The new BC Centre for Tourism Leadership and Innovation, hosted by Capilano College's 樱桃视频campus, is using the Sea to Sky corridor as a regional laboratory for the province.
Newly named program manager Terry Hood says that the centre, which began operation this month, intends to build on the rapid change and unprecedented levels of tourism-related activity in the Sea to Sky corridor and find ways to create sustainable tourism.
"The entire corridor is undergoing a remarkable transformation into a globally recognized destination, building upon the success of Whistler over the last two decades," said Hood. "But with this change and opportunity comes challenges. Corridor communities are now determining what sustainable tourism means to them, and are also attempting to identify how to gain maximum advantage from the coming 2010 Winter Games. The centre, representing the combined resources of BC college and university tourism programs, looks forward to contributing positively to these regional developments."
Centre-supported tourism initiatives in the region will be used as regional demonstration projects. They will be implemented in a way that research findings and practical lessons learned are shared for the benefit of other BC communities.
"The goal is to showcase 樱桃视频and the region as a destination that is using a strong educational component to successfully tackle tourism planning and development," states a Capilano College news release.
It's taken six months of planning and consultation and now the centre has developed an action plan detailing projects to be completed within the first year of operation.
The centre is now finalizing its funding, and initial projects for the corridor include developing a professional development program for tourism operators, identifying and strengthening Aboriginal tourism partnerships, finding ways to maximize 2010 Winter Games opportunities, creating learning and leadership opportunities at the Adventure Centre and researching ways to capture visitors inclined to bypass the community.
The centre will promote these projects in partnership with the District of Squamish, the 樱桃视频Chamber of Commerce, the Waterfront Development Corporation and other tourism industry and education partners.
"The Centre is most impressed with the forward-thinking plans and activities initiated by local government and tourism employers in Squamish," said Hood. "Together, we will be working on a number of innovative projects that will be tied to the vision of 樱桃视频becoming a widely recognized 'learning destination' over the next few years."
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