Ho-ho-holiday updates from our CEO
2017/18 Wildfires and Floods Impact Study Invitation Destination British Columbia invites you to participate in the 2017/18 Wildfires and Floods Impact Study being conducted by R.A, Malatest & Associates Ltd. The purpose of this survey is to learn the collective impact the wildfires and floods have had on tourism businesses in the past two years. All British Columbia tourism businesses are invited to share their experience, regardless of the level of impact (if at all) on their business. Your input is vital to the success of this study. The information you share will be used in aggregate to assess the viability of proceeding with a provincial-wide economic impact study to ensure provincial representation across different business types. As such, this survey will ask you to assess business impacts on employment, revenue and occupancy, using percentages, for both 2017 and 2018. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you have your business records to refer to when completing the survey. Once all responses have been collected and analyzed, a summary of the results will be shared via Destination BC’s industry newsletter (Destination BC Directions), and through each of the regional tourism partners and TIABC. All responses are anonymous and will only be reported in aggregate. If you have received more than one invitation to participate, please only complete the survey once. We anticipate that the survey will take 10 to 15 minutes to complete, based on your responses. Please complete and submit the survey as soon as possible, and no later than the end of the day today. To complete the survey, click on the following link below. Click here to begin survey If you have any questions or concerns with the administration of this survey, please feel free to contact R.A, Malatest & Associates Ltd. at destinationbcstudy@malatest.com or 1-855-412-1936. Thank you in advance for taking the time to participate in this important research study. Remarkable Experiences launches new FREE session 
The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association (CCCTA), in partnership with Destination BC, is pleased to announce the Remarkable Experiences Program will return to our region this coming February, 2019 for FREE. This is the last opportunity to participate in the current Remarkable Experiences program, as DBC is pausing to update curriculum, and it is the only time the program will be offered to your business at no charge (Regular program fee $450 per person). The Remarkable Experiences Program is a unique opportunity for your tourism business to elevate your product offering, visitor experience, digital marketing and online presence through this collaborative and personalized workshop, led by industry experts. The Program Includes:
- Four full days of in-class modules on Experience Design (2 days) and Digital & Social Media Marketing (2 days) delivered over a two month period (lunch provided).
- 1.5 hours of personalized coaching to help you put your ideas into action.
- A digital assessment of your website and active social channels to let you know how you are doing.
- Workbooks and other resources to take home with you.
- In-class sessions will take place on the following dates: LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED by December 31:
- Experience Design – February 12,13 and
- Digital and Social Media Marketing – February 25, 26
*Only 30 spots are available for each cohort, and you must commit to the entire program. The location will be determined by the amount of interest from a particular geographic area in the Cariboo, Chilcotin or Coast area. Please email our regional Remarkable Experiences Business Advisor, kristi@landwithoutlimits.com, if you are interested in attending the program (before December 31) or if you would like additional information. See our new info-sheet with all the information you need to make sure you don’t miss out here! Winter content needed Are you open in the winter? We would like to market your business with social media exposure and require visual content to do so. If you have any winter videos or photographs with third party rights, send them to us. Please include the name of the photographer/videographer and any information on how the content is to be credited. Please note, due to copyright laws, we must have proper permissions to use images and videos to promote. So if you are not the photographer please include a copy of your agreement for our records. Please send your content to admin@landwithoutlimits.com go2HR Launches Online Certifications When you train your staff, you not only give them the skills to ensure your business runs smoothly, but you also promote greater job satisfaction, increase productivity, and benefit your recruitment and retention efforts. go2HR has launched three online courses that aim to increase your employees’ skills and knowledge in customer service and workplace health and safety, whether they are young or new workers, front-line or back of house. SuperHost Foundations of Service Quality is a comprehensive, practical introduction to providing a quality service experience, teaching students valuable communications, teamwork, and service recovery skills to use along a customer’s journey. Foundations of Workplace Safety, which includes WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System), helps new employees understand, prevent, and deal with risks and hazards commonly found in the tourism and hospitality industry. Service For All focuses on appropriate inclusive service: how to recognize customer groups that have specialized needs (e.g. persons with disabilities, LGBTQ/2S people, people from non-English speaking countries, etc.) and tailoring interactions to meet the needs of these customers from diverse backgrounds. Each course costs $59.00. Students can work through all courses at their own pace and in the convenience of their own home. Learn more here. Destination BC Market Profiles now available Want to learn more about Destination BC’s key geographic markets? The recently published market profiles provide a market overview (including outbound travel, market potential and market status), BC past performance (volume and expenditure growth rates), market insights, a short term forecast, and trip characteristics. See the profiles here. Marine protected area planning underway for North Island, Central and North Coast The federal marine area planning process is currently underway on BC’s Central and North Coast. It is critical that the BC marine based tourism industry provide as much information as possible to this planning process to ensure our voice is heard and documented. Federal marine protected areas can be both beneficial and detrimental to the tourism industry depending on the type of protected area designation under consideration. Our role is to ensure your interests are collected, documented and represented in the planning process. While your participation is voluntary and confidential, without your input, your business interests will not be able to be considered. To provide credible information into the planning process, we need your help by obtaining information pertaining to your business interests. At present, tourism is under represented in the planning discussions. With your input, we can present which areas are significant for your business operations. The information we gather will be catalogued and mapped along with other tour operators in each region. Providing us with relevant information supports our industry at the decision-making level and ensures that your business interests are recognized should any new designations be recommended. To complete a survey or find out more information, please contact: Robin Potter at robinpotter@gmail.com (604) 505-9066 or Scott Benton at scott.benton@wilderness-tourism.bc.ca (250) 388-3155. Robin Potter is a tourism consultant working under contract with the Wilderness Tourism Association of BC. Scott Benton is the executive Director of the Wilderness Tourism Association of BC.