Geoff Moore
Happy Leap Month 2024
We’re well into February and things are getting busy — busy enough that the extra day on the 29th will come in handy.
We’ve heard from a number of you that it’s time to bring some updates to ladwithoutlimits.com. That work is under way with our media website, and updates are coming soon with the industry site. If you have any requests, suggestions, new information or details to add please email admin@landwithoutlimits.com.
It may be a short month but there is lots of news and funding opportunities to share. I encourage you take take a close look as see if some of these programs below may be a fit for your operations to get a bit of extra support.
– Amy
Travel Beyond podcast features CCC
Destination Think’s podcast Travel Beyond is featuring the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast -and CCCTA Board Member Mike Retasket – in its latest episode.
The podcast highlights stories from all over the globe (the last one featured Queenstown Lakes district of Aotearoa New Zealand) and the latest looks at how some Indigenous tourism operators are finding opportunities for connection – and even healing – through telling truths that have typically been ignored or suppressed.
The podcast is worth a listen and it’s the first in a set of stories from the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast highlighting the exciting things happening here in building a sustainable tourism sector.
CCC tourism by the numbers – latest reports
We’ve just finished crunching the numbers on visits to the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast from the Canada, the USA, and the world.
Some interesting facts came up. While it is no surprise that July and August see the most Canadian and international visitors, October is the second most popular time to visit the CCC for Americans.
Our international visitors were up from every part of the world except Africa and visitors from Oceania almost doubled.
Join the tourism sector at annual conference
Shaping Our Future Together is the theme of the 2024 BC Tourism Industry Conference slated for March 6 & 7 at the Victoria Conference Centre in the provincial capital. The program offers knowledge and skills training tracks on topics like hosting business meetings and conferences, working with First Nations, and AI in tourism.
More information on the conference – including registration – is available on the conference website.
Destination BC’s Upcoming Marketing
DBC has just released its Marketing Strategy for 2023-25 and its Global Marketing Plan for 2024. They are worth a look to get an idea of what’s important and what’s planned for the coming year.
You can also get a lot of insights into travelers by country from DBC’s Market Profiles that were updated as of January (though dated November 2023). These reports look a whole range of facts regarding the visits from various countries including average length of stay, how they book, where they stay, and total nights by region. It’s great intel that you can put to use.
CCCT’s Mike McMurray accessibility work profiled
The Neil Squire Society has just shared a profile of Mike McMurray, our Accessibility Program Assistant who is helping build and support the accessibility program at the CCCTA. The CCCT Accessibility Program offers education to operators and stakeholders on how they can adapt and grow their accessible offerings.
You can read Mike’s profile story on the Neil Squire website.
Have your say in a couple of ways
Both the Province of B.C. and the Government of Canada are running consultations right now on topics of interest to our area and our sector.
B.C.’s Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship is looking at changes to the Land Act to enable shared decision making with Indigenous Government Bodies through joint and consent-based agreements. Many tourism operators depend on tenure agreements and access to Crown land – so it’s worth taking part.
The engagement is open until March 31 on the Engage BC Portal: Land Act Amendments – govTogetherBC
The federal government is also seeking input on a proposed National Marine Conservation Area Reserve for the Central Coast. You can access here Central Coast of BC: proposed national marine conservation area reserve. This proposed national marine conservation area reserve is open for public consultation until March 15.
BC Culture Days looking for 2024 Ambassadors
Local emerging artists have the chance to expand their practice, develop creative, community-immersed programming, and participate in one-on-one mentorships with established artists through the BC Culture Days Ambassador Program.
Successful applicants will develop, coordinate, and present a free community-based event during Culture Days 2024 (September 20 – October 13). The program is open every type of artist from visual and media artists to dancers, musicians, poets, writers, actors, and more) located in B.C. Five emerging artists from across the province will receive artist fees and a production budget totalling $2,000.
The deadline to apply is March 4 and details on how to apply are on the Culture Days website.
Keep an eye on the snowpack, weather
Spring is just around the corner and that means rapidly changing weather and the increased potential for avalanches in the B.C. backcountry.
With avalanche conditions being dynamic and highly dependent on weather people are encouraged to check the Avalanche Canada forecasts and danger ratings before going out into the backcountry by visiting: https://avalanche.ca/map
Snapshot of Coastal ecosystem released
Statistics Canada has just released an interesting report on Canada’s coastal communities. For instance, the coastal population grew by 5.3% from 2016 to 5.5 million people in 2021 with about 75% of this growth on the Pacific Coast.
You can see the snapshot here.
Statistics Canada’s new Census of Environment program reports on ecosystems in Canada, providing information on how to protect, rehabilitate, enhance and sustain our environment. As a coastal region, it’s worth checking out.
A range of funding opportunities have opened up and it’s worthwhile for businesses and operators to take a look to see if they are eligible. Make sure to check the application dates so you don’t miss out..
Funding available for fairs, festivals, events
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport has provided $15 million for one-time grants to eligible events through the B.C. Fairs, Festivals and Events fund (BCFFE).
“Fairs, festivals and events are the heart of our communities and contribute to making this province a vibrant place to live and visit,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “Our government is proud to support the people who organize and attend these events so we can continue to rebuild our events and tourism sectors for today and the future.”
Eligible events include sporting events, arts and culture events, community celebrations, agricultural fairs and rodeos being held between April 1, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2025. Examples of eligible expenses include operational costs, Indigenous consultation and honorariums, venue rental, marketing, wages and promotion.
Applications will be accepted until February 25 and applications and criteria are here. You can read the provincial news release here.
Heritage Legacy Fund intake launches in March
The application window for the Heritage Legacy Fund is open March 8 until April 26. The fund started in 2003 through a $5 million gift from the Province of B.C. and expanded in 2022 with a further $5 million in provincial funding.
The Fund provides community support, educational resources and grants for heritage projects throughout British Columbia through conservation, planning, awareness and Indigenous partnership funding.
All the details on applying are available on the Heritage B.C. website.
Funding available to boost sustainability
Businesses and non-profit organizations that provide tourism experiences within British Columbia are eligible for support and funding to improve sustainability through equipment purchases, infrastructure updates, implementation of new systems, and pursuit of sustainability certification. The micro-grant program is funded by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport and delivered through Destination BC and the BC Tourism Sustainability Network (which CCCTA is part of).
Successful applicants receive free, one-on-one, tailored support to incorporate environmental sustainability or climate adaptation measures into their operations, strategy and storytelling and/or receive a microgrant of up to $15,000 to implement a project or obtain sustainability certification.
Applications are now open and spots are first-come, first-serve basis for both planning support and the microgrant.
More information is available online at BC Tourism Climate Resiliency Initiative
If you have questions, contact Alexandra sustain@landwithoutlimits.com.
“When a person spends all his time in foreign travel, he ends by having many acquaintances, but no friends.”
– Seneca
Stay well,
Amy Thacker
CCCT CEO