TIABC Approves New Membership Fee Structure

At TIABC’s recent board meeting in Vancouver, a revised membership fee structure was approved.

TIABC’s executive director Ian Robertson has been very active over the past six months meeting with members, government and organizations, listening to what the needs are and how TIABC can help. He has also has been working with the board of directors to identify key priorities for the organization and establish a strategic plan towards long-term sustainability — which membership plays a key role in.

Two key issues that needed addressing were building a long-term plan for sustainability of the association and addressing membership structure and fees.

Long-Term Sustainability – TIABC will operate on a modest operating budget of $250,000 per year. Sixty-five per cent of the operating budget will be derived from membership; 25% from conferences and events and 10% from fee-for-research projects.

Membership Structure and Fees – TIABC has adjusted membership thresholds and in many cases lowered our fees to bring them more in line with other industry organizations.

“TIABC’s new membership categories and fees reflect our organization’s objectives of increasing our membership base while aligning our fees with other national and provincial associations,” said Christine Willow, chair. “The TIABC board is looking forward to renewing existing memberships and welcoming new members to our organization. With the support of industry we can work collaboratively toward our mission of being a strong advocate for tourism to government, business, and the people of British Columbia.”

The new membership fee structure reflects the diversity of the tourism industry from large businesses, sectors and DMOs to the very small organizations that make up much of the BC tourism industry.

“The addition of a $25 student membership can help us connect more closely with the talented and enthusiastic students studying tourism at the many excellent educational institutions across BC,” said Robertson, executive director. “As the future of the industry, tourism students are a very important part of TIABC’s membership.”

The new membership fees and categories take effect July 1. Additional information can be found at http://www.tiabc.ca/membership-categories .