Tourism and Adventure Travel Co-operatives in British Columbia ...

BC Institute for Co-operative Studies
University of Victoria
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Tourism and Adventure Travel Co-operatives in British Columbia
Mia Reimers (Ph.D Candidate)
University of Victoria
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About The Occasional Papers
The British Columbia Institute for Co-operative Studies periodically publishes research papers
on co-operative subjects, particularly those concerned with the co-operative movement in British
Columbia. The papers are by both scholars within the academy and interested members of the
public. The Institute hopes these papers will increase understanding of, and discussion about,
the co-operative movement and ideas, past, present and future.
ISSN 1497-729X BC Institute for Co-operative Studies Occasional Papers (Print)
ISSN 1497-7303 BCInstitue for Co-operative Studies Occasional Papers (Online)
Copyright © 2002 British Columbia Institute for Co-operative Studies.
Any portion of these materials can be freely available for information and educational purposes, but
cannot be re-published in any format that may entail fees or royalties without the express permission of
the copyright holders.
British Columbia Institute for Co-operative Studies
University of Victoria
University House 2 -- Room 109
PO Box 3060 STN CSC
Victoria BC V8W 3R4
Tel. 250.472.4539
2

New and Forthcoming Publications
Occasional Papers Series:
Chambers, Kimberlee. Assessing the Feasability of Applying the Co-operative Model to First Nations
Community Based Development Initiatives: A Case Study of the Xaxl'ep and a Native Plant Nursery.
Cocksedge, Wendy. The Role of Co-operatives in the Non-Timber Forest Product Industry: Exploring Issues
and Options Using the Case Study of Salal (Gaultheria Shallon).
Lantz, T.Z. Examining the Potential Role of Co-operatives in the Ethical Commercialisation of Medicinal
Plants: Plant Conservation, Intellectual Property Rights, Ethics, and the Devil's Club (Oplopanax Horridus).
Bowman, Victoria. Home Care, Home Support, Personal Assistance: the Co-operative Model in Context.
Sinats, Kristen. Health Co-operatives: A Viable Solution to the Current Crisis in Health Service Delivery.
Rushton, Cory, Sinats, Kristen, and Tatlay, Upkar-Singh. A Case Study of the Rainbow Health Co-operative.
Mia Reimers. Tourism and Adventure Travel Co-operatives in British Columbia.
Handbooks:
Organising Forestry Co-operatives in British Columbia: A Handbook. Produced by the Environmental Law
Centre for BCICS.
Organising Forestry Co-operatives in British Columbia: The Legal and Policy Framework. Produced by the
Environmental Law Centre for BCICS.
Organising Fishery Co-operatives in British Columbia: A Handbook. Produced by the Environmental Law
Centre for BCICS.
Organising Fishery Co-operatives in British Columbia: The Legal and Policy Framework. Produced by the
Environmental Law Centre for BCICS.
3

Table of Contents
Table of Contents..........................................................................................................Page 5
Introduction...........................................................................................................................7
Trends in Global Tourism.......................................................................................................7
The Rise of Ecotourism and Adventure Travel.........................................................................8
International Ecotourism, Adventure Travel and Co-operatives...............................................10
British Columbia Tourism Co-operatives: Profiles..................................................................11
Mistahaya Wayatinaw Tourism Co-operative..................................................................12
Vancouver Island Adventure Connections Co-operative..................................................12
Adventure Okanagan Co-operative................................................................................13
Gold Rush Trail Development Co-operative...................................................................14
Developing Co-operatives: The Gateways Project..................................................................14
Learning from British Columbia’s Tourism Co-operatives: Challenges,
Issues and Opportunities......................................................................................................15
The Future of Tourism Co-operatives in British Columbia......................................................19
Bibliography.........................................................................................................................21
Endnotes..............................................................................................................................22
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Preface
The British Columbia Institute for Co-operative Studies, among its various activities, is engaged in the preparation of
studies into existing and new co-operatives of use to the people of British Columbia. Whenever possible, it seeks to help
students and faculty interested in expanding their research interests to include consideration of the application of the cooperative
model within the province.
