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.

Accommodation Plastic Use and Reduction Survey Results

The Accommodation Plastic Use Survey highlights the ongoing efforts by businesses in the Thompson Okanagan and Vancouver Island regions to address plastic waste. While many accommodations have already taken steps to reduce single-use plastics, significant opportunities remain for further improvement and collaboration.

This survey underscores the interest and potential among accommodators to adopt innovative, sustainable practices. By fostering dialogue, sharing insights, and exploring new strategies, the tourism industry can make meaningful progress toward reducing its environmental impact.

Thank you to all participants and partners for contributing to this initiative. For further inquiries, please contact Eve Layman at eve@totabc.com.

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.

How Do You Measure Up? Tourism Sustainability Guide

The new How Do You Measure Up? Guide summarizes efforts across the tourism industry in BC on key environmental sustainability and climate resiliency indicators — including emissions, waste, and climate adaptation — and provides practical actions that businesses can take to measure and track their sustainability performance.

This guide provides helpful resources to businesses at any stage of their sustainability journey. This guide and additional resource are available through the BCTCRI Sustainability & Climate Adaptation Data Framework webpage.

Short-term Accommodation Registration Guidelines Webinar

May 1, 2025, is the provincial deadline to register short-term rental properties. Ahead of this, the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs has delivered a webinar to provide an overview of the registration guidelines, key dates, and what accommodations need to know to stay compliant.

Working with Travel Media - Destination BC

Travel media relations is an essential marketing channel to tell our brand story, build awareness and encourage travellers to visit BC.

Check out this guide to help you prepare your destination or tourism business to engage with travel media to tell your story, while outlining both the benefits and the potential pitfalls.

Emergency Preparedness Week - British Columbia

Emergency Preparedness Week, May 4th to 10th, is a great time to encourage preparedness in your communities! This year’s theme is “In it together.”

Emergencies can happen anywhere, at any time. Now, more than ever, it’s important to:

• Work together on a shared goal of being prepared

• Get to know your neighbours and community

• Identify people around you who may need extra support

• Be personally prepared so you can support others and your community

During the week, the PreparedBC team will host free webinars. Find out more and register today via Zoom. All attendees will be entered to win a four-person home emergency kit.

2SLGBTQI+ Newcomer Entrepreneur Initiative

​The Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) offers the Advisor Access Program, a specialized initiative designed to support 2SLGBTQI+ newcomer entrepreneurs in Canada. This program provides structured sessions and personalized networking opportunities with expert advisors, focusing on common business challenges and tailored to the unique needs of 2SLGBTQI+

Applications are open now.

ORCBC Grants & Funding Page

ORCBC has organized a webpage to help recreation organizations stay on top of opportunities to access funding for their recreation initiatives.

A new directory of fundraising sources is now available to help recreation organizations access funding for outdoor recreation initiatives, accessibility programs, trail maintenance, supply purchases, and professional development for volunteer crews.

Explore the resources at the bottom of the page, including 'Tips for Quality Grant Applications in Outdoor Recreation' and a grant tracking template.

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)

Tariff Resources from the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission

The Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission has released tariff resources, including a direct communication line for businesses with tariff questions.

This webpage will help businesses stay informed and connect with Business Development Officers.

The Tourism Data Collective Releases the Traveller Segmentation Program

The Canadian Tourism Data Collective (CTDC) has released the Traveller Segmentation Program, which will provide Canada’s tourism industry with visitor insights, behaviours, and preferences.

This program will offer:

• In-depth visitor profiles

• Segement identification tools

• Training resources

Destination British Columbia’s Tourism Industry Dashboard

The 2024 data is now available on the Destination BC Tourism Industry Dashboard, which includes key tourism statistics such as international visitor arrivals data, provincial room revenue, regional occupancy rates, and more.

View Dashboard →

Tourism Industry Association of BC One-Minute Monitor: Impact of Cross-border Tariffs on Your Business

The Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) is running a one-minute monitor regarding the impact of impending cross-border tariffs on businesses. This short survey will help them better understand businesses’ views on pressing issues and help inform policy development and prioritize advocacy activities.

Learn More About Community Futures BC with CF Boundary!

Community Futures British Columbia (CFBC) is celebrating 40 years in British Columbia. Check out the latest feature of Community Futures Boundary with General Manager, Jennifer Wetmore.

Small Business and Tourism Operator Preparedness Social Media Package

The Government of British Columbia has created a toolkit for organizations and associations that support small businesses and tourism operators, including Indigenous and local governments, that can be used to encourage followers to prepare for emergencies.

Accommodation Plastic Use and Reduction Survey

Accommodators in the Thompson Okanagan are invited to take the BC Hotel Association’s (BCHA) short survey on plastic use and sustainability.

Results from this survey will be used to assess the current landscape of plastic use and reduction efforts among accommodators, contributing to the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (GTPI) annual reporting commitment.

Take the Accommodation Plastic Use and Reduction Survey.

Relief for BC wineries 2024 vintage

BC wineries will receive temporary support in response to the loss of grapes and damage to vines effective from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. Wineries will be able to use grapes and grape juice from outside the province for the 2024 vintage year. This measure aims to help wineries produce a 2024 vintage, maintain job security, and ensure the continued availability of BC-produced wines.

“B.C. wine growers and wineries are an integral part of the province’s economy and this year they have been hit by devastating losses due to extreme weather events,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “By extending this support, we are providing badly needed help for our wineries during this challenging period. This relief for the 2024 vintage is essential to protect jobs and maintain the cultural and economic vitality this sector brings to our communities.”

Details on eligibility and related requirements will be available to the industry this fall.

Jasper Employees Seeking Work & Staff Accommodation

The wildfires in Jasper have displaced many residents and caused significant job losses in the tourism and hospitality sectors. These people will be searching for work during the recovery; many are currently living temporarily at campgrounds or in hotels.

Anderson Vacations is supporting affected employees by compiling a list of employment opportunities *that include staff accommodations* across BC and Alberta to help these displaced workers find new homes. Pet-friendly accommodations are in dire need.

If you are currently hiring for immediate (or soon) start AND have staff accommodations available, share your opportunity in this form: https://forms.gle/sq4AAGSmNRhd53zj8

If you know of places that have staff accommodation available, please share the form with them. Any information or connections you can share to help those find their next home and job would be invaluable.

This list of information will be shared on the Jasper Evacuees Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/499022265946978

The individuals will be directed to apply on their own to these listings through the contact information provided.

Please feel free to forward this email to your colleagues and peers who may have contacts within the industry to call upon. 

Note: This information has been shared with go2HR and TIABC.

Call for Tourism Companies - ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses

UN Tourism and the University of Oxford are inviting tourism businesses to join a collaborative project on sustainable tourism and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting.

Tourism businesses will have the opportunity to help create a standardized framework for ESG reporting by participating in brief interviews, surveys, focus group discussions, and field visits carried out between June and August 2024 by a team of experts from UN Tourism and the University of Oxford.

Interested businesses can read more about the ESG Framework or sign up to participate.