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9th October 2006, 10:35 PM

<mariogedicke@m> wrote in message
news:1160019357.174623.4600@i42g2000cwa. ps.com...
> How does it come that the tourism Organisation of >British Columbia
> are private and independently run while >calling itself Government
> Organisation?

Wow! Are you ever confused!

Tourism BC is a Crown Corporation, a company that is owned by the
Province but operates independently. There are dozens of them across
Canada, and they play very important roles in our economy. (They also
exist in other countries, for similar reasons.)

> The amount of funding they get and the little amount of >action they
> take, amazes me.

What amazes me is that you claim to be employed in the industry in BC,
but don't understand very much about it.

Tourism BC receives a PORTION of the hotel tax dedicated to marketing
and promotional activities, plus an annual operating grant. They spend
MILLIONS of dollars every year on marketing British Columbia around the
world. You don't see their biggest advertising and marketing efforts
because they take place in OTHER countries in OTHER languages. Clever,
eh? (Other portions of the hotel tax go to local tourism committees and
convention organizations.)

>How much it cost to be on there web site, the extra
> tax they receive while tourist stay in BC plus additional >fundings
> from the government. Wow.

More Wow! Like all well-designed and well-managed internet tourism
systems, the central HELLO BC website attracts huge numbers of hits --
in the millions -- from all over the world. Tourism operators are
usually happy to pay for the opportunity to be listed on the busiest,
most productive websites; it's called "marketing efficiency".

And how do all these potential visitors find out about HELLO BC? From
reading all those ads that Tourism BC has bought in their home
countries, of course!

> Am I glad to see that they are other web sites out there, >who really
> try to support the Tourism in BC.

Let's be serious here! All, or most, of the other websites exist for
similar commercial purposes. They "support tourism in BC" by selling
advertising space to private businesses and local tourism promotion
committees. If they charge lower rates than HELLO BC, it's only beause
they attract lower numbers of "hits".

> Personally I do work for one of them, but I am not going >to add this
> to the message, as I feel that wouldn't be fair >and the readers think
> of this rather as a promotion.

I suggest that you could make yourself more useful to your employers by
studying the BC industry than by stumbling around on newsgroups. Take
one of the "SuperHost" training programs -- they're frequent and cheap.
Or go to some of the Vancouver AM breakfasts and listen to the guest
speakers; it takes only an hour, and you pay only for the coffee and
croissants. The local colleges offer tourism and hospitality training
courses in every field, and you can attend part-time, evening or co-op
programs as your work permits.

> I am german and live in this country now for quite a while >and I may
> can say, that this country and Province is >worth while to visit.

See, we can agree on something!

9th October 2006, 10:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
David Gee Guest Posts: n/a Classified Rating: % ()	British Columbia Tourism <mariogedicke@m> wrote in message news:1160019357.174623.4600@i42g2000cwa. ps.com... > How does it come that the tourism Organisation of >British Columbia > are private and independently run while >calling itself Government > Organisation? Wow! Are you ever confused! Tourism BC is a Crown Corporation, a company that is owned by the Province but operates independently. There are dozens of them across Canada, and they play very important roles in our economy. (They also exist in other countries, for similar reasons.) > The amount of funding they get and the little amount of >action they > take, amazes me. What amazes me is that you claim to be employed in the industry in BC, but don't understand very much about it. Tourism BC receives a PORTION of the hotel tax dedicated to marketing and promotional activities, plus an annual operating grant. They spend MILLIONS of dollars every year on marketing British Columbia around the world. You don't see their biggest advertising and marketing efforts because they take place in OTHER countries in OTHER languages. Clever, eh? (Other portions of the hotel tax go to local tourism committees and convention organizations.) >How much it cost to be on there web site, the extra > tax they receive while tourist stay in BC plus additional >fundings > from the government. Wow. More Wow! Like all well-designed and well-managed internet tourism systems, the central HELLO BC website attracts huge numbers of hits -- in the millions -- from all over the world. Tourism operators are usually happy to pay for the opportunity to be listed on the busiest, most productive websites; it's called "marketing efficiency". And how do all these potential visitors find out about HELLO BC? From reading all those ads that Tourism BC has bought in their home countries, of course! > Am I glad to see that they are other web sites out there, >who really > try to support the Tourism in BC. Let's be serious here! All, or most, of the other websites exist for similar commercial purposes. They "support tourism in BC" by selling advertising space to private businesses and local tourism promotion committees. If they charge lower rates than HELLO BC, it's only beause they attract lower numbers of "hits". > Personally I do work for one of them, but I am not going >to add this > to the message, as I feel that wouldn't be fair >and the readers think > of this rather as a promotion. I suggest that you could make yourself more useful to your employers by studying the BC industry than by stumbling around on newsgroups. Take one of the "SuperHost" training programs -- they're frequent and cheap. Or go to some of the Vancouver AM breakfasts and listen to the guest speakers; it takes only an hour, and you pay only for the coffee and croissants. The local colleges offer tourism and hospitality training courses in every field, and you can attend part-time, evening or co-op programs as your work permits. > I am german and live in this country now for quite a while >and I may > can say, that this country and Province is >worth while to visit. See, we can agree on something!