Better Boards, Better Destinations

As issues like climate change and labour shortages create new concerns for residents and visitors alike, some leaders in tourism-reliant communities are acknowledging that it’s time to engage their stakeholders, reassess priorities, and inspire new values from the top-down.

Tone at the Top

Throughout Canada, communities and their tourism operators have historically relied upon local non-profit organisations to determine how their region is managed and promoted to prospective visitors. These types of nonprofits, often referred to as DMOs (or Destination Marketing Organizations), are generally funded by either membership fees from local tourism operators, portions of municipal taxes (sometimes called “hotel taxes”), or a combination of both.

Traditionally, DMOs have used their funding to promote local destinations to potential travellers, usually under the strategic guidance of a volunteer Board of Directors. However, with new challenges and opportunities on the horizon, some DMOs have realised that they can – and need to – do more than just marketing.

In the 60 years that 4VI has been supporting communities and businesses in destination development, our team has seen incredible results from high functioning non-profit DMOs. Strong Boards of Directors are known for their ability to capture the loyalty of visitors and residents alike, respond to new trends and opportunities with grace and efficiency, and retain top talent in the essential fields of marketing, destination stewardship, and business development. These Boards tend to be collaborative and eager to partner with others who are concerned with the holistic health of their tourism economy. They seek not only thriving businesses, but also the wellbeing of the local communities, cultures, and environments that attract visitors and keep them coming back.

Of course, not all non-profits are built perfectly. When organisations are still relatively new, their Boards often have no choice but to recruit Directors with minimal training or experience in non-profit governance. Similarly, when nonprofits are suddenly responsible for a larger budget, their Board members might struggle to adapt their functions to meet broader mandates and responsibilities. This is when Board Governance Training becomes essential.

Regardless of composition, Boards of Directors must have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They must not act out of self-interest, or allow themselves to get bogged down with day-to-day operations. Focusing solely on maximising profits for an organisation’s private stakeholders at the expense of other success indicators – such as resident well-being, access to affordable workforce housing, or the integrity of natural and cultural assets – has proven to be detrimental to destinations in the long-term. If non-profits DMOs don’t focus on the future, their tourism ecosystem will inevitably decay.

To Change Course, We Must First ‘Right the Ship’

In order to truly make travel a force for good for the communities, businesses, cultures, and environments that we serve, 4VI believes that we must reinspire, reeducate, and reempower DMOs to adapt their functions and strategies to meet the evolving needs of the future. This work begins at the Board table.

Informed by multiple decades of leadership within the tourism industry, 4VI’s CEO Anthony Everett is no stranger to the challenges of nurturing a strong Board. With a specialisation in Board Governance through the Institute of Corporate Directors, Anthony has acted as a trusted advisor to leadership teams across Canada. On any given workday, it is not uncommon for Anthony to receive phone calls from Executive Directors or Board Chairs looking for guidance on tough issues. Almost every time, these challenges stem from lack of governance training.

Anthony and his team have ‘righted the ship’ for multiple non-profit organisations, injecting renewed energy, strategic focus, and a lasting sense of unity around many Board tables. A recent example of 4VI’s work to enhance Board Governance involves Tourism Ucluelet (TU).

Tourism Ucluelet: A Case Study in Adaptation

When Anthony started receiving calls from TU’s Executive Director Denise Stys-Norman in 2019, it was clear that the organisation had an opportunity to refine its purpose and enhance its effectiveness as a DMO.

While TU’s Board of Directors have always been dedicated members of the local tourism economy, many of them had served longer than their organisational newly changed bylaws would allow. “As TU was evolving, it was time to breathe some new life into the board to offer a more diverse perspective of the changing landscape of tourism. ” says Denise Stys-Norman. “To be inclusive of everyone who has an interest in tourism in Ucluelet, we needed more voices at the table.”

This desire for fresh thinking was motivated by Tourism Ucluelet’s new identity as an independent, publicly funded organisation. In 2015, TU broke its previous affiliation with the Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce and started receiving funding directly from municipal taxation. As a part of this change, TU committed to enhancing how it operated in order to benefit both tourism operators and the community of Ucluelet as a whole.

While the District was now counting on TU to take an innovative approach to destination management, some members of TU’s Board were still unclear about their function and purpose as they evolved from a ‘working board’ to a ‘governing board.’ Shifting away from a sole focus on ‘marketing’ brought confusion and disagreement, and while TU’s board was keen to make changes, the implementation of sustainability and reconciliation were daunting considerations.   

“We were a passionate group of volunteers who wanted to make change but simply needed more strategic direction in order to take on more responsibility,” says Denise Stys-Norman. “We needed more long-term focus, more training on what it means to be a board member. We ran the risk of overlap between volunteer and paid staff roles, and we needed to gain new efficiencies by changing our approach from a ‘working board’ to a ‘governing board.’ We just need help to get started.”

Righting the Ship

Even though the board wanted to evolve, the lack of unity and clarity amongst Tourism Ucluelet’s board members had the potential to stall Ucluelet’s development as an emerging destination. Without the strength of a more cohesive Board, TU was unable to ideate or implement long-term strategies that could enhance Ucluelet’s position as a leader in sustainable travel. Furthermore, in order to effectively build trust amongst its public funders and stakeholders, TU needed to demonstrate excellence while enhancing its capacity to manage itself in a responsible, future-focused way. This is when 4VI’s team was called in to help.

From the onset of 4VI’s engagement with Tourism Ucluelet, the necessary steps were clear: First, strategically recruit new Board Members with diverse skills and experience; Second, reestablish the essentials of Good Governance; Third, help TU steer itself in a new direction based on sound strategy and strong leadership, further reflecting where the tourism industry was headed.

