News & Resources

The latest Thompson Okanagan tourism industry news from TOTA, tourism businesses, and communities.

 
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Tourism Consortium Creates Resource to Assist Travellers Along Highway 1 Once Restrictions are Lifted

A new tourism consortium, Get Into BC, aims to mitigate barriers for travel along Highway 1. Tourism Revelstoke, Tourism Golden and Shuswap Tourism have partnered to mitigate negative perceptions and potential barriers associated with travelling through the extensive road work taking place along Highway 1, in Kicking Horse Canyon.

When restrictions are lifted, be sure to share this helpful resource on your social channels and with any visitors travelling on Highway 1.

 

A new tourism consortium, Get Into BC, aims to mitigate barriers for travel along Highway 1. Tourism Revelstoke, Tourism Golden and Shuswap Tourism have partnered to mitigate negative perceptions and potential barriers associated with travelling through the extensive road work taking place along Highway 1, in Kicking Horse Canyon.

When allowed to resume marketing, the consortium will target Alberta consumers with relevant and up-to-date information about highway closures, along with promotions of each destination’s authentic experiences.

When restrictions are lifted, be sure to share this helpful resource on your social channels and with any visitors travelling on Highway 1.

 
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Destination BC Stay Local, Support Local Campaign

In alignment with the latest travel restrictions, Destination BC will begin airing a 30-second public service announcement (PSA) and will continue to encourage British Columbians to stay local while adhering to the latest public health orders by sharing community guides for outdoor dining and take-out options.

 

Public Service Announcement

In alignment with the latest travel restrictions, Destination BC will begin airing a 30-second public service announcement (PSA) the week of May 3, encouraging BC residents to “Stay Local, Support Local” so we can bend the curve and save our summer. The video will air on Global TV, CTV, City TV and CBC, and will be distributed through paid ads on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram until restrictions are lifted and people can resume travel within the province.

Community Guides for Outdoor Dining & Takeout

BC residents are more interested than ever in spending time outside to improve their physical and mental well-being, and that they want to continue supporting their community by buying direct from local businesses and producers.

As a warmer season unfolds, and in an effort to encourage British Columbians to stay local while adhering to the latest public health orders, Destination BC will continue to curate and share community guides that feature outdoor dining and take-out options on HelloBC.com and other consumer-facing channels.

Here’s where partners come in:

  1. Let your local DMO know if you create content that promotes food and drink establishments that are a) currently open; b) follow current public health orders; and c) have posted information about their health and safety protocols to their website.

  2. Ask your local destination marketing organization (DMO) about their take-out and/or outdoor dining guide (as described above) for your community or area for DBC to promote.

  3. Share photos of outdoor dining on Instagram with #ExploreBC and your local DMO hashtag

Here are some examples of content created by BC DMOs:

 
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Calling All Employers in B.C.’s Tourism & Hospitality industry | go2HR Survey

You are invited to complete go2HR’s 10-minute health and safety practices in tourism and hospitality survey. Providing your feedback on go2HR’s services and programs will help inform what else they can do to support your business, and enter you into a draw to win one of seven prizes!

 

You are invited to complete go2HR’s health and safety practices in tourism and hospitality survey today. Providing your feedback on go2HR’s services and programs will help inform what else they can do to support your business.

The survey will take about ten minutes to complete, and your responses will remain anonymous and confidential. Your submission will also enter you into a draw to win one of seven prizes!

 
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B.C.’s paid sick leave will support workers, reimburse businesses

Workers will soon have access to a made-in-B.C. paid sick leave program that will support workers to stay home when they are sick during the pandemic and afterward, including permanent paid sick leave.

 

Workers will soon have access to a made-in-B.C. paid sick leave program that will support workers to stay home when they are sick during the pandemic and afterward, including permanent paid sick leave, as a result of legislation tabled Tuesday, May 11, 2021.

To better support workers during the pandemic, amendments to the Employment Standards Act will bring in three days of paid sick leave related to COVID-19, such as having symptoms, self-isolating and waiting for a test result. Employers will be required to pay workers their full wages and the Province will reimburse employers without an existing sick leave program up to $200 per day for each worker to cover costs.