Dr. Ian MacPherson,
Professor of History,
Director, British Columbia Institute for Co-operative Studies
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Introduction
This report examines a new phenomenon in British Columbia’s
tourism industry: tourism marketing co-operatives. In the last three years
B.C. has seen the creation of several tourism co-operatives. Presently,
more groups are moving towards forming co-operatives. With one
exception, these co-operatives are all focused on ecotourism and adventure
travel. In the future, other types of tourism co-operatives may develop in
British Columbia, such as worker-owned accommodations or marketing
co-ops for artisans. This report will put B.C.’s tourism co-operatives in the
context of the burgeoning global ecotourism and adventure travel market.
This report will contribute to the study of tourism and co-operatives in
general, by providing information regarding the development and operation
of British Columbia’s tourism marketing co-operatives. More specifically, it
endeavours to be useful to groups who wish to develop a co-operative
model for collaborative tourism undertakings.
Trends in Global Tourism
Over the last decade, tourism has emerged as one of the world’s
largest growing sectors, and growth will likely continue into the 21st century.
The global tourist industry generates approximately 100 million jobs worldwide,
predominantly in small and medium-sized businesses. Job creation in
the tourism sector is growing about 1.5 times faster than in other sectors. 1
Since 1980, each year has seen a rise in tourism receipts and activities.
The World Tourism Organization (WTO) credits a strong global economy
and millenium celebrations, with a 7.4 percent increase in industry growth in
2000. 2 Even before the devastating events of September 11th , the WTO
cautioned that tourism would grow more modestly in 2001.
The Americas and Europe have traditionally been the most popular
tourist destinations and still dominate the global tourist industry. However,
other ‘non-traditional’ regions are experiencing rapid growth in tourism.
The tourist industry in East Asia and the Pacific grew by 14.7 percent in
2000 (compared to a 6.1 percent growth rate in Europe) and demand is
outstripping tourist facilities in Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Viet
Nam. 3 The WTO predicts that by 2020 this region will have overtaken the
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Americas as the second most popular tourist destination behind Europe. It
is clear that while tourism shows no signs of slowing, the market is changing
and travelers are beginning to seek out unique and exotic travelling
experiences. Further, tourists desire that their travels include opportunities
for active, nature-based learning. Ecotourism operators in Asia and the
Pacific report that their businesses have experienced annual growths of 10
to 25 percent. 4
The Rise of Ecotourism and Adventure Travel
While overall tourism has had a growth rate of 4 percent per year,
the ecotourism segment has grown annually at a rate between 10 and 30
percent. 5 As the environmental consequences of tourism in developing
countries are becoming more apparent , more travelers are seeking ‘green’
or environmentally sound tourism opportunities. Studies also show that the
affluence and sensibilities of the ‘baby boom’ generation spur growth in
ecotourism. People in this age demographic are “seeking travel that
provides personal growth, physical fitness, educational values and a
contribution to the planet’s environment, as well as other ethical values.” 6 (
HLA Consultants and ARA Consulting Group, 1994). Nevertheless, the
term ‘ecotourism’ is often misused; many operators label adventure and
nature activities as ecotourism even though they may not adhere to sound
environmental principles. According to Conservation International,
ecotourism is “responsible travel that promotes the conservation of nature
and sustains the well-being of local people.” 7 To curb the misuse of the
term, many organisations are emerging to provide checks on those
operators which would ruin the reputations of legitimate ecotourism
operators (Brady, 2000). The United Nations has declared 2002 the
International Year of Ecotourism, and states that “tourism, like other sectors
uses resources, generates wastes, and creates environmental, cultural, and
social costs and benefits in the process.” 8 Despite growing awareness of
the differences between adventure travel and ecotourism, ‘ecotourism’ is
still generally used to denote a range of outdoor activities with a learning
component. 9
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Adventure Tourism in Canada and British Columbia
Canada is rated the world’s ninth most popular tourist destination,
and in the last year it experienced a 4.9 percent increase in the tourism
sector. 10 Canada’s tourism industry has continued to grow in 2001. The
Canadian Tourism Commission reports that from January to March, 2.8
million foreign travelers came to Canada, up 5.5 percent from the first
quarter of 2000. 11 A significant number of these tourists were Americans
seeking downhill skiing and snowboarding adventures; 18 percent of US
overnight travel centred around this activity in the first quarter. Downhill
skiing and snowboarding also attracted 25 percent of overseas visitors. 12
These statistics indicate Canada’s draw as an adventure tourism
destination. Ecotourists visiting Canada desire a range of activities, such as
trail riding, canoeing, nature observation and wildlife viewing. 13 Canada’s
diversity, physical characteristics, and reputation for pristine beauty points
to its potential as a first class ecotourism destination. Market research
indicates that marketing and product development will encourage North
American ecotourists to seek adventure at ‘home’ and will draw
adventurers from abroad. 14 Canada also stands to benefit more from US
tourism; only 8 percent of US citizens have passports to leave North
America, 15 and the Canadian exchange rate for American currency is
favourable.
