principal residence, and for the first time, in secondary suites and carriage houses too. The City is now accepting business licence applications again as operators must get a City business license and register with the Province to avoid extra penalties.

To learn more or apply for a licence, head to kelowna.ca/short-term-rentals

Bringing the Salmon Home 2024-2025 Annual Report

Last summer the technical team at Bringing the Salmon Home translocated 57 adult sockeye from the Okanagan and released them into the Arrow Lakes Reservoir. In November, they witnessed a tagged adult female sockeye in a creek north of Castlegar: the first adult salmon recorded returning into an Arrow Lakes spawning tributary in over 85 years.

The full 2024-2025 report highlights the Columbia River Salmon Reintroduction Initiative, an Indigenous-led collaboration of the Syilx Okanagan Nation, Secwépemc Nation, and Ktunaxa Nation, with Canada and British Columbia.

Manufacturing Excellence Forum - Kelowna

Join EMC for a dynamic in-person event tailored to tackle today’s manufacturing challenges while unlocking opportunities for future growth. Designed to spark ideas, foster collaboration, and drive innovation, this forum will leave you energized, informed, and ready to lead with confidence.

Monday, May 12, 2025 8:00 am PST

Hear presentations from industry and industry partners on sustainability in manufacturing and productivity and join a tour of local manufacturing facilities.  For more information and to register, click here.

Destination BC Thompson Okanagan Regional Profile

Destination BC has released 6 regional profiles that detail the overview of the region’s tourism industry. This profile includes:

• Resident perceptions about tourism

• Top regional markets

• Regional comparisons

• Top regional activities

• and more

Please download the full profile to learn about the tourism research and region.

Save the Date: BC Outdoor Recreation Conference 2026

The Outdoor Recreation Council of BC is celebrating 50 years of advocacy in 2026, and they’re marking it a big occasion! Join them at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC, for this milestone event.

This conference will bring together outdoor recreation leaders, advocates, and enthusiasts from across British Columbia to reflect on our past, celebrate our achievements, and shape the future of public recreation.

Tourism Kamloops is seeking a candidate for the Director of Brand & Marketing

Tourism Kamloops is seeking an enthusiastic leader for the Director position of their brand & marketing department.

Applications are open until April 20, 2025, and interested candidates can send their resumes and cover letters to careers@tourismkamloops.com.

Camping reservations now open for Berg Lake Trail in Mount Robson Park

On April 2, 2025, people can begin reserving camping. Tent pad rentals will be available at any of the seven backcountry campgrounds along the Berg Lake Trail for arrivals starting June 26, 2025, the same day the entire trail is scheduled to reopen. Reservations will open for the entire season and are required to stay at campgrounds along the trail until Sept. 29, 2025.

Visitors are encouraged to check the park webpage for updates about the final phase of construction: https://bcparks.ca/mount-robson-park/

DBC Learning Centre - How to work with Receptive Tour Operators

This video from DBC will explain how Receptive Tour Operators (RTO’s) open your business up to new markets.

Increasing Wealth and Wellbeing for Canadians

Destination Canada provides a Wealth & Wellbeing Index Report which provides a summary of Tourism’s Wealth and Wellbeing Index. This index aligns with the United Nations’ Measuring Sustainability in Tourism (MST) framework, ensuring that all values align with sustainable tourism and the 17 sustainable development goals.

DBC Learning Centre - Who are the Travel Trade?

This is part three of nine in DBC’s Learning Centre series “Working with the Travel Trade”. This short video helps tourism operators learn who the travel trade is, why and how to work with them, and how your local and regional DMO can help you start your journey working with the travel trade.

Resources for Canadian Workers and Businesses

The Government of Canada has put in new measures to help Canadian workers and businesses navigate the impact of the recently imposed tariffs.

This includes:

• Launching the Trade Impact Program through Export Development Canada.

• Making $500 million in favourably priced loans available through the Business Development Bank of Canada to support impacted businesses in sectors directly targeted by tariffs, as well as companies in their supply chains.

• Providing $1 billion in new financing through Farm Credit Canada to reduce financial barriers for the Canadian agriculture and food industry.

Take the Canadian Tourism Data Collective Utilization Survey

The Canadian Tourism Data Collective (CTDC) was launched in May 2024, and Simon Fraser University is running a survey to assess the awareness and usage of the CTDC tool.

Participant feedback will help improve data accessibility for industry stakeholders and support research on tourism resilience.

This anonymous survey will take 5–10 minutes to complete. Complete the survey by March 27, 2025, for a chance to win a $200 Amazon gift card.

Vernon Youth Job Opportunity with Youth Climate Corps BC (YCCBC) - Applications Closing Soon

There are some exciting youth climate action job opportunities coming to Vernon this summer! Youth Climate Corps BC (YCCBC) is hiring 5 youth (aged 17-30) to mobilize community climate action in the Vernon area. One Program Lead, one Program Coordinator, and three Community Climate Action Mobilizer positions are available.
 
The following positions are now open for application. Click the links below to access the job postings:

• Program Lead, Vernon (deadline to apply: March 6)

• Program Coordinator, Vernon (deadline to apply: March 6)

• Community Climate Action Mobilizer, Vernon (deadline to apply: April 6)

DBC Learning Centre - Are you Travel Trade Ready?

This is part two of nine in DBC’s Learning Centre series “Working with the Travel Trade”. This tool will provide a set of criteria and standards to help BC’s tourism industry assess whether they are ready to work with the travel trade.