Tourism Tofino Attends Destinations International Annual Convention
This past July, Tourism Tofino's Jody Kirk and Executive Director Samantha Hackett attended the 2026 Destinations International Annual Convention in Portland, where Kirk was recognized for earning her Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) designation.
The CDME is the tourism industry's highest individual educational achievement and the only certification program designed specifically for destination management professionals. By earning this designation, Jody joins a distinguished group of leaders committed to advancing excellence and innovation in destination management. She was recognized alongside fellow Canadian 2026 CDME recipients from Destination Greater Victoria, Visit Cranbrook, Tourism Nanaimo, Tourism Jasper, and Sunshine Coast Tourism.
For Samantha, one of the most valuable parts of attending the Destinations International Summit in Portland was the opportunity to step outside of our day-to-day work in Tofino and connect with destination leaders from across North America and beyond. It was a reminder that while every destination has its own unique challenges, we are all grappling with many of the same questions around stewardship, community relationships, visitor expectations and the future of tourism. She came away feeling energized by the ideas we heard, but even more proud of the work we are doing here in Tofino. Our focus on destination stewardship and the ʔiisaak Pledge puts us at the forefront of conversations that destinations around the world are having right now.
"And a very special congratulations to Jody on achieving her CDME designation! This is a significant professional accomplishment and a reflection of her commitment to destination management and to continuing to grow as a leader in our industry. It was wonderful to be there to celebrate this milestone with her."
Learn more about the CDME program and Destinations International: https://destinationsinternational.org/cdme
