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You know it's a good day at work when you hear the voices of your customers and learn about the positive experience they have had with your company. For most in the tourism industry, these are visitors who engage in your experiences. But for our team at the Tourism Cafe, our customers are destination partners who support the operators in their region to design, develop, price, and launch into market, new visitor experiences for their guests. When COVID-19 shut down the country, I was en route to deliver the keynote address to the provincial tourism conference in Saskatchewan. Well, that didn't happen, but something magical replaced it that I believe will have a much longer legacy with tourism businesses in Saskatchewan. I was invited to join the Achieving AWEsome program team to support 'Step 3 - AWEsome Actions' element that fast-tracks the experience design, development, costing and pricing to prepare them for piloting their experience with the Tourism Saskatchewan Industry Development team and take it to market. And a mega bonus of this project was working with my two sons during COVID! Luc Arsenault, a Jazz Pilot and Flight Instructor, was the e-course designer and bilingual narrator for two of the courses during his COVID-lay off. Marco Arsenault, my other son, a high school math and computer science instructor was the tech user-tester to ensure the course functioned as it should. Over the years, like the participants, we learned together, refined the program, and found ways to celebrate success. Now, as I hear the voices of our alumni in the program video produced, I'm bursting with pride at how much these wonderful tourism operators have achieved in my home province of Saskatchewan! I can't wait to get the list of participants who have been pre-qualified for the fall course, and to continue working with Denise Stroeder, Corrina Kapeller, and Brenden Branscombe at Tourism Saskatchewan.

While Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around for a while, new uses and applications for AI in the tourism industry are rapidly increasingly. The launch of ChatGPT in November 2022 by OpenAI, has significantly increased awareness of the power of this technology to enhance our everyday lives. This led me to dig into how AI is being used by tourism destinations and businesses to move visitors down the path-to-purchase and enhance the visitor experience. Research of this nature can take one down a rabbit hole but revealed some interesting and fun examples. It’s still early days in the world of tech-powered tourism using AI, the Metaverse and ChatGPT, but our industry is set to be revolutionized by these technologies. ChatGPT was a logical place to start to prompt for examples from destinations around the world where AI is being used at different points on the path-to-purchase and throughout the visitor lifecycle. With some additional human-powered research, the following examples emerged: Generating destination awareness and consideration Visit Denmark used AI and ChatGPT to script this creative marketing video aimed at enticing tourists to visit Denmark. Millennium Hotels and Resorts is creating brand awareness through its virtual presence in M Social Decentraland. They are the first hospitality group to open a hotel in the metaverse that allows players to tour the hotel with an avatar and win ‘surprises’ in the real world. Emirates Vacations recently embedded chatbot capabilities into its display ads, allowing potential visitors to input information asking about vacation options and getting travel package recommendations in return, increasing engagement by 87%. Supporting research, itinerary planning and booking The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas uses an AI-powered chatbot named Rose to provide personalized recommendations to guests, such as restaurant and activity suggestions, using natural language processing and machine learning to understand guests' preferences and make recommendations. Low-cost airline carrier Vueling is working to establish a metaverse sales channel offering users the opportunity to plan their travel, book carbon positive trips and use the tickets for actual seats on a Vueling flight. Pre-trip visitor information Qatar Airways has created its QVerse, allowing passengers to view the lounge, available amenities and services prior to flying, with an experience facilitated by a virtual hostess. Tokyo's Haneda Airport has been trialing an AI-powered Chatbot called ‘Bebot' to assist visitors with questions about airport facilities and flight information. This new application complements their existing in-airport robots that are used to provide visitors with directions, translation, and baggage handling questions. Enhancing the on-site visitor experience The Palais des Papes in Avignon, France enhances its visitor experience through the use of an augmented reality ‘Histopad’ that allows visitors to experience the rooms then and now, seeing each room as it was during the time of the sovereign popes. The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam used data to analyse visitor flows, then adjust the museum’s design to reduce overcrowding, congestion and shift visitors to less-visited areas. Sharing memories to foster advocacy The Skyline gondola in Queenstown, NZ uses AI-powered cameras to capture visitors' experiences on its gondola rides and provide personalized video souvenirs. If you’re looking for ways to move visitors down the path-to-purchase, here are five ways that ChatGPT suggests using AI to achieve this goal: Personalized recommendations: AI can analyze visitor data to provide personalized recommendations for attractions, accommodations, and activities that match visitors' interests and preferences. By providing targeted recommendations, destinations can increase the likelihood of visitors making a purchase. Chatbots and virtual assistants: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can provide real-time assistance to visitors as they navigate the path-to-purchase. They can answer questions, provide information, and guide visitors to purchase opportunities. Dynamic pricing: AI can analyze visitor data to adjust pricing in real-time based on demand, availability, and visitor behaviour. This can help businesses maximize revenue by optimizing pricing to match visitor demand. Predictive analytics: AI can analyze visitor data to predict visitor likelihood of making a purchase and target relevant marketing messages and promotions, optimizing destination marketing spend and increasing yield. Recommendation engines: AI-powered recommendation engines can analyze visitor data to suggest complementary products and services that can enhance the visitor experience and encourage additional purchases, both increasing revenue per visitor and creating a more satisfying experience for the visitor. Suggested articles: Accenture. (2022, September 15). Why the metaverse really matters for travel. Retrieved from https://www.accenture.com/us-en/blogs/compass-travel-blog/metaverse-travel Olsen, B. (2023, 25 April). AI and the travel industry. What does it all mean? Retrieved from https://roadbook.com/travel/ai-technology-the-travel-industry/ Weed, J. (2023, 16 March). Can ChatGTP plan your vacation? Here’s what to know about AI and travel. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/16/travel/chatgpt-artificial-intelligence-travel-vacation.html

