Presented by

THOMPSON NICOLA
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“Spark" Mentorships & Grants Program

Do you have a new tourism idea for the Thompson Nicola area?
If so, we want to hear from you!

Whether you are an individual, a start-up or an established small business or non-profit organization, there can be many challenges and barriers to bringing a new tourism idea, experience or partnership to fruition. 

​We want to help. The “Spark" Program will match selected candidates with a tourism mentor and provide a source of financial support to help take your great new tourism idea to the next level of development or implementation.

Our goal is to inspire Thompson Nicola area residents, entrepreneurs, small businesses, non-profit organizations and community groups to come forward with creative ideas that will generate new tourism opportunities, offerings, experiences and partnerships in the area.

The program includes:

• Call out for applications from individuals, small businesses, non-profits and community groups
• Application reviews by a jury including local and provincial tourism leaders and innovators
• Finalists' Pitch Session (our friendly take on a tourism Dragon's Den):  
  • ​Save the date: December 1 @ 1:00-3:30pm PST
• Selection of 3 winning applicants from the Thompson Nicola area

Selected applicants will receive:

• 3 month mentorship with a tourism innovator, experienced operator, industry leader and/or sector expert
• $3,000 “Spark" grant to support tourism idea development activities
• Access to a support network of tourism innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders
• ​Ongoing guidance on other resources and support services provided by partners

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All program applicants will be invited to join our “Spark" community of tourism innovators, idea makers, partners and supporters for special networking events, one-on-one's, and development workshops.​

See past winners of the “Spark" Program in BC

​APPLICATION DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 4, 2022
Register for an upcoming Info Session below
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Info Sessions / Webinars

Interested in applying to the Thompson Nicola “Spark" Program? Register for an upcoming info session (webinar) to learn more:

• Info Session #1: October 4, 11:30am-12:00pm PST - REGISTER
• Info Session #2: October 20, 5:00pm-5:30pm PST - REGISTER

Thompson Nicola “Spark" Application Guide

Who Can Apply?

• Individuals 18+ who live/work in the Thompson Nicola area (Thompson-Nicola Regional District + Valemount)
• Small businesses (up to 10 full-time year-round employees) based in the Thompson Nicola area (new and existing)
• Small non-profit organizations (up to 10 full-time year-round employees) and community groups based in the Thompson Nicola area

The eligible area includes the following eligible communities and the surrounding areas:

Ashcroft, Avola, Barriere, Blue River, Cache Creek, Chase, Clearwater (including Wells Gray Provincial Park), Clinton, Kamloops, Logan Lake, Lytton, Merritt, Savona, Spences Bridge, Sun Peaks, Valemount.

Please contact outreach@tourisminnovation.ca with any questions about eligibility.

​What Are We Looking For?
We are looking for new tourism ideas for the Thompson Nicola area that address one or more of the following:

• Enhances current tourism offerings
• Creates new, high-quality tourism experiences
• Addresses gaps in tourism products and services
• Motivates travel, longer stays and repeat visits
• Increases visitation and tourism spending
• Regenerative tourism experiences that allow visitors to connect with the destination, while contributing to the health of a community

Tourism ideas must be based in and benefit the Thompson Nicola area, including the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and Valemount.

Preference will be given to ideas with a focus on regenerative tourism.

What Is A “Tourism” Idea?
Experiences, products and partnerships that motivate travel to your area by people living more than 40km away, across the provincial border or internationally, and provide engagement, participation, purchasing and/or travel related opportunities while they are visiting. 

What Do We Mean By “New" / “Early Stage" / “Start Up”?
Tourism experiences, products, businesses and partnerships that are in the ideation stage, have just been created, are under development, or have been promoted/offered publicly for 6 months or less.

Other “Tourism” Definitions and Examples
Experiences: Opportunities for visitors to engage, participate, interact, learn and explore in an area to get a local understanding and broader awareness of a destination, often combining different elements (eg. farmers market tour followed by a culinary class led by a local chef) 
Regenerative Tourism Experiences: Hands-on tourism experiences or opportunities for visitors to engage, participate, interact, learn, and explore in an area to gain a local understanding and broader awareness of a destination, often combining different elements (e.g. voluntourism - such as trail building and invasive species reduction - or experiences that conserve existing cultural heritage and promote intercultural understanding)    
Products: Buyable goods and services related to tourism in the area (eg. accommodations, attractions, tours, ticketed events, travel packages and other tourism bundles)
Collaborative Partnerships: ​Two or more businesses/organizations working together to promote and/or deliver a new tourism related experience or product (eg. Metro Zoo + Cycling Group = “Jungle Ride” event)

“Spark" Program Application

How to Apply?
Submit a short document (1,000 words maximum) with responses to each of the following 8 questions:

1. Contact information (name, phone number, email, business/organization name, website).
2. Tell us about yourself, your small business or non-profit organization.
3. What’s your new tourism idea?
4. How is your idea innovative or unique?
5. What stage are you at with your idea?
6. Who are your target market(s) and/or partner(s)?
7. How would you utilize the “Spark” mentorship and grant funds if selected?
8. What are your hoped for outcomes and impacts?

Download the application form and provide a response to each of the 8 questions keeping the full document under 1000 words or less.

download application form

In addition to the application document, please include a file or link to a short (1 minute maximum) unedited, unproduced video introducing yourself, your small business, or non-profit organization, and your new tourism idea. For example, use your smart phone to take the video, and then upload it to a file sharing service (eg. Dropbox, Google Docs, WeTransfer) or a publicly accessible video sharing website such as YouTube (if you don’t want other people to find it, mark it as unlisted) and include the file or link in your email with your application document.

IMPORTANT: Both the document (1,000 word maximum) and video (1 minute maximum) are required for a complete application submission. Incomplete applications or applications that are above the maximum word/time limits will not be reviewed. ​

Deadline: November 4, 2022 at 11:59pm PST

​Please submit your application to apply@tourisminnovation.ca and include “Thompson Nicola “Spark" Application" in the subject line.

Emails will be sent to confirm receipt of all applications. If you do not receive a confirmation email, send another email or call 1-844-455-0325 ext. 2 to make sure we received your application. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted or reviewed.

Your Application and Personal Information
By submitting an application, you agree that all of the information contained in your application is complete and accurate. You also consent that the Tourism Innovation Lab and its partners may collect the personal information contained herein within the application review process and for future program related communications. Your application will be kept confidential during the review period. All review jury and judge panel decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

​Learn more about the Tourism Innovation Lab

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Western Canada Home Base
Tourism Innovation Lab
c/o The Common
38016 Cleveland Ave, Squamish, BC V8B 0A1
info@tourisminnovation.ca
1-844-455-0325 x 2 (toll-free)

We respectfully acknowledge that our home base in Squamish sits on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples: Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam First Nations. We will honour that by collaborating with Indigenous-led organizations and businesses to support the advancement of Indigenous tourism in the region and across Canada.

Central Canada Home Base 
Tourism Innovation Lab
c/o University of Windsor - EPICentre
​2455 Wyandotte St W, Windsor, ON N9B 3B3
​​​info@tourisminnovation.ca
1-844-455-0325 x 1 (toll-free)

We respectfully acknowledge that our home base in Windsor sits on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations, which is comprised of the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomi Peoples. We will honour that by collaborating with Indigenous-led organizations and businesses to support the advancement of Indigenous tourism in the region and across Canada.