The legislation will also create a permanent paid sick leave for workers who cannot work due to any illness or injury beginning Jan. 1, 2022. The number of paid sick days and other supports will be determined following consultations with the business community, labour organizations, Indigenous partners, and other stakeholders.

The short-term paid sick leave related to COVID-19 will bridge the gap for workers between when they first feel sick and when they can access the federal Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit. B.C.’s COVID-19 paid sick leave will continue to protect workers longer - to Dec. 31, 2021.

To support this leave, WorkSafeBC will set up and, beginning next month, administer the employer reimbursement program on behalf of the Province. This will include reimbursing employers up to $200 per day per worker. For the small percentage of employers that have a highly paid workforce, but do not already have paid sick leave, those employers will be required to cover any remaining wages owed above $200 for each COVID-19 sick day taken.

Quick Facts:

  • An estimated 50% of B.C. employees do not currently have access to paid sick leave. This means upwards of one million workers in B.C. will benefit from receiving these new paid sick leaves.

  • The ability to take paid leave will be especially beneficial to many vulnerable and low-wage workers (often women or migrant workers) who lack benefits.

 
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Thank You to Supporters of the Tourism Skills Training Program - Cohort 1

On May 6, 2021, the first cohort of graduates from TOTA’s Tourism Skills Training Program came together to celebrate with a virtual graduation ceremony. After two months of online instruction, mentorship, employment coaching, and job placement support, 46 participants graduated, ready to deliver domestic tourism experiences and hospitality services.

Canadian Tourism Professional (CTP) (1).png
 

On May 6, 2021, the first cohort of graduates from TOTA’s Tourism Skills Training Program came together to celebrate with a virtual graduation ceremony. After two months of online instruction, 4 certificates, +240 hours of mentorship meetings, employment coaching, and job placement support, 46 participants graduated, ready to deliver domestic tourism experiences and hospitality services.

The program was a great success, with the online format enabling TOTA and UVIC to connect with a large number of participants from their homes throughout the Thompson Okanagan region, from Clearwater to Osoyoos, Keremeos to Christina Lake, and many communities in between.

Students learned about Tourism and Hospitality trends, regional experiences, and the delivery of day-to-day guest service, including an overview of Indigenous tourism, accessible tourism, and sustainable tourism from a diverse roster of tourism experts.

The virtual Job Fair & Open House introduced program participants to 20 potential employers in the Thompson Okanagan Tourism industry, leading to 200+ connections.

Students completed the following certifications:

Thank You To The Program Supporters

The program came at a time when many of the participants were in search of next steps, resources, and a sense of connection, due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry. The training program was offered to participants free of charge, in cooperation with the University of Victoria-Peter B. Gustavson School of Business and supported by the Province of British Columbia.

We would like to express a heartfelt 'thank you' to the facilitators, guests speakers, mentors, and job fair employers who supported this program and the participants:

Facilitators & Guest Speakers

Participants received 288+ hours of instruction from 30+ instructors with expertise in Tourism & Hospitality Industry Trends, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Region, Tourism Career & Professional Development, and other required areas of knowledge to enable participants to provide exceptional tourism experiences in the Thompson Okanagan region.

 

University of Victoria: Peter B. Gustavson School of Business

  • Avril Matthews

  • Dr. Brent Mainprize

  • Martin Rissley

  • Christian Van Buskirk

Domestic Tourism Industry

Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA)

  • Ellen Walker-Matthews

  • Barbara Bonnough

  • Adam Kunis

  • Amy Kneller

  • Elizabeth Neef

  • Kaitie Worobek

  • Kavan Kumar

  • Chelsea McGonigal

  • Mike Overend

  • Sonja Gaudet

  • Thivya Viswanathan

  • Terrina Barsalou

Symphony Tourism Services, a subsidiary of TOTA

  • Kelly Galaski

  • Shelby Campbell

 

Mentorship Program

Industry support is essential to help up and coming tourism professionals achieve success as they journey down the path of their career. Over 8 weeks, mentors connected with budding tourism professionals to share career insights and encouraging words. Participants connected with a mentor through weekly meetings or calls, resulting in +240 hours of mentorship.

 
 

Job Fair & Open House

The virtual Job Fair & Open House introduced program participants to 20+ potential employers in the Thompson Okanagan Tourism industry, leading to 200+ connections.

 
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