Please Note: TIABC's office will be closed from December 23rd to January 4, 2023. However, we will continue to monitor, act on and inform you of any events or developments that may

impact our industry.

Tis the season when I hear from a few relatives and friends who take delight in sending (via Canada Post) or emailing me their annual year-in-review letter that recounts every vacation, wedding, birthday, funeral, illness, injury, family visit, major purchase, restaurant meal, or concert they’ve experienced during the previous 11 months. Even though I’m already aware of most of their exploits thanks to snippets on various social media channels, I nonetheless enjoy receiving these epistles partly because of the detail and occasional embellishment included in each letter.

Regardless of whether it’s online or on paper, there is something about reading a letter that for me resonates far more than viewing a quick email, text, or social media post. Especially in a professional context, a well-written, comprehensive letter not only tells me something about the writer but also about the recipient. Such is the case for the recently released mandate letters issued by Premier Eby to each cabinet minister, minister of state or parliamentary secretary last week.

In preparing to write a congratulatory note to new or returning ministers that influence the tourism file, I read their individual mandate letters in order to convey brief and relevant information that not only outlines TIABC’s role and assessment on files their respective ministries are responsible for, but also offer to work with them to help resolve various challenges.

To be sure, there are consistencies in every mandate letter that speak to government priorities around attainable and affordable housing, safer communities, improved health care, and a sustainable, clean, secure, and fair economy…most of which are objectives the tourism industry can play a minor or major role in to help government address.

However, there are specific issues that affect the visitor economy referenced in more than a dozen individual mandate letters that TIABC and many of our sector and DMO partners are actively engaged in. For example (by topic & ministry):

As referenced earlier, the mandate letters tell us what priorities government plans to focus on (notwithstanding another crisis) over the next year. Therefore, it is incumbent on TIABC to closely evaluate the marching orders ministers have been given to see where we can find common ground and palatable solutions to various issues, and more importantly, where and how we need to spend our time and resources to advocate with sound policy to deal with the other outstanding difficulties our members and stakeholders continue to face.

In the event you haven’t read a mandate letter before, I assure you they’re not as exciting as skimming through a Christmas letter from cousins Joe & Jane Sixpack of Moose Jaw, but they are worth reviewing on a regular basis to better understand government direction and decisions.

I started to write my own year-in-review letter to send to friends and relatives this Christmas. However, I changed my mind because I had nothing more to say after the first line, “The highlight of my year was seeing travel restrictions finally lifted for good in March.”

Walt Judas,

CEO, TIABC

Destination BC is sharing the results of its 2022 Public Perceptions of Tourism survey. Launched in May 2022 to understand BC residents’ perspective on the impacts of tourism in our province, the survey shows that BC residents feel that the tourism industry plays an important role in the economic well-being of both the province (94%), as well as their individual communities (80%).

A high proportion (79%) also agreed that tourism creates career opportunities, is an important investment in growing BC’s economy/communities (79%) and generates substantial tax revenues (78%). Looking at the tourism industry in the context of the BC economy, residents expect the largest contributors of new jobs and economic activity in their community locally and provincially during the next five years to be tourism and construction.

Roughly eight-in-ten residents feel that tourism brings people from diverse backgrounds and cultures into their community (81%), appreciate visitors for their contribution to the local economy (81%), believe their community is welcoming to all visitors (80%), and feel the tourism industry supports local businesses (79%). As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 61% of BC residents feel that they can now better understand the value of the tourism industry. Roughly half of respondents (47%) believe that residents are involved and play a role in influencing the planning and development of tourism in their community.

More than 250 artists and arts organizations throughout BC are benefiting from over $2.7 million in BC Arts Council (BCAC) grants to support a more inclusive and diverse arts sector.

Priority was given to equity-deserving organizations and artists as well as to communities outside of the Capital Region and Greater Vancouver. Distribution of grant funding included:

Read the official announcement HERE.

Bulletin PST 120, which relates to PST and MRDT (Municipal and Regional District Tax) on Accommodation has been updated by the Ministry of Finance. You can find the new webpage and details on the link below. The website page has also been updated to:

As we head into heli-skiing season, Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH) is excited to share an update on measuring, reducing and offsetting their carbon footprint.

Following a full year of tracking activities across all CMH destinations and offices, they are now offsetting 100% of greenhouse gas emissions.

CMH views offsetting as a supporting tool alongside their main work to first reduce (or eliminate, where possible) emissions. Their first offset purchase is in support of the Great Bear Initiative...a First Nations-led project local to BC.

Learn the full details about the project, the actions CMH is taking around sustainability that includes climate and energy, wildlife, and habitat and their relationships with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

Please join TIABC as we extend congratulations to Board member Miranda Ji on her recent accomplishment in completing the certification program on Diversity and Inclusion through Cornell University.

Miranda is the Vice President of Sales at Destination Greater Victoria. Elected to TIABC's Board last month, she is also a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors and has received certification in various areas of Board Governance training including "not-for-profit" Governance.

She is actively involved in various committees related to promoting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and is part of Destination International's EDI Committee, as well as St. Michaels University EDI Advisory Committee. Miranda has been involved in the tourism industry for over 15 years in various roles and has been named an Industry Leader in the Smart Women in Meetings Award category.

