http://www.totabc.org Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:58:35 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/silga-perfect-opportunity-show-tota-partnership-progress/ SILGA's annual conference presented a great opportunity to show government leaders what TOTA is doing to grow the region's tourism economy Mon, 13 May 2013 12:42:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/silga-perfect-opportunity-show-tota-partnership-progress/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/totas-online-eq-contest-scores-some-winners/ During the first part of April TOTA ran a contest on Castanet.net on what kind of traveller readers were. Mon, 06 May 2013 11:59:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/totas-online-eq-contest-scores-some-winners/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/explorer-quotient-workshop-shuswap/ Attendees to the Explorer Quotient® program in the Shuswap will be introduced to the vision of the Thompson Okanagan’s 10-year regional tourism strategy with its five regional, experienced-based themes. Mon, 06 May 2013 10:59:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/explorer-quotient-workshop-shuswap/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-stakeholders-consumer-show-advantage/ Registered stakeholders with TOTA can take advantage of price breaks if they want to exhibit at a number of large consumer events in Western Canada. Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:59:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-stakeholders-consumer-show-advantage/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/summit-goers-enjoy-advice-employment-experts/ At TOTA's 2013 Summit two employment professionals, Arlene Keis and Shawnee Love, shared their expertise with the travel industry Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:59:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/summit-goers-enjoy-advice-employment-experts/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/social-media-tourism-tota-summit/ Melonie Dodaro, social media guru, author and owner of Top Dog Social Media, will be presenting 'Tourism Social Media Strategies' at TOTA's 4th Annual Summit next week. Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:18:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/social-media-tourism-tota-summit/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/what-kind-traveller-are-you/ Researchers have determined there are nine kinds of travellers in the world and the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association wants to know what kind of traveller you are. Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:15:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/what-kind-traveller-are-you/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/conscious-traveller/ Anna Pollock is one of the futurists who has thought about what travellers will want from tomorrow's tourism and travel services, and she will be talking about tourism business at TOTA’s 2013 Summit in Chase at the Quaaout Lodge. Fri, 08 Mar 2013 10:52:00 PST http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/conscious-traveller/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/erik-wolf-foodies-and-culinary-tourism-tota-summit/ TOTA Summit speaker Erik Wolf believes the link between food and tourism is so strong that most tourists don't even realize it. Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:30:00 PST http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/erik-wolf-foodies-and-culinary-tourism-tota-summit/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/three-20-experts-totas-summit-2013/ Meet three of the more than 20 people who will be speaking at TOTA's aptly named 'Embracing Our Potential' Summit, to be held in March. Wed, 20 Feb 2013 09:33:00 PST http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/three-20-experts-totas-summit-2013/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/family-day-huge-local-ski-resorts/ British Columbia's inaugural Family Day holiday has resulted in bonanza returns as residents flocked to all local ski hills including Apex in Penticton, Big White in Kelowna, Silver Star in Vernon and Sun Peaks in Kamloops. Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:17:00 PST http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/family-day-huge-local-ski-resorts/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-in-north-washington-sparks-mou/ Talks between the Thompson-Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) and the North Central Washington Economic Development District (NCWEDD) culminated in a hour-long address by TOTA's CEO, Glenn Mandziuk, at a gathering in Washington and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:00:00 PST http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-in-north-washington-sparks-mou/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/bc-hospitality-foundation-and-tota-fund-scholarship/ The 'Future Leaders' joint scholarship from TOTA and the BC Hospitality Foundation worth $1,500 was presented to Paula Steel of Thompson Rivers University to help her pursue a career in tourism. Fri, 23 Nov 2012 14:42:00 PST http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/bc-hospitality-foundation-and-tota-fund-scholarship/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/ctcs-mckenzie-offers-up-high-praise-for-tota/ The CEO of the Canadian Tourism Commission offered congratulations and praise after attending the launch of the 10-year regional strategy, known by its title of Embracing our Potential, presented by TOTA at Sparkling Hill in Vernon. Fri, 16 Nov 2012 15:51:00 PST http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/ctcs-mckenzie-offers-up-high-praise-for-tota/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/benefits-of-free-registration-attracting-hundreds-of-new-tota-st/ The decision by the Board of Directors in 2009 to change TOTA from a paid-membership association to a free-of-charge stakeholder model is proving its worth as close to 1,000 tourism businesses throughout the Thompson Okanagan have now chosen to register with the organization. Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:19:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/benefits-of-free-registration-attracting-hundreds-of-new-tota-st/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/communities-and-dmos-signing-up-for-eq-sub-licences/ TOTA and the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) are putting the power of CTC's leading-edge 'Explorer Quotient®' marketing program directly into the hands of communities and local destination marketing organizations (DMOs) in the Thompson Okanagan. This spring Tourism Sun Peaks became the first DMO in the region to sign up with TOTA and CTC for an EQ sub-licence. Wed, 04 Jul 2012 19:29:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/communities-and-dmos-signing-up-for-eq-sub-licences/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/redesigned-tota-news-centre-provides-quick-access-to-tourism-new/ TOTA has announced that it is now presenting its online News Centre in a redesigned format, giving tourism stakeholders, media, government officials, community leaders, organization officials and others quick access to the latest tourism news from around the Thompson Okanagan. Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:32:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/redesigned-tota-news-centre-provides-quick-access-to-tourism-new/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-golf-tournament-set-for-sept.-6-at-summerland-golf-and-coun/ The 21st Annual TOTA Golf Tournament will be held Thursday, September 6 at the beautiful Summerland Golf & Country Club. The yearly event is a great opportunity for tourism stakeholders from throughout the region to get together for a day of golf, networking and loads of fun with colleagues and friends. Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:27:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-golf-tournament-set-for-sept.-6-at-summerland-golf-and-coun/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-hits-the-road-to-discuss-the-new-regional-tourism-strategy/ Since late February, CEO Glenn Mandziuk has been criss-crossing the Thompson Okanagan, going far and wide to present the details of 'Embracing Our Potential', the draft new 10-year Regional Tourism Strategy developed through 2011 after extensive research and grassroots consultation with tourism stakeholders. Tue, 12 Jun 2012 23:40:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-hits-the-road-to-discuss-the-new-regional-tourism-strategy/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-now-managing-okanagan-connector-visitor-centre/ TOTA has taken on responsibility for management of the Okanagan Connector Visitor Centre near Peachland and West Kelowna – and it says the new role will allow it to increase the promotion of travel destinations in the region to tens of thousands of visitors coming in each year from the west – including from Vancouver, Seattle, and B.C.'s Lower Mainland. Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:56:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-now-managing-okanagan-connector-visitor-centre/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-tours-global-okanagans-upgraded-tv-facilities/ As a long-time partner with Global Okanagan's CHBC-TV, Thompson Okanagan Tourism attended a recent open house at the station's revamped downtown Kelowna offices, showing its support and seeing the latest high-tech developments at the broadcasting facility. Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:29:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-tours-global-okanagans-upgraded-tv-facilities/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/stakeholders-continue-to-register-free-of-charge-with-tota/ A growing number of tourism-related businesses and organizations across the Thompson Okanagan region continue to register, free-of-charge, as TOTA stakeholders. Some of those who have registered recently include: Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:01:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/stakeholders-continue-to-register-free-of-charge-with-tota/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-website-showcases-tourism-bc-programs-and-services/ TOTA has added a new page on its website which showcases Tourism BC's programs and services, provides links to the provincial agency's online resources, and displays news stories about the latest Tourism BC resources for the Thompson Okanagan's tourism industry. Sat, 31 Mar 2012 00:38:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tota-website-showcases-tourism-bc-programs-and-services/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/groups-to-host-super-conference-for-bc-tourism-and-hospitality-s/ The major tourism and hospitality associations in the province have announced they will merge their usual two separate annual conferences into one 'super-conference' for B.C.'s tourism industry this year. Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:13:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/groups-to-host-super-conference-for-bc-tourism-and-hospitality-s/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/west-kelowna-gathers-public-input-for-trails-plan/ The District of West Kelowna has begun a series of public input sessions to gather opinion and help it develop its first Recreational Trails Master Plan. Sun, 11 Mar 2012 04:09:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/west-kelowna-gathers-public-input-for-trails-plan/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/sport-tourism-spending-in-canada-jumps-to-3.6-billion-per-year/ Sport tourism spending in Canada rose to $3.6 billion in 2010 – an increase of 8.8 per cent from 2008, according to a report prepared by Statistics Canada for the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA). Sun, 11 Mar 2012 04:00:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/sport-tourism-spending-in-canada-jumps-to-3.6-billion-per-year/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/sun-peaks-gets-470000-in-first-resort-municipality-funding/ Sun Peaks, one of the latest B.C. communities to become eligible for the provincial government's Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) funding, received its first payment – for $470,000 – in late January, to put towards investment in local tourism-related projects. Sun, 11 Mar 2012 03:50:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/sun-peaks-gets-470000-in-first-resort-municipality-funding/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/kelowna-visitor-numbers-show-big-increase-but-spending-dips-slig/ A new study on the economic impact of tourism in Kelowna, updating one done in 2006, shows that the number of visitors is up substantially, but because of the economic downturn, total spending has slipped a bit. Sun, 11 Mar 2012 03:40:00 PDT http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/kelowna-visitor-numbers-show-big-increase-but-spending-dips-slig/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/major-cycling-event-again-set-for-south-okanagan/ Cycling events are becoming a major attraction, drawing visitors into the region, and this summer the Valley First Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan – a set of various lengths of races for cyclists of all ages and abilities – will be back for its second year, drawing thousands of cyclists to a series of scenic courses throughout the South Okanagan. Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:18:00 PST http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/major-cycling-event-again-set-for-south-okanagan/ http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tiabc-applauds-tourism-measures-in-provincial-budget/ The Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) has applauded the provincial government's 2012-13 budget, unveiled by Finance Minister Kevin Falcon in the Legislature on Feb. 21. Fri, 24 Feb 2012 04:09:00 PST http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/tiabc-applauds-tourism-measures-in-provincial-budget/