DELIVERING ACCESS TO LAND, CERTAINTY FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
• COTA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with mining and exploration interests ushering in a new era of industry cooperation on land issues.
• COTA worked with the Wilderness Tourism Association (WTA), mining and exploration industries to bring closure to the Lillooet Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP).
BRINGING THE TOURISM INDUSTRY TOGETHER
• The BC Tourism Industry Conference in 2004 treated delegates to the latest marketing tips and trends, and put attendees in the room with the biggest names in tourism including 8 provincial Cabinet ministers, 16 deputy ministers and 50 MLAs.
DEVELOPING BETTER TRANSPORTATION FOR VISITORS TO BC
• COTA, after 2 years of consultations and research, released its draft blueprint of a transportation network that serves tourism. Making Inroads: A Provincial Transportation Strategy for the BC Tourism Industry has begun its road trip throughout the heartlands and is being presented to key community stakeholders.
• COTA and the Airline Industry Monitoring Consortium (AIM BC) published Wings of Change and alerted businesses and political leaders to the air policies that will increase tourism visitations to BC.
• COTA worked with the Richmond/Airport/Vancouver Rapid Transit Line coalition towards the project’s eventual funding approval.
• COTA presented the business case to the City of Vancouver and helped secure the Vancouver seaplane terminal’s temporary location.
INSURING & FINANCING TOURISM BUSINESSES
• COTA released the BC Tourism Industry Insurance and Financing Report containing 13 recommendations on getting tourism businesses the insurance they need at prices they can afford.
• COTA developed a plan to address the insurance challenges and secured funding from Western Economic Diversification and the Ministry of Small Business and Economic Development to implement the solutions.
• COTA developed a comprehensive insurance program that could provide tourism businesses with more affordable and available insurance starting in March 2005.
COMMUNICATING WITH TOURISM OPERATORS & STAKEHOLDERS
• COTA began the process of updating and expanding its database, resulting in the addition of more than 7,400 industry members to the contact list.
• COTA planned the redesign of www.cotabc.com which will act as a premier source of tourism news, reports, data and industry events. Target for launch is April 2005.
RAISING THE PROFILE OF TOURISM
• COTA’s work on the Tourism Futures Campaign enhanced media and public awareness of the BC tourism industry. It was followed in September 2004 with the announcement by the provincial government that the budget of Tourism BC would be doubled.
• COTA and Go2 used National Tourism Week as an opportunity to showcase the importance of the industry and its employees to the well-being of all British Columbians.
