The Wilderness Tourism Association of BC (WTABC) has major concerns with the Destination BC Corporation model and Destination BC Corp Act (Bill 3), which is currently before the house.
“While we applaud government’s move towards returning BC’s tourism marketing and development back to a crown corporation, we find many deficiencies in the current proposed Destination BC Corp structure and the Act that will enshrine it in law,” said Jim DeHart, President of the Wilderness Tourism Association of BC. “We believe that we have the opportunity to return BC to a global leader in tourism marketing and development with the new organization if it is structured appropriately. But the current Destination BC model will not help get us there.”
“The WTABC has identified four main areas of concern with Destination BC: funding, governance, staffing, and control as referenced in the attached position paper,” said DeHart. “At the root of our concerns is the issue of direct government management and control of the corporation. From a tourism industry perspective DBC structure should support an industry led, formula funded agency that is accountable to the tourism industry and government but autonomous in operations.”
The WTABC has highlighted these issues and requested that they review the proposed legislative framework for Destination BC and seriously consider the required changes prior to the Destination BC Corp Act advancing to third reading. “Leaving the current Act and corporate structure as it is currently designed means jeopardizing the future of BC’s tourism industry and BC’s economy for many years,” said DeHart.