The contract includes delivery of marketing, destination development and visitor servicing activities with the goal of strengthening Nanaimo’s position as a tourism destination.
Tourism Vancouver Island staff have been delivering tourism services for the City of Nanaimo since February 2017 under the name “Tourism Nanaimo”.  For the full press release, visit www.nanaimo.ca

Work associated with this contract includes attending planning sessions with the Vancouver Island North Tourism Advisory Committee, interviews with each municipality in the region, conducting a social listening study, hosting a stakeholder information session, writing the five-year strategic business plan, collecting signatures from all eligible accommodation providers, and finalizing the MRDT application.

The second is the renewal of our service agreement to manage the Vancouver Island North Tourism project.  Where the previous contract was for a four-year term, the new contract is for five years with an option to renew for an additional year, which will align our service agreement with the MRDT timeline.  Thus, the new contract term is through December 31, 2023 plus the option for the additional year. Tourism Vancouver Island has been managing Vancouver Island North Tourism, on behalf of the Regional District of Mount Waddington, since 2008.

When: Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019 from 12:30 – 2:00pm (Networking session from 2:00 – 3:30pm)
Where: Centre for Dialogue (4th floor), Learning and Innovation Centre, Royal Roads University (2005 Sooke Road, Victoria)

This is a great opportunity to meet and speak with the passionate and insightful students behind the brilliant pitches, and perhaps even connect with some to adopt these ideas to your business! As part of the live audience, you can vote for your favourite business pitch, which will contribute to the overall score and help determine the winning team, who will go on to compete in the provincial competition at the BC Tourism Industry Conference in February.

There will also be a free Networking and Nibbles where you can connect directly with the competing students, instructors, and faculty members from Vancouver Island University, North Island College, and Royal Roads University. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to meet top-of-the-class students for potential recruitment for your company! Please RSVP to secure your free ticket by end of day January 15.

If you have any questions, please contact Marie-Ève Masse, go2HR’s Tourism Career Ambassador, or call 604-633-9787 ext. 224.

Compiled by O’Neil Marketing & Consulting, the report offers insights into the performance of Indigenous tourism in BC between 2013 and 2017. Specifically, the document shares actions taken by ITBC to support the development of Indigenous tourism; and outlines growth prospects as indicated by tourism operators, travel trade representatives and industry partners.

By the numbers, highlights of the Tourism Performance Audit Report include:

• 401 Indigenous tourism-related businesses that operated in BC in 2016/17 – a 33% increase over 2014
• $705 million direct gross domestic output generated by Indigenous businesses in 2016
• 7,400 direct full-time jobs created by Indigenous tourism businesses in BC
• 7.2 million visitors expected to engage in Indigenous tourism experiences over the next two years from the top five markets for Indigenous tourism in Canada (Canada, Germany, UK, US and China)
• 36% of travellers surveyed in an ITBC study who indicated they had visited Indigenous sites, attractions or events on previous trips to BC
• 89% of tour operators who indicated in a recent ITBC survey that they would consider offering or expanding Indigenous experiences as part of their travel packages

“We are thrilled to share the unprecedented statistics outlined in the Tourism Performance Audit Report,” said Brenda Baptiste, board chair, Indigenous Tourism BC. “Much of this success comes down to the hard work and dedication of BC’s Indigenous tourism operators, who – through the assistance from our valued partners and funders – created market-ready experiences that promote our diverse Indigenous cultures to an estimated 3.6 million overnight travellers annually.

“Indigenous culture is such an important part of this province’s history, and we are so proud of our communities and Stakeholders who have dedicated their time to bringing Indigenous cultural experiences to life for visitors,” said Paula Amos, director of partnerships and corporate initiatives, Indigenous Tourism BC. “We look forward to supporting and expanding Indigenous tourism well into the future – and, as a result, helping to increase visitation and revenue numbers for the province even more.”

Read the full report here.

Active in her community, Ms. Black volunteers for the Stephan Lewis Foundation and sits as a board member of the Broadbent Institute. Ms. Black lives with her husband Peter in New Westminster. They have three sons and seven grandchildren.

That’s where SuperHost can help. Through our suite of relevant, up-to-date courses, your employees will learn to:

• understand and meet customer needs and expectations;
• present your business as a positive destination to return to;
• communicate and interact with customers from all backgrounds, including but not limited to persons with disabilities, LGBTQ/2S people, different ethnic and cultural groups, various generations, and others.

Learn more about how SuperHost can boost your bottom line!

This industry-leading strategy includes an increase in the Conservation Fee charged to passengers which has risen to $5 from $2. That is expected to generate more than $1 million over the next five years, with every dollar going toward orca-based science programs and Chinook salmon recovery projects in British Columbia.

Read the full release here.

To view past award winners, click here.

Recognize a special tourism industry individual or organization by nominating them in one of the six award categories below. Help us recognize the best of the best in BC’s tourism industry!

For nomination forms and more information, visit BC Tourism Industry Conference.

VIEA’s six-month Island Good pilot project in 45 grocery stores across the Island region made it easier for consumers to find local products at point of sale and sales results prove conclusively that Islanders and visitors are predisposed to buying local products if they can find them. From March through September, Country Grocer, 49th parallel, Quality Foods and Thrifty Foods measured 2018 sales against 2017 sales of the same products, in the same locations, in the same stores, in the same months. The results have been astounding!

Building on this success, VIEA is offering Island Good licensing at affordable, scaled rates to Island growers, producers, processors, distributors, and retailers (including wineries, breweries and distilleries) wishing to increase market share by leveraging our Island cache.

It’s simple. Submit an application with annual fee, sign the licensing agreement, and begin using Island Good to distinguish your Island products at point of sale, on your website, on your packaging, and in your advertising.

For more information contact Island Good.