COVID-19 has presented the tourism industry with a choice to consider: emerge doing business as usual or use responsible, sustainable principles to contribute to a better future for the industry. This session explores ways that tourism can look at sustainable, responsible, and regenerative practices as an investment in building back better for long-term returns. Andrea McFadden will kick start the Ideas Lab conversation, sharing what Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm is doing to build back better and contribute to a better future for tourism.

In response to COVID-19, businesses have had to make significant changes to generate new, sustainable revenue streams while investing in their infrastructure and outdoor spaces during a time of continued COVID uncertainty but knowing they must stage for the future. Join in a lively industry discussion with Brenda Hetman-Craig, Co-Owner, 40 Knots Winery to gain insight into one company’s approach to the future.

In this COVID era, businesses are having to look at new ways to attract customers. Your existing customers represent your best opportunity for future sales - they are your low hanging fruit. Join Lesley Anderson and Jane Osler from the Tourism Cafe, as they share their international experience as former guests at the Bike Hotel Belvedere in Riccione, Italy. They will share the practices used by the hotel to keep their base of previous customers engaged in ways that entices them to return year after year and ensures 'they want to come back' when it is safe to do so.

COVID-19 has had an enormous impact on the meetings and events sector, requiring organizations to rethink their strategic and operational approaches to delivery. In this session explores how businesses in the meetings and event sector are evolving revenue generation models, delivery and experiences. Judy Kucharuk will kick start the Ideas Lab conversation, sharing how the Encana Events Centre in Dawson Creek has evolved and pivoted its business to drive new revenue and evolve the events experience for a sustainable future.

COVID-19 has brought a wide variety of new and unique challenges to the workplace, including increased customer aggression, heightened job security concerns, mental health challenges, staffing issues, and more. This session explores the new human realities on tourism businesses, resulting from the pandemic.

In this Ideas Labs session, HR Manager, Karina Gaudreau will kick start the Ideas Lab conversation sharing how True Key Hotels & Resorts is mitigating these challenges to support staff to survive and thrive.

In response to COVID-19, businesses are leveraging technology to amend or introduce new online services and experiences in order to generate revenue and reach new audiences while their capacity to welcome visitors on-site is reduced. This session explores examples of tourism business innovations using technology to evolve business models, visitor services, and experiences. David Gonella will kick start the Ideas Lab conversation, sharing how the Roots and Blues Festival of the Thompson Okanagan region has leveraged technology to pivot its business and drive new revenue and benefits for the organization.

COVID-19 has brought a wide variety of new and unique challenges to the workplace, including increased customer aggression, heightened job security concerns, mental health challenges, staffing issues, and more. This session explores the new human realities on tourism businesses, resulting from the pandemic.

In this Ideas Labs session, HR Manager, Karina Gaudreau will kick start the Ideas Lab conversation sharing how True Key Hotels & Resorts is mitigating these challenges to support staff to survive and thrive.

In this Ideas Labs session, the operators of Bella Coola Heli Sports and Tweedsmuir Park Lodge will share how their companies are creatively responding to COVID-19 to pivot from a primarily international market to attracting regional and BC guests. Both companies have traditionally seen the majority of their visitors originate from long-haul domestic, US, and international markets that have been significantly reduced due to COVID travel restrictions.