Sunday
Sun
January 25, 2026
Jan 25
Monday
Mon
January 26, 2026
Jan 26
Tuesday
Tue
January 27, 2026
Jan 27
Wednesday
Wed
January 28, 2026
Jan 28
Keep checking back for Day of IMPACT 2026 announcements!
Songhees & Esquimalt Nation Welcome & Conference Kick-off
Location
Theatre
Speaker
TBD
Time
8:30 am
-
9:00 am
Climate Reality Check
Robert Sandford will provide our annual reality check on the state of climate change.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
Robert Sandford
Time
9:00 am
-
9:30 am
The Audacity of Hope: Exploring Tourism Through Introspection and Critical Thinking
Through a candid reflection on history, panelists will share how personal transformation and cultural humility can ripple into the way we define success.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
Paul Nursey (Moderator), Dame Pania Tyson-Nathan, Gwendall Castellan
Time
9:30 am
-
10:30 am
Morning Coffee Break
Location
Pre-Function Area
Time
10:30 am
-
11:00 am
Workshop: Tourism Leadership that Makes a Difference
Discover how sustainability drives success in tourism—not as an add-on, but as a core business strategy.
Location
Saanich Room
Speaker
Celes Davar, Trina White, Tam Andersen
Time
11:00 am
-
12:15 pm
Dose of Innovation: Authentic Indigenous Tourism - The Business Case of Pemiska Tourism
Through storytelling, Pemiska blends adventure, culture, & history, demonstrating that Indigenous tourism is not just an economic driver.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
Kevin Seesequasis
Time
11:00 am
-
11:15 am
From Place to Place - Rethinking Transportation in Tourism
This panel will explore how tourism can innovate & adapt across ground, air, rail, & marine to reduce emissions and support the overall travel experience.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
TBD
Time
11:15 am
-
12:15 pm
Lunch Keynote
Location
Carson Hall (Level 2)
Speaker
TBD
Time
12:15 pm
-
1:15 pm
Workshop: Developing a Risk Register for Climate Emergencies
Participants will be guided through creating a risk register tailored to tourism, using scenario-based exercises to identify and mitigate climate threats.
Location
Saanich Room
Speaker
Jessica Harcombe Fleming
Time
1:45 pm
-
3:00 pm
Dose of Innovation
Location
Theatre
Speaker
TBD
Time
1:45 pm
-
2:00 pm
Harnessing AI: How AI is Reshaping Our Travelling Habits
This panel explores how AI is shaping traveler behaviour & the opportunities it creates for personalization, efficiency, and regenerative practices.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
Mikhail Klassen (Moderator), Cody Chomiak, Peter De Rama
Time
2:00 pm
-
3:00 pm
Afternoon Coffee Break
Location
Pre-Function Area
Time
3:00 pm
-
3:30 pm
Case Study: Destination Queenstown's 'Travel to a Thriving Future' Roadmap
Explore how Queenstown Lakes is shaping a regenerative tourism future through the district’s roadmap to a carbon-zero visitor economy by 2030.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
Mat Woods
Time
3:30 pm
-
4:00 pm
Seven Minute Solutions
6 Speakers will speak about their respective innovative products or services that can be invaluable to the tourism industry.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
Isabella Lai, Brianna Stewart, Elwyn Thom, TBD
Time
4:00 pm
-
5:00 pm
Solutions Forum
Networking & Tables
Location
Foyer
Time
5:00 pm
Registration & Breakfast
Location
Pre-Function Area
Time
7:00 am
-
8:30 am
Mayor Alto Remarks
Location
Theatre
Speaker
Mayor Marianne Alto
Time
8:30 am
-
8:40 am
Kickstart
Location
Theatre
Time
8:40 am
-
9:00 am
Building Resilient Destinations: Lessons from Jordan
Malia shares Jordan’s strategies for socioeconomic resilience, showing how tourism can thrive while preserving culture & navigating global challenges.
Speaker
Malia Asfour
Time
9:00 am
-
9:30 am
Workshop: Respectful Travel Guidelines with Harmony Hunter
Participants will learn how destinations can collaborate with Indigenous communities & local residents to develop their own guidelines that honour culture.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
Harmony Hunter
Time
8:45 am
-
9:30 am
DMOs Driving Climate Action: Shaping Policy and Partnerships
This panel explores how DMOs act as a bridge between travellers and government, influencing climate policies and sustainability initiatives.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
TBD
Time
9:30 am
-
10:30 am
Morning Coffee Break
Location
Pre-Function Area
Time
10:30 am
-
11:00 am
Workshop: Storytelling Frameworks and Tools
Discover how storytelling is evolving in the tourism industry and how to harness it to engage today’s eco-conscious travellers.
Location
Saanich Room
Speaker
Robin Russel
Time
11:00 am
-
12:15 pm
Dose of Innovation
Location
Theatre
Time
11:00 am
-
11:15 am
Panel: Food Security - Addressing Food Waste as a Shared Responsibility
Practical ways destinations & tourism operators can collaborate to minimize waste, strengthen food networks, & approach food through a lens of stewardship.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
Tam Andersen, Jean-Francois Archambault, Chef Jared "Qwustenuxun" Williams
Time
11:15 pm
-
12:15 pm
IMPACT Awards
Location
Carson Hall (Level 2)
Time
12:15 pm
-
1:15 pm
Workshop: AI Practices for DMOs
Participants will explore how to “market to bots” as to travellers - learning strategies to optimize content & align with regenerative tourism values.
Location
Saanich Room
Speaker
Cody Chomiak
Time
1:45 pm
-
3:00 pm
Two-Eyed Seeing: Cultivating Cross-Cultural Partnerships for Climate Action
Participants explore how Indigenous knowledge and Western science can work together to inspire meaningful climate action & regenerative tourism practices.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
Harmony Hunter, Kevin Seesequasis, Dame Pania Tyson-Nathan
Time
1:45 pm
-
3:00 pm
Afternoon Coffee Break
Location
Pre-Function Area
Time
3:00 pm
-
3:30 pm
Spearheading Sustainability & Leadership in Atlantic Canada
This conversation examines the strategies & lessons learned from Atlantic Canadian initiatives-showcasing how these approaches can inspire tourism leaders.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
Stan Cook, Ian Stone, Gros Morne Inn, TBD
Time
3:30 pm
-
4:30 pm
Dose of Innovation: TBD
Location
Theatre
Time
4:30 pm
-
5:00 pm
The Gathering
Location
The Parkside Hotel
Time
6:00 pm
-
9:00 pm
Registration & Breakfast
Location
Pre-Function Area
Time
7:00 am
-
8:30 am
Kickstart
Location
Saanich Room
Time
8:30 am
-
8:45 am
Workshop: Belong with go2HR
Location
Saanich Room
Time
8:45 am
-
9:45 am
Protecting Oceans and Waters: The Role of Tourism
This panel will explore the critical role tourism can play in protecting and conserving our oceans and waterways.
Location
Theatre
Speaker
Bob Chamberlin
Time
8:45 am
-
9:45 am
Fireside chat: The Courage to be The First - Spearheading New Initiatives
Leading change takes courage. In this fireside-style conversation, explore what it means to be a first mover in climate action and nature-based tourism.
Location
Theatre
Time
9:45 am
-
10:30 am
Morning Coffee Break
Location
Pre-Function Area
Time
10:30 am
-
11:00 am
UNITE. COMMIT. ACT.
Location
Theatre
Time
11:00 am
-
11:45 am
Closing Remarks
Location
Theatre
Time
11:45 am
-
12:00 pm