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Our Vision, Mission & Strategic Plan

The Voice of the BC Tourism Industry

The Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) advocates for the interests of British Columbia’s $18.5 billion visitor economy (2022). As a not-for-profit tourism industry association, TIABC works collaboratively with its members – private sector tourism businesses, industry associations and destination marketing organizations – to ensure the best working environment for a competitive tourism industry.

TIABC’s Vision is for the tourism industry to be recognized as one of British Columbia’s leading and sustainable industries.

TIABC’S rolling three-year 2019-2022 Strategic Plan outlines four key priority areas that will guide the organization:

  1. Advocacy & Policy Development
  2. Membership & Strategic Alliances
  3. Strategic Communications & Government Relations
  4. Operational Sustainability & Excellence

TIABC’s Mission – as the primary advocate for British Columbia’s visitor economy, TIABC unites operators, sectors, DMO’s, government and residents to support and be passionate about making this province a great place for tourism.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Reconciliation
TIABC commits to champion the values of diversity, equity, inclusion and reconciliation by listening, learning and acting. We foster a working environment where we value and develop employees, directors, volunteers, members, advisors, contractors and partners of all backgrounds and experiences

In addition to offering full participation in programs, policy formulation and advocacy initiatives, TIABC endeavours to build respect, dignity, fairness, and equality in everything we do.

We pledge to share best practices in advocating for diversity, equity, inclusion and reconciliation within BC’s tourism and hospitality industry, and seek to achieve the annual goals and objectives we set around this topic to hold us accountable.

Our Sustainable Tourism Pledge
The Tourism Industry Association of BC, also known as TIABC, has signed the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge, to demonstrate our commitment to improving the sustainability performance of our business and to demonstrate our commitment to improving the sustainability of our province between now and 2030.

The UN World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.”

Each year, TIABC will commit to measuring and improving our sustainability performance in the following ways:

o Measure our carbon footprint and find opportunities to reduce our emissions year over year
o Continue to have sustainability and environmental consciousness as part of our organizational thinking and framework.
o When building partnerships, ask potential partners if and what initiatives they are undertaking to support sustainability.
o Ensure work-related flights and accommodations are carbon offset when available.
o Utilize our provincial tourism network to support the education of sustainability at our annually delivered BC Tourism & Hospitality conference.

We encourage our industry stakeholders to join us in this movement.

National Day for Truth & Reconciliation

During the last week of each September, Canada observes National Truth and Reconciliation Week, culminating on September 30th with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR).

Tourism businesses and organizations can advance reconciliation by promoting understanding, respect, and meaningful engagement with Indigenous cultures by collaborating with Indigenous communities to accurately represent their history, traditions, and cultures in tourism experiences, supporting Indigenous-owned businesses and promoting employment opportunities, educating visitors and staff about the history and current issues facing Indigenous peoples, establishing a long-term partnership with communities, and highlighting and promoting Indigenous-led experiences.

September 30th also coincides with Orange Shirt Day and goes far beyond simply wearing orange in solidarity - it is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters”.

Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) encourages everyone to look for an event in your area and "step forward as an active witness to ensure, through thorough and honest education, that this never happens again." 

TIABC encourages all British Columbians to wear orange on September 30th and honour the thousands of survivors of residential schools.

By taking these steps, we can all contribute to understanding, healing, and a more equitable relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
Postcards from BC 📬

Wish you were here from Kat Craats, Marketing Manager for Wildplay Element Parks, in Squamish! 🌲🧗‍♀️
At a Greater Vancouver Board of Trade breakfast meeting, TIABC CEO Walt Judas met up with Rocky Mountaineer President & CEO Tristan Armstrong, as well as VIA Rail President & CEO Mario Peloquin who outlined his railway's 2030 strategy aimed at increasing passenger rail service across Canada. 

Within the next five years, VIA Rail will update much of its fleet with new equipment to replace railcars that are up to 77 years old.

While the federal government has invested some $3 billion in VIA Rail over the past five years, it pales in comparison to Europe's $87 billion and $69 billion the United States is investing in rail service and infrastructure in the coming years.

VIA Rail onboards and delivers a combined 30,000 passengers annually in British Columbia with targets to increase the numbers, particularly as new railcars come into service.
BC TIC 2025 Sponsorship Opportunities

Our sponsors are critical to what makes the BC Tourism Industry Conference a consistent success. Aside from helping to offset the costs of staging this event, sponsors deliver benefits to delegates that help grow their businesses, as well as BC’s visitor economy as a whole.

If your company is keen to connect with tourism leaders and stakeholders throughout British Columbia and Canada, we encourage you to partner with us for the 2025 BC Tourism Industry Conference.

If you have a unique sponsorship idea that you would like to explore, please contact us. We offer the flexibility to customize packages to meet your unique business objectives. Packages are available on a first-come, first-served basis. We look forward to seeing you in beautiful Vancouver.

Contact us at: info@bctourismconference.ca
2024 TIABC Election Toolkit 

Just in time for the 2024 provincial election campaign that is about to begin, TIABC has produced a valuable toolkit for your use. The toolkit provides a wealth of resources to better inform you of the current political landscape, what the implications for tourism may be, and how to engage with politicians and candidates.

The election toolkit also addresses the value of tourism to British Columbia and informs on what the tourism and hospitality priorities are. 

The comprehensive toolkit expands on these areas by providing recommended questions to ask candidates, for example: "How does your party view tourism as an industry and government priority relative to other sectors of British Columbia’s economy?"

Please download the 2024 TIABC Election Toolkit below, share it with your members and your stakeholders, educate on the value of tourism and inform candidates on today's issues facing our sector. Feel free to send TIABC additional questions that can be added.

Download the toolkit through link in bio! 👆
Postcards from BC 📬 

Wish you were here from Joe Baker, Dean of Okanagan College School of Business, at Okanagan Stables in Lake Country.