We are delighted to announce that Jolene Lammers has joined the Tourism Café team as our new Training Support Coordinator. Our online search generated hundreds of applicants within the tourism sector and beyond, and our entire team participated in the hiring process and final selection. She will be replacing Diana Gould who will plans to enjoy retirement to the fullest. Jolene is an experienced tourism professional with a secret cache of technical skills that are ideal for taking the lead on our day-to-day training activities associated with our learning management system, and participant and project support. Her industry knowledge spans destination development, stakeholder relations and communications, brand development, website, and social media management, and she was a Tourism Resiliency Advisor supporting businesses through the COVID—19 recovery activities. Throughout Jolene’s career, her technical knowledge has supported multiple companies, and this will now be a lead role with the Tourism Cafe. As one former employer shared “She is a can-do person, with a bubbly personality, a talent for problem solving, working with technology and helping others learn.” She will be departing the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association, for this new chapter of her career, an organization we have worked with for many years. As we prepare for this evolution in our relationships, CCCTA CEO Amy Thacker shared: “The tourism industry is at a pivotal time in staging for the future. As companies evolve and prepare for that future, many people in our industry are planning the next chapter of their career. We wish Jolene all the best in her new adventure and are happy that her talents will remain in the tourism industry.”

Diana Gould, who currently fills the role, announced her retirement and will be moving on to that golden chapter in life! She is a critical member of our dynamic team, responsible for our Learning Management System and supporting our participants and destination partners with our Tourism Connects e-learning activities. We will miss her fun personality, dedication, Aussie accent, and passionate commitment to our course participants and destination partners. We wish her all the best and are so thankful that she has been a member of our team. As demand for our e-learning and blended programs grows, we need a passionate, committed, flexible, and fun person to replace Diana! This is a remote position, approximately 20 hours per week. It's ideal for a person who works independently and part of a team. The ideal candidate must be tech-oriented, well organized, customer centric and have the technical skills to take charge of our Learning Management System - the primary contribution of the position. If you or anyone you know would be ideal for our team, please have them review the ROLE PROFILE and send their letter of introduction, CV and three references to Nancy Arsenault, Managing Partner, at the Tourism Cafe Canada: nancy@tourismcafe.org. Our goal is to have a new person in place in April so Diana can help train them on the learning portal!

