As all of us are well aware, we are quickly entering the busiest phase of the summer season. And this year, in particular, will be an exceptionally busy one. Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations, as well as the National Parks providing free park permits to all visitors, only adds to the excitement of enjoying as much as you can in Canada this summer. Our province broke all visitation records in 2016; is it possible that 2017 numbers will be even higher? I think they will be and I hope you are ready!
We have been busy with many ongoing and new projects this spring. Our What’s Your Rush? campaign is continuing to roll out and we are hearing many positive comments about the look and tactics around this initiative. If you are travelling in and around Calgary over the next couple of months or flying from one of our regional airports, you may see some of our new billboards and advertising specific to the campaign.
Locations in Alberta include Calgary downtown, Highway #1 Banff corridor, Highway #22 Longview (above photo), as well as digital screens in the Calgary International Airport.
In British Columbia, we have also refreshed the graphics to reflect the campaign at the Canadian Rockies International Airport (Cranbrook), Kelowna International Airport, the West Kootenay Regional Airport (Castlegar) and the ferry landings at Balfour and Crawford Bay.
Digital and Social Media tactics are ongoing on a daily basis, engagement is positive and Facebook is the top performing platform on social. We are also very happy that we have seen almost 300 new subscribers to our consumer-focused newsletter since the launch of the campaign.
We will have much more to report as the summer progresses, stay tuned!
Kootenay Rockies Tourism’s new Map Guide will be printing mid-June and we think this will be an excellent companion piece to our Touring & Exploring Guide and Circle Routes Map. We invite you to pre-order them now for your business; they include maps and information for visitors on: Hot Springs & Wellness, Golf, Sip & Savour and Winter Experiences.
A new opportunity to work on a project with the Ktunaxa National Council is underway. We have entered into an agreement to provide support, expertise and resources to the Ktunaxa National Council as they actively engage in the development of tourism branding and a marketing strategy. The informal part of the agreement will continue until the end of this calendar year and we hope our assistance with this newly strengthened relationship will continue through the destination development planning process well beyond December 2017. Learn more about Destination Development.
Continue to read our newsletter for more updates and information you may find relevant for your business. Thank you, Kathy Cooper, KRT CEO
KRT partners with ‘accelerate Kootenays’ to
promote in-region Electric Vehicle (EV) Travel
| Our region is the first in Canada to implement a community-driven strategy to build a clean transportation network in a rural setting through accelerate Kootenays initiative. |  |
A strong EV chargers network will enable a smooth and worry-free EV touring experience and allow environmentally conscious travellers to enjoy the wonders our tourism region offers.
Proud to position the region as an up and coming EV destination, KRT has been adding new information to its consumer website including trip planning tools and an electric road trip itinerary. KRT will also be supporting the accelerate Kootenays team at the EV Roadmap Conference in June.
More fast public charging stations are being installed throughout 2017 and the Kootenay Rockies region will be entirely EV friendly by 2018. For more information, please email Emilie, Industry & Destination Dev. Specialist.
Employer Survey: Tell go2HR about your
HR best practices for a Chance to Win!
In a tight labour market, what are you doing to recruit and retain staff? What is working and what are some of your staffing pain points? go2HR, BC’s tourism human resource association, invites you to participate in a short survey to gain a better understanding of the labour challenges faced by BC’s tourism and hospitality industry. Your input will help identify opportunities to better provide HR-related support for tourism employers in BC.
The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete and you will be entered for a chance to win a $250 VISA Gift Card. Click here to take the Survey.
TIABC 2017 AGM
Call for Directors from the KR Region
In the lead-up to the Tourism Industry Association of BC’s Annual General Meeting which will be held on October 12, 2017 in Richmond, the organization is actively looking for candidates who wish to serve on the Board, in particular, operators from the Kootenay Rockies and Northern BC regions.
Industry partners who are willing to roll up their sleeves and contribute to TIABC advocacy efforts and interested & committed to helping BC’s visitor economy move forward, should contact: Walt Judas, TIABC CEO, 250-685-5956 or WJudas@TIABC.ca
Celebrate Tourism Week
May 28 to June 3, 2017
To celebrate Tourism Week and acknowledge the operators, employees, suppliers, destination marketing organizations and others who contribute to the industry, we are inviting stakeholders from every community to spread the word about the power of tourism. This initiative is part of a concerted effort to showcase local tourism products and experiences, and demonstrate that #BCTourismMatters to residents in communities across the province.
Here are some hands-on ways to celebrate the power of tourism in your community:
- Take photos and share them on social media. In addition to capturing images of your community participating in Tourism Week activities, take photos of other tourism activities that you can share (attractions, tourism employees, your visitor centre, your welcome sign, etc.)
- Share on social media using the hashtag #BCTourismMatters.
- Follow TIABC and Destination BC (DBC) on our social channels:
TIABC: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn
DBC: Twitter, LinkedIn
Share, Like, ReTweet and help all BC communities spread the word about Tourism Week. - Tell your local media (radio, newspaper, television) about Tourism Week and your activities. Communities can augment the release with information about local tourism services, attractions, amenities, development plans, key performance indicators and other news about the benefits your local visitor economy generates for citizens.
- Send TIABC and DBC photos, videos, stories for our Power of Tourism initiative. We are inviting the tourism industry to tell us their story by sharing 100-200 word written summaries, or short, unedited videos that describe your career journey, what BC’s tourism industry has given you, and what advice you would give to people considering a career in tourism. Submit you content to Media.Relations@DestinationBC.ca and Info@TIABC.ca.
- Enter go2HR’s new contest. go2HR is collecting 150 reasons to love working in #BCTourism, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of confederation. Help them showcase the diverse jobs and opportunities in this dynamic industry by telling them why you love working in the tourism industry, and you could win a $150 VISA gift card! Enter today.
Kimberley City Bakery receives a prestigious Award
The Kimberley City Bakery was honoured recently by Canada’s Baker Journal Magazine, by receiving their ‘Jake the Baker’ Award. This ward is offered to the best, most innovative and community oriented bakery in Canada, and it was awarded to Michelle & Eric Forbes (pictured below) at the recent Bakers Convention in Vancouver.
Congratulations Michelle & Eric !
KRT Industry Conference & AGM
Secure your Sponsorship Opportunity
Donate to the Silent Auction
The 40th Annual General Meeting and Tourism Industry Conference for Kootenay Rockies Tourism will be held at the Golden Civic Centre on October 17&18, 2017.
If you have an interest in joining the Sponsors of this year’s event, you may review the package options online here.
Questions? Bonnie Castle-Dixon, 250-427-4838 X205; Accounting@KootenayRockies.com
For Silent Auction donations (vacation package, experience or product), please contact: Corinne Crowder, Administration, 250-427-4838 X200; Reception@KootenayRockies.com.
