February 14, 2007
In this issue:

Wasn’t that a Party
Congratulations Cathy Jenkins!
An Update on Community Tourism Foundations
Is Your Website Journalist-Friendly?
Theatre Royal, Barkerville, Embarks on Provincial Road Trip
Update on .travel
BC Tourism Industry Conference - Feb 21 - 23

Wasn’t that a Party?

Wow, what a launch! On February 6, Vancouver, Coast & Mountains welcomed over 140 marketing partners and tourism visitors to check out our new offices at 210 West Broadway. Catered by Glowbal Catering, we are sure that all who attended are still dreaming about those Foie Gras Risotto Croquettes – the staff certainly are!

Arden Sutherland from YWCA Hotel/Residence can look forward to a full inbox of emails from long, lost friends - a special congratulations goes out to her, as Arden took home 39 bottles of wine in our “bring a bottle, win them all” contest.

Many comments were made about the spacious patio with spectacular city views. Look forward to plenty of summer bashes still to come, and for those photographers out there, we are always happy to provide you with a terrific viewpoint to capture Vancouver’s fabulous skyline.

MLA Richard Lee, VCM's Kevan Ridgway and Virna & James from the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown

Congratulations Cathy Jenkins!

Royal Roads University has named Cathy Jenkins, Director of Tourism. Jenkins will oversee the tourism operations at Hatley Park National Historic Site.

“We are delighted Cathy is joining our growing team of tourism professionals and educators at Royal Roads University,” said Nancy Arsenault, who was the previous Director of Tourism until her appointment last year as dean of the university’s new Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management. “Cathy’s experience managing educational tourism operations near Squamish perfectly fits RRU’s goals for providing these kinds of opportunities to British Columbians and visitors to Vancouver Island.”

Read more ...

An Update on Community Tourism Foundations

Congratulations to Squamish for the progress that they have made through the Community Tourism Foundations program!

Squamish was accepted to participate in the Community Tourism Foundations program last year and conducted the first initial meeting in February 2006. With the level of commitment in the community to strengthen the tourism industry in Squamish, a strategic tourism plan was developed and completed, waiting approval from Mayor and Council at the District of Squamish. Squamish is an excellent example for other communities on how commitment and focus can create successes in this program, designed to provide communities with the tools they need to move forward in the development of tourism.

Community Tourism Foundations development program is available to assist communities, by addressing some of the key components of successful community tourism: building capacity, organizational structure, funding, research and monitoring, and developing a tourism plan that will manage tourism appropriately within the community. As most communities are already in the business of tourism, this program will enable tourism to strengthen the local economy and in return, visitors will stay longer.

Read more ...

Here is a fabulous article we have discovered, written for Museum Marketing Tips, but certainly relevant to all kinds of tourism businesses! Enjoy…

Is Your Website Journalist-Friendly?
How to Make Sure Your Site Meets Journalists' Needs
by Katherine Khalife

When journalists visit your website and look for information they would need in order to write about you, can they find it? The answer -- whether yours is a million-dollar site or one designed by your board president's 14-year-old nephew -- is a resounding "Probably not." And as a result, your organization may be missing out on valuable media opportunities.

As I surf the Web doing research for articles I'm writing, I'm constantly amazed at how many sites bury necessary press information or omit it entirely. PR contacts, basic facts about the organization, press releases -- even phone numbers -- are sometimes impossible to find. And particularly when I'm on a deadline, my decision of whether to include an organization in a story is often influenced by the information available on its website.

Lest you think I'm the only one who feels this way, studies conducted in the past year by both Vocus and the Nielsen Norman Group confirm that I'm not alone. According to the Vocus survey, more than 90 percent of print journalists feel they waste half their time sifting through a website's contents trying to find what they need. And 60 percent say that not finding it can cause them to pass over a company they might otherwise write about.

Read more ...

Theatre Royal, Barkerville, Embarks on Provincial Road Trip

For the first time in 25 years the Theatre Royal in Barkerville is embarking on a road trip around B.C., taking their highly entertaining and educational “Gold Rush Music Hall Revue” variety show to community halls, service groups and schools.

“The purpose of the spring tour is to entertain folks with good old-fashioned vaudeville performances,” says producer Richard Wright of Newman & Wright Theatre Co., “However, the other point of the tour is to raise or increase people’s awareness of the Cariboo, Barkerville and the Theatre Royal. Barkerville and the Theatre Royal had a very successful season last summer and we want to show the rest of BC what we have to offer, and what the Cariboo has for those looking for a summer vacation.

Read more ...

Update on .travel

Please enjoy this note from Ron Andruff, President of Tralliance Corporation - The .travel Registry

On behalf of the global team at the .travel Registry, allow me to offer my warm greetings and best wishes for a healthy and prosperous New Year. I'd also like to take this opportunity to personally thank you for your conviction towards .travel and the important role that it is playing - and will continue to play - in the travel and tourism industry. It is due, in large measure, to your participation and sharing of information about .travel with your industry colleagues that the Registry is experiencing extraordinary momentum and unprecedented growth.

To date, some 26,000 travel entities have registered their .travel names in our industry's exclusive Internet domain. In concert with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and other prominent institutions, we have several exciting programs to announce in 2007 which will positively affect the impact of .travel, particularly with consumers. Registrants can also look forward to many new enhancements to search.travel that will set it apart from other search engines which, along with a relaunch of directory.travel, will further ensure that travel entities and destinations will be able to market their assets through the .travel brand in an equitable and unbiased manner. Your success is what guides us everyday; our goal is to continue to provide benefits and services that make your businesses more profitable.

Read more ...

BC's top tourism conference is next week... ...there's still time to register!

Click here to register!

Over 600 of your colleagues from throughout the tourism industry will be there. You should be there too!

BC TOURISM INDUSTRY CONFERENCE
February 21-23, 2007
Victoria Conference Centre - The Fairmont Empress, Victoria, BC

Three days of tourism industry knowledge sharing and networking. It's a must-attend event for tourism businesses, organizations and employees throughout BC.

www.bctourismindustryconference.ca