Half Corked Marathon: May 26th-28th, 2023

Pig Out Festival Weeknd: September 15th-17th, 2023

Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association has announced 2023 dates for its two Signature Events - the Half Corked Marathon and the Pig Out Festival Weekend.

On May 27th, the Half Corked Marathon will celebrate 15 years of bringing runners to Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country for a weekend full of fun, friendship and, of course, wine! The theme for the 2023 Half Corked Marathon is "Back to the Future."

The Pig Out Festival Weekend will showcase the very best of Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country. Taking place on Saturday, September 16th, this one-day wine and food festival brings together talented local and guest chefs, along with wine tastings in an elegant outdoor setting.

Note: Half Corked Marathon Early Bird tickets for runners who have participated in the past will be live from December 18th and the General Lottery will open in January. Tickets to Pig Out and the Guest Chef Dinner will be available in the new year.

The 2023 BC Tourism & Hospitality Awards are presented by TIABC and the BCHA to recognize and celebrate the excellence, leadership, and innovation in British Columbia’s tourism & hospitality industry. These Awards demonstrate a standard of excellence for operators and employees in the industry, showcasing the province’s best products, services, experiences, and people.

If you have any questions about conference registration, please contact us at registration@bctourismandhospitalityconference.com. General conference questions can be directed to info@bctourismandhospitalityconference.com.

Tourism Revelstoke and Destination Think have launched the Think Revelstoke podcast. The podcast is about the future of tourism and its impact on a fast-growing destination. Hosts, Robyn Goldsmith, Destination & Sustainability Manager at Tourism Revelstoke, and Rodney Payne, CEO at Destination Think, unpack the global forces, tourism trends, and local perspectives that will shape their city and speak with Revelstoke residents, and industry leaders along the way.

In the first episode, Destination Canada’s CEO, Marsha Walden, shares her organization’s perspective on the potential for tourism to impact people and places for the better – if we find our “true north.”

Tourism Abbotsford is a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) that delivers tourism marketing on behalf of over 300 marketing partners in the City of Abbotsford. Their commitment to best practices has resulted in being recognized as a BC Tourism Industry Award recipient in community sport tourism and earning a BC DMO Professional Excellence Award.

Click HERE to learn more about Tourism Abbotsford.

We strongly encourage you to consider membership or renew your membership with TIABC to support our important advocacy efforts on behalf of the entire visitor economy.

TIABC continues to identify your concerns, raise your voice, champion your needs, and push for support and programs while encouraging policy changes at both the provincial and federal level.

Your support and engagement is vital to ensuring businesses, DMO's and sectors are united and speaking with one voice on issues that impact BC's tourism industry.

The conference is guaranteed to provide a mix of discovery, education, industry insights, and networking opportunities - it is designed to offer the tools needed to forge a brighter path forward for the sector!

Visit our website to book your accommodation at one of our conference hotels and learn more about your travel options to Prince George. Plus, enjoy an Air Canada discount code!

If you have any questions about conference registration, please contact us at registration@bctourismandhospitalityconference.com. General conference questions can be directed to info@bctourismandhospitalityconference.com.

IMPACT Sustainability Travel & Tourism Conference promises to deliver another provocative

and solution-based conference.

The biggest change you will see is the option of including Sunday ‘s Day of IMPACT (January 22nd) into your overall registration.

The theme for the event is: O P E N. New sessions this year will address how to build careers with purpose, funding the transition to a more sustainable destination and tourism operation, how to develop effective partnerships to reach your sustainability goals and a deeper look into KPIs and metrics, while exploring ESG best practices.

When we come together with open hearts and open minds, anything is possible. We see connections everywhere. We welcome all ideas, experiences, and ways of life—because this is how we learn, grow, and change.

Visit HERE to learn more and to register.

The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) is hosting the 2023 Thompson Okanagan Tourism Summit.

Date: February 22nd at Thompson Rivers University Campus (Kamloops).

Tourism stakeholders are invited to come together as a tourism community to learn from everything we've been through and think differently about how we can co-create a more vibrant and resilient tourism industry in BC.

Registration to be announced soon. Click HERE for more information.

The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) is excited to announce registration is now open for the International Indigenous Tourism Conference (IITC).

This conference is designed to unite the global Indigenous tourism industry bringing together tourism operators, international delegates, members of parliament and tourism partners. IITC features collective sharing of best practices and networking as Canadian and global delegates participate in panel discussions, breakout sessions, keynote presentations and local cultural experiences.

Dates: March 8-10, 2023

Location. Treaty 1 Territory and the Homeland of the Metis - Winnipeg

Learn more and register HERE.

We are pleased to announce the dates for the next annual BCAC Conference. It will take place in Prince George, ("Base camp to the North" and home to YXS) at the "Courtyard by Marriott" hotel.

More information including conference theme, agenda, list of speakers, as well as hotel and travel partner recommendations to follow soon. Questions or Sponsorships? Ask Dave!

Drop us a line at info@tiabc.ca.

TIABC recognizes that our members, stakeholders and staff occupy the ceded, unceded and traditional territories of Indigenous Nations across British Columbia. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to live, work and play on the lands that our Indigenous friends and First Nations ancestors honour and care for.