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Policy
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Land & Resources
Tourism plays an important role in managing B.C.'s resources for the future. The tourism industry makes it a guiding practice to share the responsibility of proper environmental stewardship with other resource-based sectors, environmental groups, communities and management agencies. COTA supports the establishment of partnerships with all of these groups so the wonders of our natural heritage are there for all to enjoy today and tomorrow.
Crucial to the notion of sustainable tourism is the recognition that natural resources are finite and have limited carrying capacity not only for tourism but also for all resource users. Only planning and careful management will ensure that these limits are respected. COTA recognizes the responsibility of the industry in the land use planning process, which demands playing an equal role in all decisions regarding land and resource use. COTA recognizes and supports the tourism ministry's responsibilities in actively participating in the province's land use processes. It is mandatory that a vision for tourism be strongly voiced by the minister responsible for tourism, and that the minister commit the resources needed to ensure that tourism values and interests are adequately represented in all land use planning and decision making processes.
To realize growth potential in outdoor adventure tourism, the industry requires long-term tenure on crown lands. To assist investment in the development of tourism facilities and services, COTA supports the maintenance of an effective, timely and affordable tenuring system for tourism operations, supported by enabling public policies.
Parks, protected areas and recreation areas are all key destinations for tourists. In addition to serving a role in protecting and managing natural resources, these areas also attract significant numbers of visitors who want to learn about and experience the natural setting. These areas are generators of tourism revenue for industry and government both directly through park and recreation fees and indirectly through related purchases of tourism services and facilities. COTA believes that there are opportunities for partnerships between the tourism industry and the agencies responsible for maintaining these areas. These partnerships can occur without jeopardizing the government's mandate for protection and management.
COTA believes that treaties and land claim settlements must build new and lasting relationships between B.C.'s aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples. Relationships must be based on mutual respect and recognition, and reconciling and defining aboriginal rights with the rights of all Canadians. Treaties and settlements must focus on building financially strong and politically stable communities - built, as many of our communities are, on their strengths and diversity. COTA strongly encourages the federal and provincial government to work with aboriginal peoples to negotiate treaties and settle specific land claims. COTA believes it is critical that tourism values and concerns be considered during the negotiation processes. Meaningful consultation, both at the provincial and local level with the tourism community must occur prior to decision making. Tourism interests must not be compromised by the terms of the settlement and/or treaty. If they are, fair compensation and/or indemnification must be built into the agreement. As a condition of treaty and/or settlement, undefined rights and title must be released in exchange for defining treaty rights and title.
All tourism products rely on scenic quality to support B.C.'s global reputation as a provider of a supernatural tourism experience. COTA supports the maintenance of viewscapes in areas frequented by tourists. COTA also supports the identification and associated resource management of scenic transportation routes for the traveling public to view and experience the province.
Tourism is a resource-based industry. The continued success of tourism
as a sustainable industry is dependent on its ability to access and responsibly
utilize the land, water and air resources of the province. British Columbia's
natural resources attract visitors from all over the world. As the supply of
natural areas decreases, the value placed on these resources will continue to
increase. The overriding concern for tourism is to enhance rather than degrade
tourism's core product - land, water and air resources. COTA believes that the
industry must lead the way in the development of best practices for sustainable
tourism.
In order to safeguard British Columbia´s international reputation for unparalleled natural beauty, tourism property owners and tenure holders should have available to them requirements and supports that promote fair and effective consultation and cooperation with forest licensees operating within or adjacent to their areas of operation. Tourism operators should be automatically notified when harvesting plans are being prepared, and forest licensees should be responsible for taking the interests of tourism operators into consideration when developing harvesting plans. This should include such considerations as access road development & deactivation, harvesting timelines, as well as how licensees will manage such tourism attributes as trails, viewscapes, and other site-specific amenities supporting tourism. The mountain pine beetle is another significant concern for the B.C. tourism industry. Measures should be taken to ensure that areas particularly valuable to the tourism industry are managed in light of extensive pine beetle salvage logging. In addition alternative harvesting methods should be utilized to the extent practicable in order to focus harvesting on beetle-impacted trees, and government should develop positive and negative inducements to assist forest licensees in focusing harvesting on beetle-impacted trees. Tourism viewscapes and land use plans should be developed to ensure that areas of particularly high visual and use value are identified and managed appropriately by forest licensees. The B.C. Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts should play a lead role in identifying scenic areas. The B.C. Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts should play a lead role in protecting tourism values on the land.  |
Business Services
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