Today we launch the third cohort of the Leadership in Innovation for the Future of Tourism (LIFT) course in collaboration with the Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism and Food, Culture Place. The diversity of companies attracted to this program is inspiring as we reset the future for tourism. When we designed this 3-phased, 9-month blended program with online and in-person learning, we added a peer-to-peer support element to each phase of the program. It is amazing how receiving real-time insights and reflections from other tourism businesses can help shape a business's experience design. One of our many success stories is Benjamin Bridge, one of Nova Scotia's finest wineries, located in the Gaspereau Valley. Seeking ways to create year-round guest experiences and create a new winter offer, Brittany Parker (a LIFT participant) led the creative process and development for a new visitor experience "VINEYARD ADVENTURES | RIVERSIDE FIRE + WINE TASTING." This one-of-a-kind winter experience creates new reasons to visit a vineyard, when the grapevines are dormant, while enjoying the winter with family and friends. Their website shares the experience highlights which includes: Vineyard walk to private setting: Enjoy a short 500m walk through the vineyard to the riverside landing Guided rare wine tasting with carved ice glass: Once cozied up around the fires alongside the rushing Gaspereau River, your host will begin your guided wine tasting of one rare wine from the BB cellar. As an optional activity you can carve your own wine glass out of an ice block! Gain winemaking insights from our team: Learn about our distinct winemaking process and the story of Benjamin Bridge, while sipping a rare seasonal wine and enjoying a house-made snack From there head straight back to the winery, or choose from intersecting walking trails to enjoy up to 2km of our picturesque vineyard This unique winter experience combines the joys of sipping sparkling wine with the slower pace of life in the Gaspereau Valley. Congratulations to the team at Benjamin Bridge and to all the "LIFTies" on Brittany's course who provided insight and feedback to the development process.

Look out Canada here we come! We are so excited that after 2.5 years of COVID-19, amazing collaborations industry partners across Canada, and a fabulous team the Tourism Cafe, we are ready to invite the world to check out our growing list of bilingual e-courses on topics suggested by industry to accelerate the pandemic recovery! Tap into Trends 2022 and 2021 Introduction to Sustainable, Regenerative Tourism Designing Memorable Travel Costing and Pricing Visitor Experiences Testing your Visitor Experience Policies - Optional or Essential? Introduction to Packaging Travel Plus in development: The Love-Money Matrix Creativity is Crushing It Identifying your Ideal Guest Introduction to Wellness Tourism Opportunities and Ideals for Sustainable Tourism Tap into Trends 2023 ... and our commitment to an annual release. This is not your average training! Thanks to the support of so many destination partners and past participants we surveyed, topics were selected base on industry input, researched, designed, developed, piloted and refined. And we eagerly shared our learning journey with our destination partners who have been with us on this COVID journey so we could learn together about how to optimize new online and blended industry training opportunities. And the best part - all these courses can be used for blended training programs - online and in-community. Located on our new e-learning platform "Tourism Connects" any tourism professional now has can register directly for these courses. And, we are working with DMOs and associations interested in providing personalized access either through promotional codes or creating their own learning portal, fully branded to their specifications. These courses are: Short: 15 minutes to 2.5 hours Interactive, engaging learning with downloadable resources Based on Canadian content profiling Canadian business Available 24/7 access on any electronic device in English or French Thanking people is always a risk, as we may miss someone, as this journey has been inclusive in all the online learning and development since COVID. But I'm going to give it a try! In no particular order, we'd like to thank the folks with these organizations who have played a role in this opportunity becoming a reality. The BC Regional Tourism Secretariat comprised of 4TVI, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association, Northern BC Tourism Association, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association, RTO8, RTO9, RTO6, RTO1, Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism, Tourism Nunatsiavut, Tourism Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Economic Development Association, Tourism Regina, Wood Buffalo-Fort MacMurray Tourism, Travel Alberta, Tourism Cochrane, Indigenous Services Canada, Indigenous Tourism Alberta, the Canadian Ski Council, Moccasin Trails, North East Native Society, Haute Goat, Westben, Northern Edge Algonquin, Painted Warriors, Back-2-Nature, Prairie Gardens, Churchill River Outfitters, Wheatland Express Excursion Train, 2me Tours, Tourism HR Canada, Réseau de développement économique et d’employabilité (RDÉE Canada), Legendary Coast, the Mid-Saskatchewan Municipal Alliance, Manitou Watress Marketing Group, JEBBCA Strategies and Holdings, Langille & Co. and Niagara Niche Tours, BC Launch Online, Canada United, BC Small Business Grant CEBA and over 500 tourism professionals who inspired content through their engagement and contributions through our Ideas Labs. And, I'm so proud of our amazing core team of staff and valued partners who have been amazing in making this dream become a reality. As the song goes, it takes a village. So a special shout out to: Lesley Anderson, Kristi Denby, Diana Gould, Paul, Luc and Marco Arsenault, Fernanda Macedo, Gabe Guimaraes, Jason Ryll, Rob and Jane Weiss, Jane Osler, and Mags Doyle. Here's to tourism's new future that we will continue to build together.

