BC Community Sustainable Tourism & Resilience Planning Program

Welcome to the BC Community Sustainable Tourism & Resilience Planning Program

The BC Regional Tourism Secretariat (BCRTS) has partnered with The Travel Foundation – global leaders in sustainable tourism, destination stewardship and climate action – to offer a fully- funded Community Resilience and Sustainability Planning program during March through June 2023.

Purpose

By the end of this planning program, participating community tourism organizations will have a strengthened understanding of good practice in destination management and have practical initial plans to implement sustainable tourism actions within their communities and also support the tourism business stakeholders in the region with this transition.

For community tourism organizations that have already developed a sustainability plan, the program will provide the opportunity to add and enhance what is in place. The BCRTS invites all community tourism organizations to share with your community partners on best practices and key learnings to date.

Introductory Webinar

Community tourism organizations within all six regions of British Columbia are invited to join the program, beginning with an introductory webinar. The intro webinar will start with an overview of the latest thinking on key concepts and current challenges in sustainable tourism with guest speakers including Jeremy Sampson, CEO of the Travel Foundation. The webinar will also cover the specifics of program participation.

View the recorded introductory webinar here.

Workshop Series

The resilience and sustainability planning program consists of four 2-hour virtual sessions biweekly from April 20 – June 1, as well as on-demand support from expert advisors.

Each community tourism organization will receive guidance on how to approach sustainability, DEIA, destination stewardship, mitigation, and adaptation strategies through the workshops and with The Travel Foundation sustainability handbook and planning tools. Participants will finish the program with an initial sustainability action plan that is developed by the community tourism organization, which may then align with strategic, business, and marketing plans for the destination.

Dates:

Apr 20, 2023 – 09:00am – 11:00am Pacific Time
May 4, 2023- 09:00am – 11:00am Pacific Time
May 18, 2023- 09:00am – 11:00am Pacific Time
Jun 1, 2023- 09:00am – 11:00am Pacific Time

Space is limited for the community tourism organizations to receive 1:1 advising support through this program but registration is free and easy! Spots will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Register Below

Partners

The British Columbia Regional Tourism Secretariat is a collaboration between the following five regional destination management organizations: Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association, Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association, Northern BC Tourism Association, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association and 4VI (formerly Tourism Vancouver Island).