Tourism Sun Peaks (TSP) voted to adopt a new set of bylaws during its annual general meeting, concluding a year marked by major organizational change and a renewed focus on growing Sun Peaks as a year-round tourism destination. Chris Rogers, the chair of the board of directors for TSP opened the meeting.
“It’s been a year of significant transition for our organization,” Rogers said. “We undertook a strategic shift to support the development of a year-round tourism economy at Sun Peaks.”
While the organization’s past focus was primarily on destination marketing, the new direction includes both marketing and long-term destination management. Rogers also noted that it was the first full year with executive director Naomi Kerchinsky at the helm, as well as a year where the board brought in new external expertise from Fourth Management.
“This marks a pretty meaningful addition to our previous focus,” Rogers said. “It’s been a really busy and exciting year, and as with any period of change, we think we’ve probably dropped a few balls along the way, but we’ve also had some strong early wins that we’re pretty happy about.”
30-year-old bylaws rewritten
The biggest item on the meeting agenda was a resolution to approve amended and restated bylaws, replacing the original ones written nearly three decades ago.
“Several factors made it clear that it was time for a very comprehensive review and update,” Rogers said.
Key reasons for the update included aligning with B.C.’s Societies Act, simplifying processes and documentation, and rebalancing the fees contributed by Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR). The resolution was approved by members following a brief discussion and a secret ballot vote.
“The updated bylaws don’t change the nature of the organization, they simply strengthen our ability to go forward and operate more effectively,” Rogers said.
One member raised concerns about the future reliability of Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT) revenues, noting that tourism growth may not continue at the same pace due to economic uncertainty.
“I have concerns that that will not continue in the near future, because of the economic situation in the country and the trouble we have with our neighbours and ourselves,” they said. “The economy may not support increases in tourism the way we would have expected.”
“You’re right that our need to rebalance the formula now is driven by that progressive increase in the tourism tax over the last number of years,” Rogers said.
One of the biggest announcements changes was SPR’s contribution.
“Going forward, SPR’s contribution is going up by 50 per cent and will be roughly 825,000,” Rogers explained.
A year of transition for Tourism Sun Peaks
Following the vote, Kerchinsky presented a detailed year-in-review.
“If last year was a year of transition, I like to say that this year is going to be a year of foundation,” she said.
Kerchinsky walked members through the organization’s pivot from marketing-only work to destination management, as well as highlights like the launch of Sun Peaks Centre Stage and the introduction of the Sun Peaks Live channel.
“It’s been quite a year, with each month we’ve moved forward with deliberate progress,” she said.
Marketing efforts included collaborations with Freeskier, SnowSeekers and Powder Magazine, alongside expanded international outreach that saw Sun Peaks named one of the best Canadian resorts sold by top Australian and New Zealand tour operators.
“Our earned media has exploded with notable mentions in Australian Geographic, Travel + Leisure, Ski Magazine, Financial Times United Kingdom, to name a few,” Kerchinsky said. “We’re not just growing awareness, we’re converting it into measurable results.”
The Sun Peaks Production Academy (SPPA) also launched this year, training 23 locals in event staging and production.
“Everything that you see on the stage over there was done by these students and trained professionals,” Kerchinsky said.
Community conversations and challenges
In addition to growth, Kerchinsky emphasized the importance of listening to the community, citing events like Summersgiving and the SAVOUR Passport program to bring together locals and guests.
“We’re not just curating experiences for our visitors,” Kerchinsky said. “We also want to be curating experiences for our community.” Still, she acknowledged some growing pains, such as restaurant closures during shoulder seasons and businesses hidden from village foot traffic.
“We know that between May and June,buses can bring hundreds of guests between 4 and 8 p.m. Some have meal plans, some don’t. If restaurants are closed, we’re missing an opportunity,” Kerchinsky said.
She also responded to a question about the current state of the Shuswap Medicine Trail, which was damaged over the winter.
“We’re aware of it,” Kerchinsky said. “I’ve spoken with the resort, who is aware of it. They are working on it. Our intention is to try to work together on this as best we can and work with the resort.”
Tourism Sun Peaks‘ financial position and future outlook
Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler’s (KPMG) audit showed a financial deficit this year due to increased spending on marketing, operations and long-term investments, all in line with the organization’s evolving goals.
“You’ve seen growth in MRDT revenue again in the current fiscal year,” said auditor Brent Ashley. “You’ve also seen expenditures in terms of the marketing of the summer, the winter, strategic planning. It sort of backs up exactly the story Naomi was telling.”
Despite the deficit, TSP remains financially stable.
“The accounting principles and policies are applied consistently with the preceding year,” Ashley said, noting that while cash had decreased, accounts receivable, including MRDT payments and a loan receivable from the municipality, helped explain the shift.
As the meeting finished, Kerchinsky looked ahead.
“We’ve created the momentum together, not just TSP.”
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