TIABC Voice of Tourism Newsletter – February 28, 2025

A close friend of mine is world renowned for the medical procedures he performs and also teaches to professional colleagues all over the globe. And although he’s 69 and planning to retire later this year, he still attends conferences, workshops, and seminars throughout North America and Europe to refine his skills and contribute to his profession. I find that admirable considering he’s mere months away from a permanent pause on his long and illustrious career.

As you well know, the wonderful thing about attending conferences is not only seeing valued colleagues that have become lifelong friends, but also the learning and business-to-business opportunities these events bring. It’s why the annual BC Tourism Industry Conference (BC TIC) is a must-attend event for our sector.

Each year at the beginning of March, hundreds of delegates from throughout British Columbia gather to attend one of 20 workshops, half a dozen plenary sessions, a couple of social events, and an awards gala to celebrate and acknowledge colleagues at the top of their game.

BC TIC returns to Vancouver next week (March 5-7). It coincides with the release of the provincial budget and the implementation of Trump’s tariffs. For those reasons alone it will be good to convene to discuss the implications of these political maneuvers for BC’s visitor economy. More importantly, getting together formally is vital to the future of tourism and sets the tone for the busy months ahead.

Illuminating hallway conversations, impromptu meetings, knowledge and skills gathering, socializing and strategizing are all advantages of meeting face-to-face during a time of both uncertainty and opportunity at home and abroad.

Each year our Conference Planning Team and Program Committee considers the state of the tourism industry and then develops a comprehensive program to meet the needs of a broad range of delegates representing businesses, sector associations, destination management organizations, suppliers and other stakeholders. I’m convinced they’ve hit a home run for BC TIC 2025.

With several new workshops and speakers on topics ranging from attracting investment and culinary tourism, to major events and aquatic tourism, anyone connected to our sector should make every effort to attend. I encourage you to check out the program and register today if you haven’t done so already.

Earlier I referenced BC TIC being paramount to the future of tourism. As I’ve openly shared previously, revenues generated by registration and sponsorship not only help offset the cost of staging the event, but also represent an income stream for TIABC to help meet its annual operating expenses. In other words, the more profit we generate from the conference, the more we can invest in lobbying and advocacy on behalf of our members and stakeholders across BC.

Like my good friend, I’m in my sixties and watching the sun slowly set on a long career. And while becoming world renowned is not a personal goal, I’m still keen to learn and grow in my profession. No matter what age or stage of career you’re in, I trust you too will realize the benefits of attending the BC Tourism Industry Conference. I look forward to seeing you next week.

Walt Judas
CEO, TIABC