Register for Self-Guided Tourism Digital Academy by Destination BC

The Tourism Digital Academy is a free, 8-week digital marketing program for BC tourism businesses who are interested in building their knowledge and skills in digital marketing to an intermediate level.

Designed for business owners or their marketing team members, this comprehensive program is focused on providing practical, actionable guidance to complete your digital marketing plan. From setting your goals, to building a better understanding of SEO, website usability, content, email marketing, analytics and more – you’ll leave the program with the confidence and knowledge to put that plan into action.

This online program includes:

• 8 weeks of interactive sessions led by digital marketing experts and ongoing access to the video recordings (Tuesdays & Thursdays each week for a total of four hours per week)

• Technical tutorials to dig deeper into specific areas and share experiences with other participants (Wednesdays each week for one hour)

• One-to-one coaching available, on demand, to answer your sticky questions

• Audits of your business website, SEO and social media channels, to assess your current situation

• A marketing plan template to guide development of your own plan

• Opportunities for peer support and networking

  
Eligibility and Application:

The application-based program is free for all participants. To be eligible for the program you must:

• Be a BC-based tourism business, whose product or service is regularly available for purchase within BC (community tourism and sector organizations are also eligible);

• Have an active business website;

• Demonstrate, through the application form, a minimum level of digital marketing experience; and

• Be able to dedicate up to 10 hours per week to the program: five hours to attend classes and tutorial sessions during business hours, and up to five hours to apply the learning to your marketing plan as you go.

If you have any questions, please email: IndustryDevelopment@DestinationBC.ca

Create a Profile on the BC Marketplace by Small Business BC

The BC Marketplace helps small businesses to connect with new customers, especially BC-based audiences. Businesses in every industry are welcome to create a listing, which helps to builds online presence and provides marketing exposure.

Creating a listing is quick, simple, and free. Simply complete the intake form and your businesses will be listed within two business days. You can edit and change your account as much as you like, including updating offers. The Small Business BC team can provide further support if needed.

For businesses with a website, the BC Marketplace will provide relevant site links, helping to boost online presence. For businesses not currently online, the BC Marketplace offers space to create a digital footprint, making it easier for customers to discover them.

Background

Created by Small Business BC to support small businesses through the impacts of COVID, the BC Marketplace is made possible with the support of the Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada.

The BC Marketplace aims to simplify the “shop local” experience by making it easy for BC residents to discover small businesses across the province. At the same time, the marketplace offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to increase their visibility and gain new customers.

The BC Marketplace highlights regional markets to help local residents discover the diversity of small businesses, right in their backyard.

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Apply for DER3 Digital Resiliency Free Program Before September 14

Innovate BC's DER3, or Digital Economy: Rapid Response + Resiliency program, provides free advisory services and mentorship to B.C. businesses outside of the Lower Mainland. The DER3 program helps businesses expand or create their digital presence.

Register for this great opportunity before program intake ends on September 14.

Get matched with a local business coach ready to help you build an action plan to get online, at no cost and no obligation. 

COVID-19 has created a new normal. New norms, new restrictions, and your business needs to keep running. Businesses like yours are fundamental to BC’s economy. 

Participants are matched with a business coach help you:  

• Identify key steps to get online

• Share resources and tools you can use to solve your business needs

• Access content to build your team's digital skills

New Tourism Digital Marketing Expert Certification Program through the BCRTS and eLearningU

As a member of the British Columbia Regional Tourism Secretariat (BCRTS), Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association is pleased to announce that all tourism businesses in our region can gain access to the Digital Marketing Expert Certification Program by eLearningU. Tourism businesses can sign up for a FREE subscription to eLearningU, where, upon registration, they will be provided a username and password for their account. Multiple people within the same organization are welcome to join the program.

In addition to the Tourism Digital Marketing Certification Program, registered members will have FREE access to 50 live webinars over the course of the year, and a full webinar library of 350+ recordings. 

Become a Tourism Digital Marketing Expert

After registering for your free eLearningU subscription, follow the link below to access your Tourism Digital Marketing Certificate dashboard. There are 5 Certifications in this program, broken down into individual certificates, they are as follows:

• Tourism Social Media Marketing Certificate (14 courses, 14 hours)

• Tourism Content Marketing Certificate (6 courses, 6 hours)

• Tourism SEO/SEM Marketing Certificate (8 courses, 8 hours)

• Tourism General Marketing Certificate (7 courses, 7 hours)

• After each of these are complete, the Tourism Digital Marketing Expert (TDME) Certification is awarded.

Check out the Program Here

Each course is compiled of a 1-hour video training and a 5-question quiz. The quizzes come directly from the content in the video training and must be passed in order to complete the lesson. You may retake the quiz in order to pass. The goal is to verify that you have reviewed and learned the information presented.

Sections and lessons do not have to be done in order, so if something seems more interesting or useful, complete that one first and finish the rest at your leisure. As we are apart of the launch of this exciting program, the sooner you sign up, the more live webinars you will be able to attend. All required webinars will be added to the library after their live premiere.

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Background

The TOTA Tourism Resiliency Program, part of the BC Tourism Resiliency Network, provides long-term support to tourism businesses to navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, adapt services, and work towards eventual recovery. As part of TOTA's Tourism Resiliency Program, tourism businesses can access the following FREE supports:

• Digital Support Services with a digital marketing expert

• Expert Business Mentorship with an Okanagan College business professor

• Mental Health Support through the Canadian Mental Health Association

• Micro Loans through Community Futures

• Email recovery@totabc.com for quick questions or to schedule a 1-1 call/video chat with a TOTA Program Advisor

For more information on TOTA's Tourism Resiliency Program, go to TOTABC.org/resiliency.

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