British Columbia is beginning to reap the rewards from ecotourism.
After marketing itself as ‘Super, Natural British Columbia TM
’ for over a
decade, B.C.’s tourist industry is already strong. In 2000, tourism
revenues exceeded 9.4 billion accrued from 22.5 million overnight visitors.
Almost 111,000 British Columbians make their livelihood from tourism. 16
In 1999, it injected over $800 million into the economy. 17 That year,
10,400 people in over 1,000 B.C. businesses catered to the tourism
sector. B.C. tourist operators credit the strong European market and the
ageing population with boosting the industry (Constantineau, 1999).
However, not all of British Columbia profits equally from the tourist trade.
Tourists tend to stay in the ‘golden triangle’ of Vancouver, Victoria and
Whistler, or stick to easily accessible and popular tourist corridors, such as
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the Rocky Mountains. 18 Exciting opportunities for ecotourism and
adventure travel exist throughout the province; communities are beginning
to realise the advantages of co-operative marketing in reaping the rewards
of the ecotourism movement.
International Ecotourism, Adventure Travel and Co-operatives
Tourism co-operatives are a relatively new form of co-op. The
International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) set up a working group on
tourism co-ops in 1976, and only in 1985 did the International Association
of Tourism Co-operatives (TICA) form as a specialised organisation
affiliated with the ICA. 19 The purpose of the TICA is to foster the growth
of tourism co-ops locally, regionally, nationally and globally. Through the
efforts of this organisation, tourism co-operatives are starting to become
more visible in the international tourism industry. While other forms of
tourism co-operatives exist, 20 many co-ops are structured around
ecotourism. Indeed, ecotourism and co-operatives seem ideally suited to
each other as they share an ideology of keeping the control of resources in
local hands to the well-being of the whole community.
In 1999, Condé Nast Traveler awarded two of three annual
Ecotourism awards to co-operatives: Brazil’s Lagamar Ecotourism Hub
and Ecuador’s Red Indigena Comunidades del Alto Napo pera la
Convivencia Intercultural y Ecotourismo (RICANCIE). Both are regional
co-operatives which formed to make tourism a viable alternative to
resource-depleting industries and to fend off the encroachment of outside
tourist operators. They offer tourists a wide range of accommodation and
touring services while teaching them about local history and culture. Their
efforts have paid off; in Lagamar, members make twice what they made
before the Hub existed, and the co-op has led to the creation of nine other
tourist co-ops in Brazil. In Ecuador, RICANCIE controls tourism in the
Upper Napo River region, and 85 percent of the community is employed in
tourism which preserves the natural environment (Conde Nast Traveller,
1999).
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Co-operative Marketing in British Columbia
There are many businesses and organisations in B.C. that already
co-operatively market themselves without being a legal co-operative.
Many of these are businesses in the adventure and ecotourism sector. For
instance, Nature's Best Pacific Wilderness Tours Ltd. in Port Hardy
operates a mini cruise ship and works with other tourist operators to create
custom packages for its customers, including fly fishing, scuba diving, and
First Nations cultural tours. 21 For B.C. communities ‘off the beaten path’,
co-operative marketing is a way to attract tourists and have them stay
longer in the community. By co-operatively producing promotional
materials, and/or offering packaged tours, businesses can market their
communities as a ‘one-stop’ adventure destination. This method is more
effective than individual operators trying to draw tourists on the strength of
one business alone. Further, by co-operatively marketing, individual
operators have more time to work on other aspects of their businesses.