Booking.com’s 2021 Sustainable Travel Survey, described the current global situation as a ‘watershed moment’ for both the industry and travellers, and that same Booking.com survey in 2022 revealed that travellers are selecting planet-first options and looking to brands for sustainable choices and more purposeful travel. The pandemic has been the tipping point for many travellers to live and travel more mindfully and finally commit to their personal sustainable journey. The 2022 Booking.com Sustainable Travel Survey of 29,000 travellers from 30 countries revealed that: 81% confirm that sustainable travel is important to them 71% want to make more effort to travel more sustainably in the future 50% say that recent news about climate change has influenced them to make more sustainable travel choices Managing positive, purposeful change for tourism's sustainable future is complex and multi-faceted. Our collective challenge is to make wise decisions today for future generations. Our actions and choices matter. Elements of sustainability have to be consciously built into tourism product development, so we can walk a path towards improving our industry not just for visitors, but those who work in tourism and the residents who live in the destinations that travellers visit. Incorporating sustainable, responsible and/or regenerative practices as part of your visitor experience development is not a 'one and done' effort. It's a purposeful process of continuous improvement with small steps that help you make progress over time. Here are a few things to think about as you reflect on your operation/destination/experience: Environmental considerations Build awareness for travellers to take responsibility for their impacts Reduce, reuse and conserve resources Align with like-minded partners who have similar sustainable, responsible, regenerative goals Communicate with guests about what you're doing and what they can do Socio-cultural considerations Embrace, preserve and celebrate the cultural heritage, traditions, authenticity, and uniqueness of your community Celebrate and share what makes your business and destination different and unique Incorporate ways for visitors to give back to your community in meaningful ways Create a culture of inclusion Make an effort to create experiences that are accessible to persons of all physical abilities Economic considerations Strive to pay a living wage, provide training, ensure working conditions are fair, safe and offered without discrimination Consider how you can contribute to improved prosperity in your community, keeping revenues and profits within the community Set your prices such that experiences and services offer value while guaranteeing a quality experience and fair wages

