News & Resources
The latest Thompson Okanagan tourism industry news from TOTA, tourism businesses, and communities.
Tourism Relief Fund
The Tourism Relief Fund supports tourism businesses, non-profits, and organizations to adapt operations to meet public health requirements while investing in products and services to facilitate future growth.
UPDATE: Indigenous sole proprietors are now eligible under the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF) with costs qualified on a retroactive basis up to twelve months prior to the receipt of a project application, but no earlier than April 19, 2021.
The Tourism Relief Fund supports tourism businesses, non-profits, and organizations to adapt operations to meet public health requirements while investing in products and services to facilitate future growth. With a budget of $500 million over two years (ending March 31, 2023), including $50 million specifically dedicated to Indigenous tourism initiatives, and $15 million for national initiatives, this fund will position Canada to be a destination of choice when domestic and international travel is once again safe by:
empowering tourism operators to create new or enhance existing tourism experiences and products to attract more local and domestic visitors
helping the sector reposition itself to welcome international visitors by offering the best Canadian tourism experiences we have to offer the world
Tourism Relief Fund projects will focus on:
Product development: For example, projects that enhance tourism experiences; help tourism businesses adapt to the “new normal” and modernize their offerings; and, encourage the adoption of more environmentally sustainable and inclusive practices.
Destination development: For example, projects that position communities to take advantage of post-pandemic opportunities through strategic planning for medium- to long-term investments, as well as supporting destination development prospects in line with objectives set out in the Federal Tourism Growth Strategy.
Applications will be accepted and funded on a continuous intake basis over the next two years or until such a time as the allocated funding is fully distributed.
New Biosphere Committed Member - August
Learn more about the newest Biosphere Committed Company, Manteo at Eldorado Resort!
Manteo is constantly seeking new ways to enrich their local community by creating a safe and healthy environment for all, with an emphasis on diversity and equality.
We are pleased to welcome Manteo at Eldorado Resort to the Biosphere Commitment Program!
Manteo at Eldorado Resort features 102 guest rooms, suites & villas on the shores of Okanagan Lake. At Manteo, they believe it is their duty to set the precedent for sustainability practices through their leadership in the tourism industry.
The team is constantly seeking new ways to enrich the local community by creating a safe and healthy environment for all, with an emphasis on diversity and equality. Manteo is proud to take part in environmental initiatives such as Adopt-A-Stream, Neighbourhood Clean-Ups, Bike to Work Week, and the eradication of invasive species, replacing them with native plants.
Giving back and fostering a strong sense of community is extremely important to Manteo. They focus on farm-to-table dining, partnering with local vendors and organizations, as well as raising funds for local charities.
Learn more about Manteo at Eldorado Resort.
Message From TOTA Board Chair - Voice Your Concerns
TOTA and industry partners are sharing industry impact with government on a regular basis and requesting that tourism companies provide information on the impact, to inform government of the magnitude of the situation and the immediacy of the need.
On behalf of the Thompson Okanagan Board of Directors and our entire TOTA team I wanted to reach out to industry with a few comments and updates.
For most of the Thompson Okanagan region, what we had hoped and needed to be a banner summer, bringing us through to the end of the pandemic and into recovery, has not materialized. Plagued with extreme heat, numerous and continuing wildfires, serious smoke conditions, alerts, evacuations and an uptick in COVID numbers, we know the losses to our industry continue to escalate and are devastating.
Working together, myself as your TOTA Chair and board member on TIABC; TOTA CEO Ellen Walker-Matthews; Ingrid Jarrett, BCHA CEO and past TOTA Chair; as well as many other regional partners, we are in direct ongoing conversations with both TIABC CEO Walt Judas and BC Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport officials. We have been and continue to brief them on the immediate and long term impacts of the recommendations issued; the misinformation that has occurred through media and online media sources; and most importantly the need for financial relief to keep our tourism industry businesses open and operating.
There are more meetings scheduled today, Monday, August 23, and we have been asked to quantify the magnitude of the current situation. If you are able to provide us any information or feedback in the next 24 hours on the impact to your tourism business, it will enable us to have a very specific conversation with the government on the magnitude of the situation and the immediacy of the need.
You can provide information through TOTA's Voice Your Concerns form or by emailing Recovery@TOTABC.com.
- Michael J. Ballingall, TOTA Chair
Michael J. Ballingall
TOTA Board Chair
TIABC Guide to the Federal Election
TIABC has produced a Guide to the 2021 Federal Election as a tool for BC tourism businesses to use over the coming weeks.The guide a number of suggested questions to ask local candidates in your riding and will be updated as new issues arise.
The Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) will provide up-to-date information on party commitments made to the tourism industry.
In an effort to engage candidates in the issues that matter to BC's visitor economy, TIABC has produced a Guide to the 2021 Federal Election as a tool for tourism businesses to use over the coming weeks. It offers a number of suggested questions to ask local candidates in your riding. The guide will be updated as new issues arise. Feel free to submit your questions to info@tiabc.ca to be considered for inclusion in future versions.
The party platforms are available for review:
Green Party platform (to be released)
go2HR’s B.C. Labour Market Survey
Even before COVID-19, the tourism and hospitality industry faced significant human resource challenges. We know those challenges are only increasing as we emerge from the pandemic. go2HR is responding to these challenges by undertaking an ambitious labour market research project.
As part of the study, go2HR is asking tourism employers to participate in the following 25-minute survey. They need to hear from a representative sample of employers across all sectors and regions of BC. Take go2HR’s B.C. labour market survey and be entered in a draw for prizes valued at $1,500!
Help the Tourism & Hospitality Industry Return to a New Normal
Participate in the go2HR’s B.C. labour market survey and enter into a draw for prizes valued at $1,500.
go2HR has been hard at work undertaking a Labour Market Information research project to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on our workforce. Even before COVID-19, the industry faced some significant human resource challenges. These challenges may increase as we emerge from the pandemic.
go2HR is seeking feedback from a representative sample of employers across all sectors and regions of the province. It takes approximately 25 minutes to complete the survey to share the impact of COVID-19 on your tourism operators, human resource issues, and what can be done to help industry in dealing with these issues going forward. Any information provided will be held confidential, used only for the purpose of this study, and reported only in summary form with the responses of other respondents.