One co-op recommends co-operatively marketing to relieve the burden of
working alone and to foster business growth: “the owners of small touristoriented
businesses often handle all of the planning, marketing operations
and administration for their enterprise—leaving little or no time for advance
planning and market development. Once they reach the limit of their own
time and energy, they are at crossroads. They can continue operating at
that level—or they can find ways to free more of their time to develop new
products and markets.” 22 Presently, there are at least four legal tourism
co-operatives in British Columbia, while more than a half-dozen are in the
process of forming.
British Columbia Tourism Co-operatives: Profiles
The four tourist co-operatives operating in British Columbia share
some characteristics, but are also quite distinct from each other. Adventure
Okanagan, Vancouver Island Adventure Connections, Mistahaya
Wayatinaw and the Gold Rush Trail Development Co-operative were all
formed within the last two years, and received start-up funds from the Coop
Advantage Program through the Ministry of Community Development,
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Cooperatives and Volunteers (MCDCV). While the funding served as a
catalyst for these co-operatives, people involved in them had been already
meeting and, in most cases, had considered a number of models before
deciding a co-op would best suit their needs.
Mistahaya Wayatinaw Tourism Co-operative
This co-operative operates out of the pristine Grizzly Valley near
Tumbler Ridge. It was incorporated in October, 2000, and it has a
variable membership of 8 to 12. After the Quintette coalmine in Tumbler
Ridge shut down in 2000, it became more important for local people to
develop self-controlled sustainable employment, and the co-operative
model fitted into this vision. “By supporting our local economy in every
possible way, we help increase the power of local people to support
themselves without having to rely on the removal of finite resources by fairweather
corporations. People are paid fairly for a job well done, for most
people can’t subsist on minimum wage.” 23 This is a ‘true’ ecotourism cooperative.
The members have a commitment to the environment and
clearly articulated ecotourism principles to which the co-op subscribes.
Since they aim to protect the integrity of the environment, the members
have turned away some adventure travel operators (for example, hunting
and snowmobiling guides) who sought membership in the co-op. Its
current members provide environmentally-sound hikes and tours,
accommodation, wildlife viewing and yoga.
The primary purpose of the co-op is to co-operatively market its
members. So far it has done this by collaborating on a web site and
through print advertising sent to tourist offices and trade shows. An
ancillary benefit is that individual members save on service costs.
Otherwise, the individual members run their businesses autonomously. In
the future, Mistahaya Wayatinaw hopes to organise tour packages and
offer more administrative services to its members (Chaland, 2001).
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Vancouver Island Adventure Connections Co-operative (VIAC)
VIAC has 6 to 9 members and was incorporated in 2001, although
the founding members have been meeting since 1999. The meetings started
after a few providers (tour guides, accommodation, and bus charter)
realised that working alone left them isolated and stretched their business
resources to the limit. Initially, the members considered a few models
including a non-profit society and an association, but the co-op model
appealed to them since it allowed for membership control and the flexibility
to change the structure should the need arise (Wylie, 2001b). Adhering to
co-operative principles the co-op operates on a one-vote-per-member
basis, which “ensures equal opportunity for all members to participate in
the decision-making process.” 24 Their primary co-operative activity is “to
provide members with stronger return on their marketing dollar, create
opportunities for members to develop new packages and products in
partnership with others, and provide sales support that will free time for
other work that is more critical to their own business.” 25 The co-op aims
to incorporate members from all around the island, and has a short-term
goal of 20 to 25 members. VIAC changed their name to Adventures BC
in 2001.
Adventure Okanagan Co-operative (AOC)
This co-operative currently has 21 members and offers the same
sort of adventure touring, activities and accommodation that VIAC does.
Before one of the members suggested the co-operative model, they were
merely a haphazard group of small and medium-sized operators who had
formed in a bid to get more representation in the industry as a whole.
Once the co-op's members applied for Advantage funding, the Ministry of
Community Development, Cooperatives and Volunteers suggested they
look at VIAC for a model. While the two co-ops share a co-operative
marketing focus, AOC says it differs from VIAC in the way tour packages
are organised. AOC also offers a more comprehensive business
development framework to its membership. More informally, the members
with larger businesses serve as mentors to those with smaller operations.
