At this year’s BCHA Summit, hosted at the beautiful Fairmont Chateau Whistler Resort, with an incredible group of experienced industry leaders, rising hospitality stars, innovative allied members, and owners and operators from all corners of our province. It was inspiring to see the connectivity and unity of our hospitality industry and we are so grateful for all of you who joined us.

There was a real sense of community throughout the Summit and we couldn’t be more proud of the event.

A special thanks goes to Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton for addressing our audience at the beginning of the conference. I would like to extend my gratitude to the Honourable Lana Popham, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport, for managing to deliver her opening remarks despite facing questions about the FIFA 2026 budget back at the legislature. Her announcement of the Emergency Management Booking Portal (EMBP) on Day 1 of the conference set the tone for a packed program that revolved around emerging trends and solution-driven discussions for issues we’re currently facing in our industry.

Thank you to all our panelists and speakers, from Trip Tease how to own your guest, to Keynote Lesra Martin who left us all with a sense of connectivity and positivity.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our sponsors and Marketplace participants. Without your participation and contribution, the Summit would simply not exist. We were so fortunate to have the business community on hand as they push our industry ahead with cutting-edge products and solutions. Thank you to the BCHA Board of Directors, who played a big part in the direction and execution of the Summit. The team at Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Encore, MCI, and the BCHA team went above and beyond to make this event such a success.

The conference sessions and educational programs highlighted the strength of our collective efforts. The exchange of innovative ideas, dialogue, and strategic planning opportunities reaffirmed our industry’s positive trajectory. It emphasized our industry’s core ethos as a people-centric business committed to community and innovation.

I’m particularly excited about the announcement of the Emergency Management Booking Portal. There is much work to be done on the portal itself, but I am encouraged by the collaborative spirit our regional partners and stakeholders have demonstrated thus far. This portal will address the need for rapid and efficient evacuation procedures during flooding, wildfire crises, and other emergency situations. It will streamline the booking process for evacuees, EMCR staff, ESS responders, and emergency management administrators. We are in the midst of planning roundtable process strategy sessions with all partners and hotels in the pilot areas of Prince George, Kelowna, and Kamloops. More details about the dates, times, and locations of those roundtables, and the Emergency Management Booking Portal, will be shared with our regional partners and the greater hotel community in the coming weeks.

Congratulations to all the recipients and nominees of the Awards of Excellence, celebrated at the Summit’s signature event – the Awards Gala. Your outstanding contributions exemplify the excellence we strive for within our industry, and we’re immensely proud of your achievements. Additionally, our attendees enjoyed exceptional hospitality and a delicious dinner courtesy of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and comedic brilliance from our hosts Laugh Out LIVE! What a fun evening it was.

We’re grateful to have hosted our industry at the BCHA Summit and eagerly anticipate welcoming you all again at the Westin Bayshore on April 25 – 26, 2025. If you have not done so already, please take a moment to share your feedback through our BCHA Summit Delegate Survey, as we strive to make the next Summit experience even more memorable.

Warm regards,
Ingrid Jarrett
President and CEO
BCHA