TIABC Voice of Tourism Newsletter – November 15, 2024

Actor Tom Selleck is renowned for starring in two popular television series…the first as the Ferrari-driving private investigator in the original Magnum P.I., and more recently, as New York City Police Chief Frank Reagan in Blue Bloods. Although he’s been in show business for nearly five decades, Selleck is arguably more famous for his signature moustache. I once met him in person and can vouch that it’s a thing of beauty.

When the original Magnum P.I. was at its peak and it’s hairy star considered a heartthrob , my wife encouraged me to grow a moustache, which she ultimately hated so it disappeared in a fraction of the time it took me to grow my little line of peach fuzz. Truth is I gave it a valiant effort but my stache looked more like Salvador Dali’s than Thomas Magnum’s.

Decades later though I’m trying again, not to look like Chief Reagan but rather for a good cause that I’m supporting in a small way. As you may know, it’s Movember where dudes all over the world grow moustaches over a 30-day period as a symbol representing healthier men and a healthier world.

By way of background, Movember is a charity that funds men’s health projects in multiple countries. It’s focus revolves around mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

According to Movember, men’s health is in crisis. Nearly 11 million males globally are battling prostate cancer while testicular cancer is the most common among the young generation. Sadly, one man dies by suicide every minute of every day. The reality is many blokes like me are dying too soon, some from diseases that are either preventable or treatable.

I doubt there is a single person reading this message that hasn’t been affected, either directly or indirectly, by mental health, suicide or cancer. Having walked this road with family members and friends in recent years prompted me to participate in Movember for the first time.

To be sure, there are many charities or organizations that support similar endeavours for all people, which I also highly endorse. For the record, I’m not appealing for money or asking anyone to support this campaign versus others but a big part of what Movember represents just happens to hit close to home for me this year. In fact, since the pandemic, TIABC has shared mental health information and resources for the tourism industry through our multiple communications channels, as well as our annual conference. And we’ll continue to do so.

In the meantime, thanks to a grant from the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, go2HR has partnered with the BC Division of Canadian Mental Health Association to provide industry-specific mental health training for tourism and hospitality employees, supervisors, managers and senior leaders. These courses have been developed with industry guidance to cover relevant workplace concerns, focusing on psychological health & safety. Importantly, several community and regional destination management organizations also offer similar resources. Be sure to check them out when you get a chance.

When I arrived back home from my last business trip of the year, my wife looked at me and said, “the moustache actually looks good on you,” which she admitted was a backhanded compliment. She then suggested that I dye it from gray to black to look more like Tom Selleck’s.

At least for now I’ll leave well enough alone and use my evolving silver moustache (no matter how good or bad it looks) as an opportunity to inform and educate family, friends and colleagues on what my new Movember look symbolizes.

On a related note….I, along with TIABC’s board and staff wish to offer our deepest condolences to the family of John Horgan who served as Premier of British Columbia from 2017 to 2022. Premier Horgan helped steer our industry and province through an extremely difficult time and was very responsive to our request for support during COVID. I personally met with him on multiple occasions and he often sought TIABC’s input and advice throughout his tenure. He was a good man who served BC well and will be missed.

Walt Judas
CEO, TIABC