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Perhaps more than the other co-ops, AOC is actively seeking out new
opportunities and partners. It has recently completed a 95 page five-year
strategic plan in which it proposes original ideas for press coverage,
corporate sponsorship, and a client-based ‘discount’ membership. 26
Gold Rush Trail Development Co-operative (GRTDC)
GRTDC is made up of a number of municipalities and regional
districts from Fort Langley to Prince George. The co-op was organised in
1999. Initially the members looked into other models, but chose a cooperative
since funding and assistance was available from MCDCV, and
the group was anxious to get started. The membership's aim is to further
develop and promote the Gold Rush Trail—a set of heritage tourist
destinations along British Columbia’s highway 97. It is also a lobby group
for infrastructure improvements in the area (Wylie, 2001).
Developing Co-operatives: The Gateways Project
While the preceding co-operatives came together ‘from the bottom
up’ and decided to seek assistance from the provincial government, the
government identified six communities (Wells, Valemount, Lake Cowichan,
Burns Lake, Golden and Fort Nelson) which it is helping to form legal cooperatives
‘from the top down.’ In 1999, the Minister of Tourism launched
a $650,000 program to develop an ecotourism and adventure travel
strategy for communities to act as ‘gateways’ to parks, trails and other
recreational opportunities (Vancouver Sun, 1999). These two sets of
gateways, one launched in late 1999 and one the following year, were
developed to build a bridge between front- and back-country operators
and to foster a more regional outlook for tourist providers. 27 It will expand
the adventure tourism industry into ‘untapped’ areas of the province and
increase tourism revenues to local economies. At the conclusion of the
program for Valemount, Wells, and Lake Cowichan, the operators
involved agreed that co-operative marketing was needed to promote their
regions more fully. Thus began the second ‘phase’ of the gateways
project—a co-operative marketing project aided by the MCDCV. This
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project began in March 2001 and will conclude in February 2002. The
end result should be the formation of legal co-operatives in the six gateway
communities. For the second set of communities—Golden, Fort Nelson
and Burns Lake—this means that they are simultaneously developing their
gateways strategy and setting the groundwork to become legal cooperatives.
28 Like the communities that built co-operatives ‘from the
ground up’, several of these communities already had operators meeting to
work out some sort of collaborative venture. In Fort Nelson, operators
had discussed options for working together (for example, a shared
reservation system). Through their involvement with the Gateways project
they are now working towards a co-operative model, although this was not
something they had discussed before becoming part of the project. 29 The
local Gateways co-ordinator has worked with the group to develop their
goals, and it has already co-operatively produced a promotional CD with
photographs and descriptions of their businesses to be sent to tourism
boards and interested individuals.
Learning from British Columbia’s Tourism Co-operatives:
Challenges, Issues and Opportunities
As sketched above, the legal co-operatives in B.C. were formed
and are guided by different concerns. They vary in size, organisation, and
by the types of tourist services they provide. Although the Gateway
communities started the co-operative project at the same time, they also
vary in terms of challenges, focus and stage of development. By more
closely examining the development of these co-ops, this section will
highlight issues unique to different regions as well as challenges faced by all
areas. By synthesising this information it is hoped that groups exploring the
co-operative model will be able to learn from the experiences of others,
and tailor the model to suit their particular circumstances.
In almost all cases, the co-ops have faced, or are facing, major
challenges in terms of bringing people together. Some of the Gateway
communities are having difficulties just getting people to sit at the same
table with one another. Working co-operatively may seems antithetical to
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individual business interests. Businesses are used to working in isolation
and competitively vying for limited tourist dollars. Some operators find it
hard to leave competition ‘at the door’ when they first sit down to discuss a
co-operative venture. 30 Further, even if they are eager to work together,
they may lack experience in working co-operatively with other businesses.
