Although tourism is now on the upswing we cannot forget that there are some businesses, particularly those more reliant on international and long-haul domestic travellers, that continue to face challenges. This includes wildlife viewing, hiking, fishing, kayaking and other excursion providers.
Throughout B.C. this problem is top-of-mind and Destination BC, Tourism Vancouver Island and Tourism Tofino are all focused on encouraging visitors to discover, or re-discover, our big nature by taking a guided tour. At Tourism Tofino we know that the tours offered are special experiences. They can be truly transformative, create life-long memories and form advocates who will not only return time and again, but will refer Tofino and these experiences to others, which benefits all local businesses.
Our Visitor Services team is actively recommending tours, and we will also inspire bookings through our social media channels, however we are only one. If all of our members do the same our collective impact will be much greater.
So together, let’s lift up those who are still dealing with the loss of a major market by doing a few simple things:
- Encourage your teams to go on some tours: Several tour operators are offering locals discounts and FAMs. A first hand account creates authentic enthusiasm that your staff will share with customers, motivating them to book a tour.
- Have information about these tours readily available to distribute to customers, or ensure your staff know where to find it quickly (tour operator websites or tourismtofino.com).
- Refer your customers to the Visitor Centre to learn more about excursions and where our Visitor Services team will facilitate a booking.
- AND, talk it up!