Officials in Thompson-Okanagan want sustainable tourism seal | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Officials in Thompson-Okanagan want sustainable tourism seal

If tourism workers in the region have their way, the Thompson-Okanagan will be the first region in Canada and the United States to earn a certification officially listing the area as a sustainable tourism destination.

Tourism is big business in the region. Three and a half million visitors flock here each year, generating about $2 billion in direct economic impact, according to a release from the Thompson-Okanagan Tourism Association.

The distinction of a Biosphere Destination Certification means the destination complies with standards based on the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Affordable and clean energy, climate action, clean water and sanitation, responsible consumption and production and no poverty are a few of the sustainable development goals listed by the United Nations.

Glenn Mandziuk, CEO of the association, signed a letter of commitment which is a step toward gaining the Biosphere Destination Certification. If the Thompson-Okanagan gains the certification, it will be one of 20 destinations worldwide with the distinction.

“We are blessed with an extraordinary tourism region in Canada and it is imperative that we collectively work to ensure the long-term sustainability of our social, environmental, cultural and economic ecosystems,” Mandziuk says in the release. “The opportunity to be the first destination in Canada and the United States to achieve such a prestigious international designation will be a tremendous honour.”


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