Most of the co-ops cite strong leadership and commitment as
necessary factors for the development of a co-operative. Generally, a few
committed operators are needed to move a group forward from thinking
about a co-op model to acting on it. The Gateway co-ordinators are
aware of this issue, and are working to put together a core group of
operators who can carry on the task of developing the co-operative once
the project is over. While leaders have not emerged in some communities,
the co-ordinator in Golden has identified five key players that she will
encourage to do some initial co-operative marketing. She hopes that the
efforts of this core group will encourage other operators to join in. 31
The co-operatives and the Gateway communities have found that
the idea for a co-operative was generally well-received, despite operators'
reluctance to become actively involved. In Fort Nelson, the co-ordinator
found that most of the 50 operators she has contacted want to be kept
‘well informed’ about the project, although only 9 came to the initial
meeting. 32 The VIAC has had a similar experience. Although many tour
operators are interested in the idea of the co-op, they want to ‘wait and
see’ how the co-operative does before they invest time and the membership
fee ($400) in it. To the co-op this is backwards thinking, since members
are needed to show any solid results. It believes other co-ops can learn a
lesson from their experience: the core group of initial members should
develop a smaller plan of action in order to have something to show
potential members (Wylie, 2001b). In Fort Nelson, the promotional CD
was produced with this in mind. By showing quick results the group hope
to increase interest in the project.
To overcome some of these issues, Sandy McElroy, the Gateways
project manager, stresses ‘small c’ co-operation. The challenge is really to
get people working together, and the Gateway project fosters co-operation
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by providing packaging and marketing workshops, supporting short-term
and easily attainable results, and by using Adventure Okanagan and the
Vancouver Island Adventure Connection as models of successful tourism
co-ops.
Adventure Okanagan and VIAC benefited from founding members
with previous co-op experience. Vivian Marchand a founder of VIAC,
had investigated co-operatives as a possibility for shellfish businesses on
Northern Vancouver Island. Paul Cabaj of AOC was involved with cooperatives
while living in South America and saw firsthand the benefits coops
could present to local communities. Once he became involved with the
group he suggested they form a co-operative, and the group was very
enthusiastic about it. In fact, AOC has had the least problem with bringing
in members. Cabaj credits the overwhelming enthusiasm of the members
for the co-op’s success. The enthusiasm is palpable; he described a recent
meeting with four new members as having an excited “hum” around the
table. Their goal is to have 40 members by December 2002, but Cabaj
anticipates that number may be reached by February and by then the coop
should be a “self-propelling entity.” 33
The seasonal nature of adventure tourism may present challenges to
co-op development that other types of co-operatives may not face. While
some tourism providers may operate year-round, most are seasonal. The
Gateway co-ordinators found that meetings with operators came to a
virtual standstill during the summer season since the businesses were preoccupied
with serving tourists. Many people that operate businesses in the
summer leave for warmer climates in the winter to enjoy their own
vacations. Further, communities like Fort Nelson with two distinct aspects
to their tourist industry—highway-related activities in the summer and
hunting operations in the fall—may find this a barrier to meeting and finding
common ground. Fort Nelson also faces a geographic barrier since the
region the co-operative covers takes nine hours to drive across, and
communication is inefficient and expensive. 34
Since the co-operative model is new to B.C.’s tourism industry,
these co-ops have experienced some resistance and misunderstanding.
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Adventure Okanagan says that traditional tourist bodies were not
supportive of them, and in formulating their co-op there were “a lot of
eyebrows raised and egos rubbed.” 35 Further, the co-op has had to turn
operators away, since it does not want competitors that offer the same
services as its members reaping the rewards of all its members hard work.
VIAC has also run into people who feel challenged by the co-operative.
Both co-ops believe that they are offering a new tourism service, and once
they are operational and more involved with their communities the
opposition will pass.
Despite these hurdles, those involved with developing tourism cooperatives
believe in the value of co-operative marketing. However, they
emphasise that forming legal co-operatives may not be the best solution for
all communities. The Gateways project manager sees co-operatives as just
one organisational structure, among others, that can help bring local
operators together. He suggests that groups have to adopt a model that
suits the philosophical bent of the people involved. Although he feels that
the Gateway project is teaching the communities the value of working cooperatively,
he says that all six communities will not have formed legal cooperatives
by the time the project is over. 36
With the recent election of a Liberal government in the province,
those involved are moving ahead on the premise that no further funding to
assist the co-operative will be available. Thus, they have to move the
groups towards forming a model that will work for them. The co-ordinator
for Fort Nelson expects that her group will choose an informal marketing
co-operative at the end of the project. Working together, the group has
realised tourism opportunities where none existed when working in
isolation. The group is talking about offering a winter package focused on
trapline tours and Christmas crafts. This represents a major transition since
tourism businesses in the area have traditionally been preoccupied with the
summer season. 37
Working co-operatively, whether in a co-op or otherwise, provides
support for individual members and gives the adventure travel industry
some clout in the general tourist trade. AOC is the most vocal about
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‘strength in numbers’, telling possible members that “your voice is heard
because you’re a member of AOC. When we say something about
Adventure Tourism, Habitat Protection, Government Regulation, or
Resource Industry Implications…people, media, corporations and the
government listen. Why? Because we’re the voice of Adventure and
Eco-tourism in the Okanagan.” 38 The Okanagan’s tourist trade is
traditionally focused on fruit growing, and now on the wine industry and
beaches as well, so forming a co-operative has raised the profile of
adventure tourism in the Okanagan, and brought more revenue to individual
members.
