Introduction

Edited by: Morgan Westcott; Wendy Anderson

Introduction

Welcome

A smooth lake with mountains rising up in the background. — Figure 1.0 Super, Natural British Columbia is one of the world’s top tourism destinations. Together, we’ll learn how the industry works.

Welcome! If you’re reading this, you’re likely interested in a career in BC’s tourism and hospitality industry. Perhaps you work in industry and want to enhance your skills. Or maybe you’re one of the hundreds of students world-wide who’ve been directed to this resource by an instructor. No matter your background, we’re happy to share this collaborative work that pulls together decades of industry experience and academic know-how.

An Introduction to the Industry

No textbook could cover, in depth, the tourism industry in BC and the global context for its development. This text is a stepping stone for further resources, and is written with a first year college and university audience in mind.

Created Through Collaboration

The book you’re reading was created through a collaborative process. It involved input from educators at multiple institutions, industry leaders, employers, and past graduates of BC’s tourism and hospitality management programs. The first iteration of the text was launched in 2015 by an organization called LinkBC; and in early 2020 a group of intrepid BC instructors rolled up their sleeves and edited the content to reflect the times.

In this 2nd edition all chapters have been revised with updated statistics, revised content and references added providing a more relevant and up to date reading experience. Several chapters such as Chapter 9 Customer Service, Chapter 10 Environmental Stewardship and Chapter 12 Indigenous Tourism have been substantially rewritten as these areas have transformed considerably over the last several years. Internet links throughout have been reviewed and updated along with several modernized end of chapter exercises and case studies throughout the text. Lastly glossary terms have been hyperlinked.

Video: Introduction to 2nd Edition by Wendy Anderson, Hospitality Programs Coordinator and Instructor, Selkirk College

A word on COVID-19: no crisis in recent memory has affected the global tourism landscape, and BC’s industry, like the pandemic novel coronavirus outbreak. At the time of editing it is early summer 2020 and BC is just starting the Province’s “Restart Plan”. As we re-write this text, we’ve made an effort to address the impacts of COVID-19, while trying to ensure some longevity to the book. We understand the information presented might not apply to your situation, or may be out-of-date as you’re reading, and we appreciate your understanding. Be sure to check with industry associations and local government for the most up-to-date information on the pandemic and other operational guidelines.

Chapter Organization

Each chapter is organized thematically, and moves from a global, to a national, to a provincial context. Some chapters will be quite global in focus while others will concentrate primarily on British Columbia. Chapter content is based on available data and research, and input from collaborators.

Additional Resources

Each chapter features “Spotlight On” text boxes that highlight an organization, business, or other key component of the chapter’s theme. “Take a Closer Look” features encourage students to do further reading on particular subjects.

At the end of each chapter, key terms are presented in alphabetical order to help students gain confidence with terminology; these terms are summarized in a Glossary at the end of the textbook.. These are followed by chapter exercises and a case study for in-depth exploration of the subject matter.

Thanks for reading!

Morgan Westcott, original lead author and member of the 2020 2nd Edition Update Team

Wendy Anderson, 2nd Edition Update Team Lead

License

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Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality in BC and Yukon Copyright © 2015, 2020 by Capilano University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.