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Wells Gray Provincial Park is nearly the size of Prince Edward Island
http://www.totabc.org/
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Wells Gray Provincial Park is the fourth largest provincial park in BC
http://www.totabc.org/
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The Thompson Okanagan region is the same size as Ireland
http://www.totabc.org/
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The Okanagan Valley is home to four annual seasonal wine festivals
http://www.totabc.org/
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At 3,954 metres, Mount Robson is the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies
http://www.totabc.org/
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The Thompson Okanagan region has 3,200 tourism stakeholders
http://www.totabc.org/
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Murtle Lake is the largest ‘non-motorized’ lake in North America
http://www.totabc.org/
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Nk’Mip Cellars is North America’s first aboriginal-owned and operated winery
http://www.totabc.org/
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Osoyoos Lake is Canada’s warmest fresh water lake
http://www.totabc.org/
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Capital city of BC is Victoria
http://www.totabc.org/
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Sun Peaks ski resort is the third largest ski resort in Canada
http://www.totabc.org/
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Shuswap Lake hosts the largest houseboat fleet in Canada
http://www.totabc.org/
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The 50 hectare BC Wildlife Park in Kamloops has over 65 species of wildlife
http://www.totabc.org/
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Mount Robson was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984
http://www.totabc.org/
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Tourism generates $1.73 billion per year for the Thompson Okanagan economy
http://www.totabc.org/
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The 600-acre wildlife sanctuary of Cranberry Marsh hosts over 90 species of birds
http://www.totabc.org/
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Helmcken Falls is taller than Niagara Falls and plunges 141 metres down a narrow canyon
http://www.totabc.org/
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Greenwood is Canada’s smallest city
http://www.totabc.org/
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Shuswap Lake encompasses over 1,000km of shoreline
http://www.totabc.org/
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Wells Gray Provincial Park is the largest provincial park in the Thompson Okanagan region
http://www.totabc.org/
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Mount Robson was established in 1913 as the second provincial park in BC
http://www.totabc.org/
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BC is Canada's third most populated province, with 4,530,961 residents
http://www.totabc.org/
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Osoyoos is home to Canada’s only desert eco-system
http://www.totabc.org/
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In the Thompson Okanagan you can ski and golf in the same day at certain times of year!
http://www.totabc.org/
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BC Parks celebrates its 100th Anniversary in 2011
http://www.totabc.org/
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Wells Gray Provincial Park is home to over 40 waterfalls
http://www.totabc.org/
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Regional Strategy

Introduction

Tourism has become a primary economic driver throughout the Thompson Okanagan Region.  In 2010 the industry generated over $1.7 billion for the Regional economy, and growth in room revenue over the past ten years has outpaced the provincial average.

Building on this success and making sure that tourism in the Region can continue to thrive in increasingly competitive times is a challenge.  Looking ahead, it is important that the industry creates a strategic framework that will guide its ongoing development and ensure that the benefits are felt throughout the Thompson Okanagan.  Identifying a common vision and ways in which businesses and communities can work together on strategic regional objectives will act as a catalyst and will strengthen the Region overall and the destination experiences within the Region.

With TOTA’s regional mandate, Industry Services is facilitating the planning process that will result in a 10-year Regional Tourism Strategy.  The outcome will be an industry strategy that is based on input from operators, communities and a wide range of tourism related organizations.  Dr. Roger Carter from TEAM Tourism in the UK is assisting TOTA with the project.

The Planning Process

The process has involved the following steps to date:

  • Establishment of an advisory Steering Committee
  • Extensive desk research 
  • Five sub-regional workshops and one sector workshop attended by 200 stakeholders
  • Site visits and interviews 
  • A regional workshop involving 30 national, provincial and regional stakeholders to review proposed strategic priorities
  • An overview presentation of the draft Regional Strategy at the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Summit in November

The following outline presents the key elements of the draft Strategy.  This is now being refined in preparation for a further stage of consultation.  It is anticipated that the Strategy will be released in the spring.

Strategy_Display_1.jpg

Our Research and Consultations - What we found

Strengths

  • Weather
  • Scenery
  • Accessible & uncongested
  • Valley playground
  • Distinctive rural experiences / nostalgia
  • Local flavours
  • Festivals – strong artistic base
  • Aboriginal product
  • Urban facilities
  • Proximity to urban markets

Weaknesses

  • Seasonality
  • Limited internal public transport 
  • In-Region path to purchase / packaging
  • Sub-regional recreational land-use planning 
  • Trail/back country issues 
  • Multiplicity of marketing messages
  • Labour issues  & business succession planning
  • Lack of storytelling and theming
  • Limited economic data

Opportunities

  • Growth trends – affluent retirees, global middle class, interest in health & sustainability, ecotourism, learning experiences
  • Potential new BC markets  – ESL sector, new ethnic populations 
  • Rail access 
  • Storytelling
  • Expand examples of good practice – Shuswap trails
  • Festivals & events – shoulder season
  • Further develop niche product (e.g. hang gliding), outdoor sport tourism, long distance trails and hut-to-hut

 

Threats

  • Fears of economic recession
  • Greater degree of price sensitivity
  • Rising fuel prices and travel costs
  • Increased competition 
  • Tighter visa regulations and border controls
  • Increased environmental crises 
  • Canada is not highly recognized as a destination for many of the Region’s emerging products
  • Urban markets have an increasing disconnect with the outdoors

PURPOSE: To provide a framework for stakeholders to work together toward a shared vision and common goals.