Tourism Week is an annual, national and provincial invitation for all tourism partners and stakeholders to come together to champion and promote our destinations, tourism businesses, and employees. The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) annually leads the celebration of the value of tourism in Canada. People have always travelled. Discovering, moving and travelling is part of who we are as people. Travel brings us together, to explore new places, unite with family and friends, and yes, sometimes it forces us out of our comfort zone to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. As we look ahead to the future of tourism, we each have the opportunity to reflect on the choices we make going forward. Will we cling to former business models or tap into our inner entrepreneur and find new, innovative ways to respond to the future. Tourism Week encourages us all to celebrate what we love about our industry, what we love about travelling, and what we love about the organizations we work for. #TourismWeekCanada2022 Our team at the Tourism Cafe wants to acknowledge the diverse and meaningful relationships we have cultivated across the tourism industry. We have the privilege of working coast to coast in this amazing country, with businesses large and small to strengthen Canada's destination appeal. We acknowledge that it has been a rough few years, but we know that together, our industry will come back stronger, more mindful and with a renewed perspective. As we forge ahead in a post-pandemic world let's innovate and be leaders together in transforming into a more sustainable and regenerative form of tourism. We know it is possible and we will work hard to support the industry in achieving this! Tourism is More Than Just Economic Value Tourism Week highlights the sector's value to Canada’s economy. In 2019, the tourism economy in Canada generated $105 billion in economic activity, accounting for 2% of the country’s GDP. The travel and tourism sector was also responsible for employing over 1.8 million workers. But there is so much more than the economic value that the industry brings to our communities. Tourism brings an opportunity to put communities, culture, reconciliation and people at the centre while examining different ways of defining the value of tourism to our country. We are not suggesting that we dismiss the economic value of tourism, but to lean in and focus on the opportunities in the socio-cultural and environmental sphere of tourism. Our team has had the privilege to design, develop and deliver creative, engaging, experiential training that generates results and over the past year and a half, we took a big risk to move to the online space. We know there are countless businesses and organizations innovating in the face of change, which supports economic prosperity but also increases the diversity of the entire industry. In 2022/2023, we look forward to collaborating and innovating together for a more sustainable and regenerative tourism industry in Canada. We have so much to look forward too! This year TIAC is encouraging all destinations, landmarks, attractions, venues, and hotels to light up in green and sign the Sustainable 2030 Pledge to join the global movement of like-minded organizations who are making a commitment to sustainability in tourism.

The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) defines wellness as “the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.” [1] Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the wellness industry was growing rapidly, contributing $4.4 trillion to the world economy. And while wellness tourism, defined by the GWI as “travel associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing one’s personal well-being”, shrank by 39.5% during the pandemic from its former value of $436 billion annually, spending time outdoors in nature and focusing on wellness overall accelerated during the pandemic with a strong future trajectory As the world emerges from the pandemic and people begin to travel again, the GWI predicts that wellness tourism will grow rapidly at an annual rate of 20.9% through 2025. According to the Amex Trendex report, 76% of consumers are interested in spending more on travel to improve their well-being. Why Target Wellness Travellers? Wellness travellers tend to be higher yield and are willing to spend more on activities and services in the pursuit of their personal well-being. Whether designing visitor experiences intentionally to attract the primary wellness traveller or incorporating wellness as a secondary element and underpinning within the overall experience design, there is an opportunity for tourism businesses to positively enhance their visitor experiences by embedding wellness within their design considerations. Wellness Experience Design Considerations For many people, their first point of reference for wellness travel is often meditation, yoga or forest bathing. However, wellness extends beyond these activities to incorporate physical, mental, social and environmental dimensions. In designing visitor experiences, tourism operators can consider different options to tap into this growing market by making intentional design choices around the dimensions of wellness as part of their experience development and design process. The benefits and appreciation for the importance of wellness travel are growing and visitor demand for wellness is changing constantly. Staying apprised of evolutions and trends will continuously reveal new revenue generation and value creation opportunities for tourism businesses who want to optimize the burgeoning interest in wellness. [1] Global Wellness Institute. (2021, December). The global wellness economy: Looking beyond COVID. [2] American Express. (2021, September 29). Amex Trendex: consumers prioritizing wellness and mental health with their time, money and travel plans.

