Balancing tourism with culture

Posted on April 28, 2014

Guest post by Amy Dove, Royal Roads University http://www.royalroads.ca/news/balancing-tourism-culture Travellers are looking, more than ever, for experiences that empower communities to share their cultures without exploiting them. For communities eager to share, there are tourism opportunities to be had that balance exposure with respectful preservation. Royal Roads University MA in Tourism Management alumni Ray Freeman and Ryan […]

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Tourism Area Life Cycle for Community Tourism Development

Posted on April 16, 2014

This is a theoretical graph of visitor numbers over time as a destination develops.  The concept is helpful for communities to understand that tourist destinations don’t start out as thriving economic generators but progress from unique hideaway to chic destination and eventually into decline. In the early stages of development the destination is visited by […]

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Empowering Indigenous Communities though Story-Telling and Tourism

Posted on April 15, 2014

This week, Whistler is hosting the 2014 International Aboriginal Tourism Conference with delegates attending from around the globe. The timing of this event for First Nations peoples is significant as we see increasing momentum building amongst Aboriginal communities interested in building capacity and improving their quality of life, many using tourism as a vehicle to […]

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The Art of Storytelling vs Marketing

Posted on December 8, 2013

I have always admired Margaret Doyle’s flair. She has a knack for getting to the essence of a story and presenting it in an engaging and personal manner.  Her latest post: The Art of Storytelling vs. Marketing struck a chord in me. Is there a balancing point between developing and telling an authentic story without […]

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Tourism is taking off, but many rural communities may be left behind

Posted on October 18, 2013

With the clouds starting to clear over many regions as the economy shows signs of improvement, rural communities stand to be left behind as more organized competitive destinations ramp up their tourism development and marketing activities.  Here are some indicators: Get Adventurous: Adventure Travel Is Booming http://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/Get-Adventurous-Adventure-Travel-Is-Booming Record Setting August! http://www.chemistryconsulting.ca/bulletins/victoria-august-2013 International tourism demand exceeds expectations […]

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The Importance of Elsewhere

Posted on September 30, 2013

The wish to travel seems to me characteristically human: the desire to move, to satisfy your curiosity or ease your fears, to change the circumstances of your life, to be a stranger, to make a friend, to experience an exotic landscape, to risk the unknown, to bear witness to the consequences, tragic or comic, of […]

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Differentiation, experiential tourism, and storytelling are the new destination development paradigms

Posted on June 14, 2013

Leading-edge research now allows communities to leverage strategic planning and the analysis of critical success factors through the use of social media infrastructure and emerging storytelling frameworks with support through non-traditional partnerships and the tourism network system. In light of growing global competition, stakeholders in the mountain biking sector of British Columbia are working to […]

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CWSAA presentation synopsis:

Posted on May 31, 2013

The presentation focused on research into the dynamics of snow school products and business volumes at Whistler Blackcomb.  The research included key informant interviews with Sales, Marketing, and Management personnel at the resort to determine the factors that influence demand for snow school lessons. The following factors were mentioned during interviews with key informants: Price […]

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LeftCoastInsights speaking at the Canada West Ski Areas Association Spring Conference

Posted on May 5, 2013

During the Spring Conference Snow Sports Schools Workshop, Ryan Staley of Left Coast Insights Tourism Development Consulting will be speaking on: Developing Forecasting Methodology for Whistler Blackcomb Snow School at the spring conference of the Canada West Ski Areas Association. http://cwsaa.org/images/CWSAA_2013_Spring_Conference_Agenda_updated_May_12013.pdf

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LeftCoastInsights speaking at the Canadian Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Posted on April 30, 2013

CCSBE 2013 Conference “Entrepreneurship Developing Communities.” Hosted by the Eric C Douglass Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies, Royal Roads University. Ray Freeman of Left Coast Insights Tourism Development Consulting will be speaking on: Mountain Bike Tourism and Community Development in British Columbia: Benefits of Collaboration Presentation http://ccsbe2013.org/programme/

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