Tourism Tofino on the Road
The Tourism Tofino team have been out and about attending IMPACT and IMM this last month.
Members from our team hit the road in January attending both TravMedia's annual International Media Marketplace (IMM) and the 2026 IMPACT Sustainability Travel & Tourism Summit.
Our Media & Communications Manager, Danielle, started off at TravMedia's IMM - the leading global media networking event for the travel industry. Throughout 24 pre-scheduled meetings with top-tier editors, journalists & broadcasters, she spotlighted Tofino throughout meaningful conversations aligned with our Destination Stewardship Plan, which is helping shape future story opportunities for our destination.
At the end of the month, four of our team members headed to Victoria, BC for the annual IMPACT Conference. This conference brought together global tourism leaders alongside voices from other sectors, reinforcing that meaningful change often begins with small, intentional actions. It offered powerful insights and fresh perspectives - from practical AI strategies shared by DMO leaders to inspiring new ways for advancing regenerative tourism. A recurring theme was the importance of embracing the full story of a place; including the difficult or 'ugly', as a way to benchmark progress & authentically showcase how far communities have come.
Our former Executive Director, Brad Parsell presented on a panel exploring how DMOs are driving climate action through partnerships, where he highlighted Tofino's 2025 Destination Stewardship Plan, ʔiisaak | Tofino Stands for Respect. Other familiar West Coast faces included guest panelists Laura Griffith-Cochrane from the Ucluelet Aquarium and Daniel Raab from ReSurf.
One quote that continues to resonate with the team came from the first speaker Bob Sandford of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health - "What did you do when you knew?"
The conference will mark its 10th year in 2027 and typically offers early bird pricing for those interested in attending.