Our Vision and Framework for Growth

VISION for the 10-Year Strategy

The Thompson Okanagan will be a highly successful all-year-round destination, with a strong and attractive image that is clearly differentiated from its competitors. The region will be well known for the authenticity of its tourism offers and the cultural and environmental richness and diversity of the areas within it. The industry will be recognized for its commitment to work together to strengthen tourism for the benefit of all.

Targets

Achieve the target of 3% growth in revenue per year throughout the Region and in each sub-region/Regional District.

Our Markets

Geographic Markets: North America

British Columbia / Lower Mainland
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Ontario
Western USA

Geographic Markets: International

United Kingdom
Germany
Netherlands
Australia
(Emerging & secondary markets – China, Korea, India, Brazil)

EQ Segments: Free Spirits

Demographics

40% 18-34, over ? have young children, FT/students, higher than av. income, av. education

Social Values

Extrovert, driven, open-minded, fun-loving, spontaneous, adventurous

Travel Values

Luxury, checklist samplers, indulgent, fun/exciting travel with some learning, bragging experiences, escapism, appreciation of nature

Travel Activity

Snowmobiling, skiing/snowboarding, shopping – gourmet retail, casinos, sun bathing, water-based activities, hang gliding, kayaking, dining at restaurants offering local ingredients, visiting national/provincial parks, attending festivals. Accommodation – health/resort spa, waterfront resort – preference for status, brands, novelty & creativity

EQ Segments: Authentic Experiencers

Demographics

53% 55+, higher than av. retired, av. income, higher than av. education

Social Values

Eco & well-being conscious, ethical, independent, more reserved, open-minded, care little about brands

Travel Values

Cultural immersion, historical travel, away from crowds, unstructured travel

Travel Activity

Multi-day touring in a car, dining at restaurants offering local ingredients, educational tours, historic sites, national/provincial parks, natural wonders, interpretive centres, meeting locals, visiting small towns.  Prefer modest accommodation – mountain resort, waterfront resort

EQ Segments: Cultural Explorers

Demographics

All ages, mostly FT, av. income, higher than av. education 

 

Social Values

Highly motivated, risk-takers, spontaneous, creative, socially responsible, easy-going, not highly materialistic

Travel Values

Off the beaten track, local connections, unstructured travel, historical travel

Travel Activity

Interacting with locals, historic sites, multicultural experiences, national/ provincial parks, interpretive centres, natural wonders, hands on learning, small towns, dining at restaurants offering local ingredients, farmers’ markets, local crafts. Prefer modest accommodation - wilderness lodge, farm stays, B&B

Our Regional Priorities

Focusing on Experience-Based Themes

Identifying the Iconic

  • Experiences that are memorable and worth ‘bragging about’
  • Signature landscapes
  • Builds recognition for the Thompson Okanagan as a distinctive Region

Enriching local flavours

  • Exceptional ingredients: scenic landscape, weather, unique wineries, award winning wines, breweries & distilleries, organic farming & local produce, chefs committed to developing regional cuisine and ‘field to table’
  • Captures the essence of the Region – creates intimacy and romance
  • Strengthens associated sectors and spreads economic benefits

Revealing the story

  • The Region has many untold ‘stories’
  • Learning & absorbing history and contemporary culture is a key travel motivator
  • Stories create an emotional connection with the destination
  • Themes can ‘move’ visitors around the Region
  • Numerous opportunities to tell stories through signage, technology, events and publications

Expanding personal horizons

  • Learners make up 35% of the global market - they are looking for unique and interactive opportunities to learn while connecting with locals in an authentic manner
  • Developing new learning experiences will strengthen shoulder season business
  • Areas to build on: sports and outdoor recreational activities, the arts, culinary and wine appreciation disciplines, Aboriginal cultural learning experiences, self-discovery and wellness, professional development

Building authenticity

  • Involves helping visitors understand how the Region differs from their own in terms of culture, heritage, history and identity
  • Requires developing a strong ‘sense of place’ through creating opportunities to connect with locals, appropriate land-use planning and beautification, signage & interpretation, good access to off-road experiences, and strengthening festivals and events that reflect the personality of the Region

Our Process and Priorities for Moving Forward

Using the Regional experience-based themes to strengthen our identity and our approach to strategic planning

Working with small task forces on strategies related to events, Aboriginal cultural tourism, trails, interpretation, visitor services & IT.

Creating a framework for the development of sub-regional Tourism Development Plans in partnership with Tourism BC.

Identifying and supporting flagship projects that will highlight the distinctiveness of the Region and create new business.

Building momentum through collaboration

Working together to deliver regional supporting programs:

  • Realigning the message with the emphasis on the ‘experiential’
  • Developing IT solutions to give the Region a competitive edge
  • Working in partnership to track performance
  • Building leading-edge knowledge for businesses

... to reduce seasonality 

Maintaining industry-led direction through

  • A steering committee that will oversee progress
  • Special task forces on regional action plans
  • Collaborative planning with local stakeholders at the sub-regional level

Committing to long-term sustainability through a Sustainable Tourism Charter

“This work will go a long way in helping the Canadian Tourism Commission develop and market unique destinations and experiences and will contribute to Canada’s international tourism competitiveness.”

– Greg Klassen, Senior Vice- President, Canadian Tourism Commission

 
 

Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association's Partners:

 
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