A co-operative, more than any other model, also works towards the
health of the community. Mistahaya Wayatinaw has made this a priority in
their co-operative; by using resources efficiently, respecting the wilderness,
and supporting local business whenever possible, its members are working
towards preserving the environment and benefiting the people who live in it.
Finding a new way to sustain communities where resource-extracting
industries are failing is important to the general well-being of communities.
Vancouver Island Adventure Connections recognises the opportunity it has
to bring back a sense of local pride in communities that are facing declining
resource industries. By connecting people in remote communities, and by
working collectively to strengthen the economy in all of Vancouver Island,
VIAC offers solidarity and hope to small communities (Wylie, 2001b).
The Future of Tourism Co-operatives in British Columbia
Despite the growing global tourism industry and rising awareness of
adventure and eco-tourism in British Columbia, tourism will not replace
traditional industries such as forestry, nor should it be seen as a panacea to
the province’s economic ills. 39 However, further efforts could be put into
developing the tourist industry in British Columbia and opening up new
areas to visitors. With its physical and climatic diversity, British Columbia is
poised to profit from adventure and eco-tourism—the fastest growing
segment in the industry. A study of the ecotourism market in B.C. and
Alberta found that 77 percent of urban respondents in a telephone survey
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eported having taken a vacation centering around nature and wilderness;
and the remaining 23 percent who had not taken such a vacation expressed
interest in doing so. 40 The study also found that those seeking adventure
and eco-tourism preferred trips of seven days or more, wanted to visit
parks and protected places, and were interested in combining a variety of
activities. 41
Co-operative marketing is vital in capitalising on the changing
tourism industry, especially for new adventure tourism markets. One
provider alone cannot meet these new tourist demands. Operators can
provide tourists with a ‘destination’ by pooling their resources in advertising
and/or packaging. Although working collaboratively can take many forms,
co-operatives do offer distinct advantages in membership control and
community health by keeping the industry in local hands. Although the Coop
Advantage Program initially helped existing tourism co-operatives get
off the ground, those involved do not feel that the suspension of the
program spells the end of tourism marketing co-ops in B.C. Sandy
McElroy says that the Gateway program is merely a catalyst to cooperative
formation, while the local coordinators are enablers. The
formations of co-operatives will undoubtedly continue, even without
provincial funds. 42 Further, the success of existing tourism co-operatives
will play a role in further co-operative development. The Gateway
communities already use AOC and VIAC as models, and both of those
co-ops actively mentor others. Paul Cabaj has spoken to many
communities around the province about their co-op experience, and he has
been contacted by groups in Blue River, Vancouver and the Kootenays. 43
If the interest in AOC is any indication, co-operative growth in the tourism
industry is just beginning.
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Bibliography
Brady, Margret. “Eco-Tourism’s Personality: Its proponents
portray eco-tourism as taking the high road,” (2000, March 28 ) .
Financial Post, E5.
Chaland, Nicole. (2001) . Case Study – Mistahaya Wayatinaw
Tourism Co-operative. Forthcoming. British Columbia Institute for Cooperative
Studies, University of Victoria, British Columbia .
Constantineau, Bruce. “Adventure Tourism going over big in B.C.:
Revenues from outdoor related activities projected to climb by 4%,”
(1999, June 19) . Vancouver Sun, H1.
“Ecotourism gateway plan unveiled by Victoria,” (1999, October
10) . Vancouver Sun, D6.