In consultation with 4VI’s team, Denise Stys-Norman and her Board Chair started reaching out to ideal new board members in 2020. “We expanded our focus from activity providers and fixed roof accommodation providers to include more food & beverage businesses, non-profit organisations that offered experiences to visitors, and Indigenous representation.. We stayed true to our bylaws but expanded representation to reflect the whole tourism economy.”

By recruiting a veteran member of Ucluelet’s Wild Pacific Trail Society, TU’s board gained some much-needed skills in non-profit governance. TU also expanded its reach within the local marine sector, which includes sea kayaking and whale watching operators, the Ucluelet Aquarium, as well as commercial and recreational fisheries. Tourism Ucluelet also made an important step towards Indigenous Reconciliation at this time by adding a permanent seat to its Board exclusively for a representative of the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government.

With a mix of new and experienced board members at the table, TU was now ready to invest in board governance training.

Starting with ‘Why’

Engaging a Board of Directors with varying degrees of experience and buy-in takes careful planning and consideration of all perspectives. Thus, before gathering in person, 4VI’s team started by asking TU’s Board Members to complete an anonymous questionnaire with tough questions such as “What do you see as your role as a Director on the Board?” and “What do you expect from your other Board Members?”. The initial responses to these questions were intriguing but in some cases concerning, illuminating just how critical it was for TU’s Board to revisit its purpose, clarify responsibilities, and work together to establish an updated organisational strategy.

When TU’s Board eventually met in-person for a two day planning retreat in Parksville in late 2022, some Board members were still brand new. Naturally, this retreat was an ideal setting for members to connect on a personal and professional level while also delving deeply into the essential elements of Board Governance.

During the first day of the retreat, facilitators Anthony Everett and Calum Matthews, 4VI’s Vice President of Strategy and Sustainability, engaged TU’s board in multiple interactive activities that got members thinking and brainstorming in new ways. Through fun and easy-to-use digital tools, participants had a chance to anonymously share and discuss different perceptions of their organisation, allowing facilitators to gain clarity on the many different priorities that needed to be flushed out.

Once board members had a chance to share their own values and perspectives, it was time to reconcile individual intentions with the fiduciary responsibilities of Board Members according to the Societies Act. This was an enlightening experience for all as they came to understand what is and is not the responsibility of a Board Member, why Board Governance matters, and the benefits of a cohesive Board strategy.

Changing Course While Keeping True to Community

As a remote community highly reliant on tourism, Ucluelet is on the edge both literally and figuratively. With world-renowned Tofino as its nearest neighbouring community, Ucluelet tends to lean into its rugged identity as a differentiating factor. Contrasting the polished image of Tofino, Ucluelet attracts travellers who desire a more raw, authentic west coast experience. Ucluelet is a family town, and its citizens want it to stay that way.

Thus, when it came time to start thinking about strategy for Tourism Ucluelet, Anthony and Calum knew they needed to start by asking Board Members to consider what their stakeholders expected of them, as well as how they could better serve their community as DMO. This kind of organisational self-reflection was powerful, shifting focus away from solely promoting tourism vendors to considering how tourism impacts the holistic wellbeing of the entire community. At this point, important topics like sustainability, quality of life, and respect for Indigenous cultures became unignorable amongst Board Members. By connecting their roles as tourism leaders to the values they share as community members, TU’s Board became ready to transform into a more proactive, ethical, and effective driver of sustainable tourism.

“Communities are turning to tourism to fix problems,” states Denise Stys-Norman, “and with tourism as the largest economic driver here, people are looking to us for solutions and support. We needed to demonstrate our commitment to the community, and we couldn’t do that without strong strategy and strong governance. 4VI was instrumental in propelling us to where we needed to be.”

Drawing from each Board Members’ varied experiences, 4VI’s facilitators guided the process of updating TU’s board policy manual to reflect current and future priorities. Together, facilitators also reframed the role of subcommittees, helping TU to streamline decision making processes and keep regular Board meetings focussed on long-term strategy and vision. Four new subcommittees were created to ensure important decisions were made by those with the right backgrounds, such as Finance and HR.

With roles, responsibilities, and expectations renewed and clarified, TU’s Board Members were then primed to start thinking about the future. With guidance from Anthony and Calum, TU’s Board members revamped their workbook and monthly meeting calendar to reflect renewed focus on shared priorities such as Reconciliation, Marketing, Sustainability, and Stakeholder Engagement. In brainstorming various future-focussed strategies, TU’s Board Members became “reinvigorated” to influence change at a high level within the community they know and love.

Renewed Committment

Since completing 4VI’s Board Governance training, Denise Stys-Norman has enjoyed watching members adapt and get excited about “the new framework.”

“We don’t want to lose the fun in our work, but we also understand the value of the process and the rule of order. Being able to maintain some casualness and honour individuals’ motivation for being present has been important as we transition out of a working board into a governance and strategy board.”

Today, Tourism Ucluelet continues to build on the momentum generated during their 2022 Planning Retreat, and they look forward to repeating the process with some new board members in 2023. Through weekly one-on-one coaching with 4VI’s CEO Anthony Everett, TU’s Board Chair and Executive Director always have an outside perspective they can count on as their organisation focuses attention on more than just the bottom line.

In the words of Denise Stys-Norman, “We need to be adaptable in our role. Our job [as a DMO] is to bring visitors to the community to support the businesses that support our local economy – but it’s also about bringing the right customers; people who mirror the values of our community, and respect our community’s values.”

What’s Next?

Tourism Ucluelet’s investment in Board Governance training is paying off. If you’re curious about investing in similar training for your non-profit leadership team, reach out to [email protected] to learn more.