Set for Summer Season
We’re in the midst of a busy summer season across the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast and I’ve heard positive things from so many of you. With the hot weather and sunny days right now it’s hard to believe that back to school is just around the corner.
This edition of the newsletter has some helpful information for you – please check everything out. There’s a reminder about our upcoming AGM and our new feature called Out and About where CCCTA team members share pictures from their travels around the region while meeting with members like you.
Tap into Business Supports
Sometimes as a small business owner and operator you need a bit of information and support. There are a number of programs offered by your local Community Futures that are available to lend some assistance. If any of the topics below look interesting, get in touch with your local Destination and Experience Manager for a referral.
Gold Rush Trail North – Patti Gerhardi advisor@landwithoutlimits.com
Gold Rush Trail South – Soren Christensen advisor3@landwithoutlimits.com
Chilcotin Coast – Judith Call advisor2@landwithoutlimits.com
Our office: (250) 392-2226 or TF: 1 (800) 663-5885
Selling or transitioning your business – Pass Program
Training and short lunch and learns – Taking Care of Business information
Disaster impact recovery coaching – Disaster Recovery & Economic Adjustment Initiative (DREAI)
Impacted by drought or wildfire and concerned about winter feed – Access to Feed
Meeting with BC Minister
BCRTS Meeting with Honourable Minister Lana Popham
We joined the Honourable Lana Popham, B.C.’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport at the end of July in Victoria to share regional opportunities and needs of our industry as we responsibly grow the visitor economy. My colleagues from the BC Regional Tourism Secretariat (left to right – Clint Fraser, NBC; myself; Brian Cant, 4VI; Minister Popham; Ellen Walker, TOTA; Kathy Cooper, KRT) were all part of the session.
We also discussed climate change, the wildfires and emergency management, as well as destination development. Everyone at the table is looking forward to continued discussions to further B.C.’s tourism industry.
Tools for Building Sustainable Tourism
Free program helps operators tune up sustainability.
CCCTA has joined with its fellow regional tourism associations and the BC Regional Tourism Secretariat to create the BC Tourism Sustainability Network. The Network offers a suite of resource guides and videos aimed at helping you make changes in a number of areas like energy, waste, water, and carbon footprint.
These tool not only help your businesses incorporate sustainability into your every day operations, they also can deliver positive impacts for your community, the environment, and your bottom line.
Check out the online resources and the online webinars to see what you can do in the quest for sustainable operations.
Help Shape BC’s Tourism Marketing
Destination BC Tourism Marketing Committee nominations open.
Destination BC is seeking representatives for its Tourism Marketing Committee for a term beginning January 1, 2024. In the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, the committee requires one representative for a three-year term from 2024 to 2026.
Committee members represent the tourism industry from a provincial perspective, and need to have experience of the industry, tourism marketing at all levels, and experience with destination development.
You can see the full requirements for applying here and you can download the application here.
Have Your Say on Cariboo Gold Project
The Province of B.C. is welcoming public comments on the Cariboo Gold project online until Aug. 18. You can read more about the project here. The proposent’s project site is available here.
For Your HR Needs
HR Corner with Christie ~ August Edition
Finding the right person and ensuring they are a good fit for your organization is one of the tough parts of hiring for any business. This month’s column looks at how to take a structured, strategic approach to evaluating interview candidates.
Help for Agri-Tourism Operators
The Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) Program is opening for the season and offers a number of programs and funding streams that could benefit agri-tourism operators.
Funding is available to support numerous categories including Water Infrastructure Project BMPs and Riparian and Grazing Projects (deadline Aug. 24), as well as Planning and Design. Funding to applicants in on a first-come, first-serve basis so do not delay.
All of the information on the programs and applications is available on the site of the administrator of the programs, the Investment Agricultural Fund.
Partnership Enhances Protection
Co-management builds resilience in the Great Bear Rainforest
Coastal First Nations, the Nanwakolas Council, and the B.C. Ministry of Forests, are working together to implement ecosystem-based management in the Great Bear Rainforest, including to expand stewardship measures for key habitat for grizzly bears, Kermode (Spirit) and black bears, along with important fish habitat.
Changes to the existing land-use order in the area have been made to improve four key areas: Increased oversight by First Nations of forestry in the area; expanded role for First Nations in the way old-growth reserves are created; Increased protection of habitat for wildlife; and, strengthened protection of fisheries watersheds.
Full details on the partnership is available in the provincial government news release.
Indigenous Guardians Have New Authority
Six Kitasoo Xai’xais and five Nuxalk guardians who collaboratively manage BC Parks in their territories have been appointed to park ranger status with the official launch of the Shared Compliance and Enforcement Pilot Program.
More than 40 protected areas are monitored by the Guardians, including Kitasoo Spirit Bear Conservancy, Dean River Conservancy, Tweedsmuir Park, and the Fiordland Conservancy. Under the program guardians now have the legislative authorities needed to conduct compliance and enforcement activities within their territories.
You can read more in this article from the Williams Lake Tribune.
Get Set for Shift to Google Analytics 4
Time is running out for transitioning websites and apps to the new Google Analytics 4 (GA4). The new tool will provide valuable insights on how website and app users are using your site and what kind of actions they are taking.
Destination BC has prepared a guide on transitioning from Google’s Universal Analytics (set to shutter on July 1, 2024) and moving to the new GA4 system. Benefits of the new tool include:
- Smarter decision-making: Leverage in-depth insights for superior strategy building.
- Comprehensive tracking: Record every interaction on their websites for all-inclusive data analysis.
- Better controls: Enjoy enhanced reporting, improved data accuracy, and precise data controls.
- Tailored experiences: Continue collecting essential customer data to offer personalized visitor experiences.
DBC’s Everything You Need to Know about GA4 can help you navigate the shift now.
Out and About With the CCCTA Team
One of the best parts of being on the CCCTA team is being able to visit our amazing partners in every corner of the land without limits. Starting in this newsletter, we’ll be sharing some snaps from around the region and everything it offers.
