We’re providing sustainability and resilience training and mentoring opportunities to BC destinations with the aim of supporting a thriving future for tourism across the province.
We have created and are delivering this program in partnership with the BC Regional Tourism Secretariat (BCRTS), 4VI (Vancouver Island), Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association, Northern BC Tourism Association, and the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association), as well as the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains tourism region of British Columbia.
Family camping at Morfee Lakes near Mackenzie.
Project Aims
The capacity-building program aims to ensure that destinations and communities across BC can maximise the benefits of tourism for people and place, supporting organisations of all sizes and with varying mandates to create a strong, resilient, and just future for tourism in the province. This includes advice and guidance that will enable participants to identify and manage potential risks relating to tourism, as well as how to respond to resident, customer, and investor expectations.
Activities
The program involves a series of four online workshops as well as one-to-one coaching for participants who receive access to a comprehensive handbook and workbook exercises, covering topics such as: understanding and managing tourism’s impacts, destination stewardship principles including climate action, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, how to support tourism businesses to adapt, as well as product development and marketing for future-proofing destinations. The handbook and training are tailored to BC destinations, providing relevant case studies, examples and responses to the challenges and opportunities facing the province.
The program formally kicked off on March 16, 2023, with an introductory webinar on the global picture of tourism and today’s challenges. The webinar featured keynote speakers including the Travel Foundation’s CEO, Jeremy Sampson, and Director of Global Programmes, Elke Dens, as well as other key members of the Travel Foundation team. Throughout the discussion, planning concepts and tips were shared to an audience of more than 60 community stakeholders from across the province. More than 25 communities are participating in the workshop series.
The funding for this initiative is from a multi-million-dollar community revitalisation and tourism relief fund from the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, which is supporting 21 projects across Vancouver Island and the Coast. The six tourism regions are also contributing to the costs of developing and executing the program.