HLA Consultants & ARA Consulting Group . (1994)
.Ecotourism- Nature/Adventure/ Culture: Alberta and British
Columbia Market Demand Assessment, 1-3.
“Strength in Numbers: Condé Naste Traveler Ecotourism Awards,”
(1999, June) . Condé Nast Traveler, 24 – 34.
Wylie, Lloy. (2001) . Case Study: Gold Rush Trail Development
Co-operative. Forthcoming. British Columbia Institute for Co-operative
Studies, University of Victoria, British Columbia.
20

Wylie, Lloy. (2001) . Case Study: Vancouver Island Adventure
Connections Co-operative. Forthcoming. British Columbia Institute for
Co-operative Studies, University of Victoria, British Columbia.
Endnotes
Please note: linkage to Internet sites does not in any way imply endorsement of the
material or business in question by the author, BCICS, the University of Victoria, or
its employees. No guarantees can be made as to the availability, accuracy or quality
of the material.
1 British Columbia, Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture,
“Forest and Fisheries: Tourism Opportunities Study for the North Coast
Forest District,” (www.tbc.gov.bc.ca/tos/NorthCoast).
2 World Tourism Organization, Tourism Highlights 2001 (www.worldtourism.org/market-research/data/pdf/HighlightsUpdatedEngl.pdf).
3 Ibid.
4 Conservation International (www.ecotour.org).
5 Ibid.
6 HLA Consultants & ARA Consulting Group, Ecotourism- Nature/
Adventure/Culture: Alberta and British Columbia Market Demand
Assessment, (1994: 1-3).
7 Ibid.
8 United Nations Sustainable Development (www.un.org/esa/sustdev/
tourism.htm).
9 Much of the literature uses the terms interchangeably, and there is some
debate as to the definition of ecotourism. As such, this report will use the
term ecotourism loosely.
10 WTO, Tourism Highlights, 2001.
11 Canadian Tourism Commission, Communiqué
(www.canadatourism.com).
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12 Ibid.
13 Pamela A. Wight, “North American Ecotourism Markets: Motivation,
Preference and Destinations,” (www.ecotourism.org/textfiles/wight2.pdf).
14 Ecotourism- Nature/Adventure/Culture: 1-3.
15 Wight, “North American Ecotourism Markets.”
16 Tourism BC (www.hellobc.com/media/corpinfo.jsp).
17 Ibid.
18 B.C., “Forest and Fisheries.”
19 ICA’s Organisational Structure: Specialised Bodies, International
Association of Tourism Co-operatives (www.coop.org/ica/ica/sb/
tourism.html). In 2001 TICA became an information exchange network
with sources provided by the Italians.
20 For instance the Women’s Agricultural Tourism Co-operative in Greece
provides tourist accommodation and hospitality in member’s houses in
Armolia, Pygri, Olympoi and Mesta. Agrotourism in Chios,
(www.chiosnet.gr/tourism/Worth/agrotour.htm).
21 Natures Best Pacific Wilderness Tours Ltd. (www.wildernesstours.net).
22 Vancouver Island Adventure Connection, (www.islandconnections.org/
about/about.htm).
23 Welcome to Grizzly Valley! (www.grizzlyvalleyco-op.com/About/
Aboutus.html).
24 Vancouver Island Adventure Connections Co-operative
(www.islandconnections.org/about/member.htm).
25 Ibid.
26 Paul Cabaj, Personal Communication (October 31, 2001).
27 Sandy McElroy, Personal Communication (November 9, 2001).
28 Ibid.
29 Heather MacRae, Personal Communication (November 1, 2001).
30 Ibid.
31 Michelle Langfeldt, Personal Communication (October 30, 2001).
32 MacRae.
33 Cabaj.
34 There is no regular internet service, although a costly satellite service is
22

available. Many people in the region only have telephone service through
satellite.
35 Cabaj.
36 McElroy.
37 McRae.
38 Adventure Okanagan Co-operative, (www.adventureokanagan.com/
memberservices.html).
39 Cabaj.
40 Ecotourism-Nature/Adventure/Culture: ES –2.
41 Ibid: ES-5.
42 Funds are still available through other programs such as BC Funders
Council, part of the Canadian Co-operatives Association.
43 Cabaj.
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