It's Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Mental Health Week from May 2-8, so let's #GetReal about mental health. This year mental health week has focused on the theme of empathy. The latest survey conducted by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and UBC researchers, Assessing the Impacts of COVID-19 on Mental Health, reports that empathy has decreased by 10% over the course of the pandemic, with only 13% of Canadians feeling empathetic. In addition, 37% of Canadians have experienced a decline in their mental health since the start of the pandemic. “When someone is struggling, they don’t always need someone to swoop in and fix things for them. First, they need someone to understand where they’re coming from. During his time as president, Barack Obama suggested the biggest deficit in the world was an empathy deficit. He defined it as the ability to see the world through the eyes of those who are different from .” - Canadian Mental Health Association So what can travel teach us about empathy? Have you ever heard or thought, I can relate? Empathy is about the ability to understand the feelings or perspectives of another, walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, or see the world through another person's eyes. Being empathetic is about leaving judgements, fear, stereotypes and assumptions behind, and being open to new cultures, mindsets, perspectives, ways of living and experiencing the world. Travel is the perfect medium where humans can build empathy. You don't have to travel far to build empathy, but you can find it right in your community, region, province or country. Have you ever participated in an Indigenous tourism experience or taken a cooking class with a new immigrant and walked away with a greater sense of understanding of their story, culture or history? According to researchers, empathy is a trait that can’t be taught (Davis, 1990), but it can be learned and facilitated through authentic experiences and travelling with an open mind and open heart. “The journey changes you. It should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, your consciousness, your heart and on your body. You take something with you and, hopefully, you leave something good behind.” - Anthony Bourdain

Wow, what an unexpected honour it was to receive the Community Contributor Award from the Recreation and Tourism Management Department at Vancouver Island University. Dr. Garrett Stone presented the award recognizing my contributions to student learning at the university over the past many years and my contributions to workforce development in BC and across Canada. I was struck when he shared a story of one student who came to his office a few days after my recent guest lecture and shared the impact it had on her. The award invitation came with a dress code to arrive in your favourite ‘leisure attire’ was great as it took me back to my days as a recreation student years ago. It also caused me to reflect on the many organizations I’ve volunteered since I was in my teens. From student learning to picking fruit for our local food charity, sitting on various tourism boards, bottle drives as a soccer mom, or being an advisor to five tourism ministers - giving back to your community matters. In the few moments I had to thank the faculty and staff, I shared why volunteering matters to me: It opens doors to meeting people and supporting organizations that value your contribution; You get to work with individuals with a shared commitment and passion that you may otherwise never meet; The diversity of skills and talents on boards helps shape your thinking and broadens your appreciation for perspectives ; You can aspire to a leadership position as a committee or board chair and gain different experiences than your work environment may offer; It can lead to job opportunities and references; and You always get back more than you give. Thank you so much for this honour!

We are proud to welcome Fernanda Macedo to the Tourism Café team as we grow our e-learning opportunities across Canada. Born and raised in Brazil, Fernanda emigrated to Canada in 2019. She is a talented graphic designer, e-course author, and illustrator with a diverse background ranging from animation in the gaming industry to e-learning and branding. She uses her creativity and keen attention to detail to create engaging and fun online-learning weaves her diverse experience in education in digital media and 3D animation to bring self-paced learning to life. As the newest member of the Tourism Café team, Fernanda brings her passion for travel and tourism, an innate design skillset and an appreciation of in-person and online blended training. She is passionate about eco, responsible and sustainable tourism and is excited to weave this into her contributions as a core member of our team. Fernanda’s has a Bachelor Degree in Industrial Design and Digital Media from Pontifícia Universidade Católica in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and a Graduate Certificate in 3D Animation from Seneca College in Toronto, Canada. Adaptable, optimistic and a team player, Fernanda is wired to find creative ways to bring online learning to life, applying videos and animations, while respecting budgets and client time constraints. When she’s not at his desk, Fernanda enjoys doing yoga, hiking, cuddling with her bunny, fostering animals, and watching movies and series. Join us in welcoming Fernanda to our Tourism Café team. Welcome to the team Fernanda!