We’ve all heard the saying, “timing is everything.” Thanks to a recent grant, Tourism Bowen Island Association (TBI) is hoping that timing will benefit and enrich a new tourism plan.
TBI is embarking on the development of a community-based responsible tourism plan for the island and is asking residents to share experiences, concerns, ideas and visions for a more sustainable future.
Though it’s purely coincidence that TBI’s project is starting during Metro Vancouver’s park engagement, it feels rather apropos. The heightened awareness and questions about the park can lead to a more in-depth and wholistic conversation about balancing tourism with community wellbeing on Bowen Island.
How do we manage and balance tourism with community and environmental wellbeing? What vision and values do we want to guide us forward? These are some of the questions that Tourism Bowen Island invites residents to explore and reflect upon during a series of engagement opportunities over the next few weeks. As a community, we have the ability to dialogue, build consensus and, potentially, have more agency to shape the future.
TBI is working with an experienced team of consultants to assess the island’s current tourism ecosystem, including the problems, gaps and challenges, as well as the benefits and opportunities. This assessment will form a baseline and community input will help to develop a vision and feasible plan for the future.
Over the next few weeks, the consulting team will be hosting opportunities for residents to share their experiences, concerns and suggestions. There will be an online survey and two public community sessions – February 26 and March 6. Residents may also submit written comments via email or arrange an in-person meeting or telephone call.
We want to ensure that all residents have an opportunity to provide feedback and engage in meaningful dialogue. Please visit Tourism Bowen Island’s website for links to the survey, engagement dates and additional information.
“As a community, we have an opportunity to make conscious decisions for the health of this island,” says Elizabeth Nankin, Chair, Tourism Bowen Island. “We’re part of Átl’ka7tsem / Howe Sound, Canada’s 19th UNESCO Biosphere Region and many new people may be drawn to visit.
Tourism is a complex social, cultural and economic phenomenon that touches and integrates virtually all aspects of our lives. Like most things, there are positive and negative aspects, tourism can bring both benefits and challenges. We’re all part of tourism in one way or another.
Whether we travel for vacations, recreational pursuits, business trips, visiting family and friends, or for other reasons, we are all visitors many times over. Reconciliation, environmentalism and how we support and create our humanity are collectively all in our community values,” suggests Nankin.
Bowen Island residents are encouraged to participate in the creation of a community-based tourism vision that’s feasible, balanced, responsible and supports wellbeing and sustainability. We hope you’ll join the conversation.
Visit Tourism Bowen Island’s website to learn more about the responsible tourism plan, to take the survey, and to register for one of the Community Sessions at the Bowen Island Public Library on February 26 or March 6.
Please note: this community engagement process and tourism plan is not associated with Metro Vancouver or Bowen Island Municipality.
Tourism Bowen Island Association (TBI) is a small member-based non-profit organization, established in 2015, and managed by a volunteer board of directors.
TBI is the central body for local tourism, providing destination management, visitor services and community economic development through tourism. TBI operates the Visitor Information Centre on behalf of the Municipality, but is not a municipal body.
