admin@wilderness-tourism.bc.ca
Phone: (250) 655-4103
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The Wilderness Tourism Association
The Wilderness Tourism Association of British Columbia (WTABC) supports BC’s world-class wilderness based tourism operators. Working with industry, government, and non-government organizations to address threats and opportunities for a healthy industry and environment.
BC Coastal Cleanup 2020
Click Here to see field reports and more from the BC Coastal Cleanup initiative.
COVID-19 Information
Important Information for Tour Operators from the Wilderness Tourism Association.
Join us for our Annual General Meeting on January 28th
The WTA will be hosting our AGM on January 28th from 1:00 pm-3:45 pm. This event will be held virtually over Zoom. The zoom link will be sent to all members via email. If you are not a member but wish to participate in the AGM please email admin@wilderness-tourism.bc.ca and a link will be sent to you. The AGM presenters will include the following:
1:00-1:30- Walt Judas- TIABC- The CEO of TIABC will discuss the advocacy work that has been done at both the provincial and federal levels to assist wilderness tourism operators. Walt will share where he sees the wilderness tourism industry going over the following 12 months.
1:30-2:00- Maria Delaney- Lifestyle Insurance- This presentation plans to address some of the more pertinent questions specific to Wilderness Tourism Operators and the current insurance scene. The presentation will include a discussion around “Cancel for Any Reason” Insurance including what that means regarding border closures and travel advisories.
2:00-2:30- Destination B.C.- Aimee Epp (Industry Development) and Nancy Flello (Research, Planning & Evaluation)- Throughout their presentation Destination BC will highlight industry supports available to BC’s wilderness tourism industry, including the Hello BC Listing Program, the Tourism Digital Academy (a free 8-week digital marketing program), and Small Business BC learning opportunities. They will also provide an outlook into future recovery, including consumer perceptions and willingness to do outdoor activities, as well as demonstrating their new mobility data capabilities.
2:45-3:45- Business Meeting- WTA Board and Members- After a brief recess, the AGM will resume with a one-hour long meeting that includes the president’s report, treasurer report, and executive director report.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Key areas of advocacy and policy development for the WTA include:
- Sector specific issues including forestry stewardship, pipelines, land tenure, and open-net salmon farms.
- Strategic Alliances with Government and Tourism Organizations
- Ongoing Communication with Wilderness Tourism Operators
Comprised of Wilderness Tour Companies, DMOs, and Wilderness Tourism Industry Experts, WTABC assists tour operators to address threats and opportunities helping them thrive.
Benefits of Membership
To have a strong and sustainable wilderness tourism industry we need to have a robust industry organization with independent funding. We can only achieve our goals of protecting the land and water resources that support our businesses, and securing access to high quality opportunities and experiences if we have a strong stakeholder base of wilderness tourism operators from every area of the province.
Join the Wilderness Tourism Association and help support a strong and sustainable wilderness tourism industry by protecting the land and water resources that support our businesses. Learn, network, and achieve success with other industry stakeholders, and stay ahead of today’s tourism industry opportunities and challenges.
As a voting stakeholder of the WTA you will support a dynamic organization representing both the individual and the collective interests and concerns of BC’s wilderness or nature based tourism industry.
Value of Tourism in British Columbia
Wilderness tourism, also known as nature based tourism, rural tourism, or commercial backcountry recreation, adventure tourism or ecotourism, is a key contributor to BC’s GDP and a significant private sector employer in BC.
Wilderness tourism in BC provides:
- $2 billion in revenue
- 26,000 direct full-time jobs and some 40,000 jobs in total.
These figures do not include the billions of dollars in tourism supply services (hotels, restaurants, transportation, etc) that the sector supports.
The quality of BC’s wilderness is an important factor for travellers choosing BC as a tourism destination. Although only a percentage of tourists may experience BC’s wilderness firsthand, they come to BC because of our wilderness reputation.
Most tourism services, including hotels and motels, even in urban areas, derive some portion of their income from visitors attracted by the natural beauty and attractions unique to B.C.