INDUSTRY TRAINING, OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

LAUNCH OF NEW ONLINE TRAINING CAMPUS FOR TIANS/NSTHRC

TIANS and the Nova Scotia Tourism Human Resource Council have just launched our NEW Online Training Campus - featuring additional courses, emerit training, Serve Right certification and more.  We invite you to explore the many options available - Check out the NEW Campus for your training needs: https://campus.tourismhrc.com/

Serve Right - Nova Scotia's Responsible Beverage Service Training Program
Our Serve Right Programs have been developed in Nova Scotia and have recently been updated to reflect current case law and best practices. In August of 2024 the Nova Scotia government mandated that all liquor licensees in the province complete responsible beverage service training. To support Industry, TIANS/NSTHRC adjusted the cost for training - now $35 Server and $50 Manager.  Online Registration is quick and easy on the NEW NSTHRC Campus.

Upgrade Your Skills with emerit 
TIANS/NSTHRC offer emerit Occupation-Specific Modules and National Certification to support professional growth across the Tourism Industry. Are you a Line Cook? Front Desk Agent? Housekeeping Room Attendant? Whether you’re in front-line service or management, these modules provide the practical knowledge you need to succeed. Or sign up today for emerit's Workplace Essentials, Pathways to Indigenous Market Readiness or Make Safe programs. 

Newly Added: Respect and Inclusion in the Workplace
We are excited to introduce Respect and Inclusion in the Workplace, designed to help you foster a safe and respectful environment for all employees.  Endorsed by Safety Services Canada, this course will give you the tools to create a workplace where respect is at the core of everything you do. Highlights include: diversity, including ethnicity, culture, gender and age; discrimination, harassment, and bullying in the workplace; inclusive work culture where everyone feels valued

If you have questions regarding our online or in-person training options, please contact us at training@tourism.ca. 

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND WEBINARS

BUILDING INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP 
Limited Seats Remaining - Register by 1PM Monday Feb. 3

Tuesday, February 4th, 2025 from 9:00am-4:00pm at Best Western Chocolate Lake Halifax
Contact us to secure your place: angela@tourism.ca / 902.423.4480
This  workshop will reflect upon inclusive leadership capabilities & examine ways of understanding inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) from a personal, leadership, systems and organizational lens. Participants will be invited to examine strategies that will assist them in their efforts to advance an IDEA agenda within their respective organizations.  The outcomes for this interactive workshop will provide tools to: Reflect upon ‘individual’ inclusive leadership capabilities; Reflect upon interactions between self, systems and organizational culture; Define inclusive leadership; Introduce best practices for IDEA within the Tourism Industry; Review and resolve conflicts related to IDEA in the workplace; Introduce practical strategies to cultivate a more inclusive organizational culture; and Identify ways to transfer learning into practice.

Facilitator Crystal Taylor - President of Ebony Consulting; a seasoned HR practitioner, results-driven IDEA strategist and coach, with a passion for helping organizations and individuals build the cultural capacity that they require to achieve their organizational goals and objectives.

There is no cost for this Industry workshop - offered by TIANS/NSTHRC in partnership with Tourism Nova Scotia.   

MENTAL RESILIENCE TRAINING
We are presenting two upcoming workshops on Mental Health Resilience Training in the coming months. Employing the principles of stress management, goal setting, and "The Big 4", this training will be offered as two half-day, in-person workshops for leaders and front-line staff.
The Management workshop will cover topics to help you better provide your teams with mental resilience support. This is followed by an Employee session for your staff, addressing stress inside and outside the workplace.

Each course will be an interactive, half-day format.  There is no cost for these training opportunities, provided by TIANS/NSTHRC in partnership with Tourism Nova Scotia.

Management Session – Thursday, February 27 │ 9:30am-12pm │ The Prince George Hotel
Employee Session – Thursday, March 6 │ 9:30am-12pm │ Cambridge Suites Hotel

Both are in-person workshops and will be facilitated by Chris O'Brien with Ridgeback Security
For more information or to register – contact Lynn at lynn@tourism.ca / 902.423.4480 
 

PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS USING AI WEBINAR
Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Register here
This webinar is offered in partnership between Tourism Nova Scotia and Digital Nova Scotia through DigiPort. Explore how AI can enhance your tourism business's social media strategy in our 1-hour webinar. Learn to analyze campaign effectiveness, boost engagement, and drive better results with AI-powered tools and insights tailored for the tourism industry. Understand how AI tools provide precise, real-time analysis of social media performance. Use AI techniques to optimize audience engagement and predict trends. Learn actionable steps to seamlessly integrate AI into your social media strategy.

Presenter Melissa Lloyd - 25 years in creativity and design and 7+ years in mindfulness and emotional intelligence training, has focused on AI since 2022, specializing in large language models like ChatGPT. 

WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE PROVINCE

CELEBRATE AFRICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN NOVA SCOTIA
February marks African Heritage Month in Nova Scotia, recognizing the important contributions and vibrant culture and history of African Nova Scotians. This year’s theme, Legacy in Action: Celebrating Black Brilliance, highlights the achievements and resilience of African Nova Scotians, who have played an important role in shaping the province's history for more than 400 years. The month-long celebration includes events and activities designed to educate, inspire and build connections across the province.
Fast Facts:
- Nova Scotia first observed Black History Month in 1988 and renamed it African Heritage Month in 1996
- The African Heritage Month Information Network at the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia collaborates with African Nova Scotian organizations to plan and promote events
- African Nova Scotians represent 2.4% of the provincial population, with 71.8% tracing their roots back three generations or more in Nova Scotia
- In December, Canada committed to adopting a second International Decade for People of African Descent

Learn More About African Nova Scotian Culture! 

ANNAPOLIS VALLEY TOURISM NETWORK EVENT
Our Partners at the Annapolis Valley Tourism Network have another fun and interactive event planned for Tuesday, February 11th. Step into the shoes of Culinary and Tourism Program students and experience an evening of hands-on learning.

Enjoy three engaging 20-minute sessions: Pastry, Culinary Arts, and Tourism. Afterward, gather in the assembly room for tourism announcements and networking opportunities.

Plan to Attend! Space is limited for this free event, register early. 
Valley Regional Enterprise Network #ValleyREN #ValleyTourism

DID YOU KNOW?

ATLANTIC CANADA AGREEMENT ON TOURISM (ACAT)  
More About ACAT - Strategic marketing campaigns in partnership with key tour operators in our international markets are the most important tactics within the Atlantic Canada Agreement on Tourism  travel trade program. Last year there were 33 joint marketing partnerships formed with key tour operators to influence 2024 visitation to Atlantic Canada. Those partnerships generated close to $30 million in ACAT related sales and over 88,000 room nights. To date, there are 36 partnerships confirmed to influence 2025 travel and 104 travel trade guests hosted on 14 fam tours, to experience Atlantic Canada’s tourism product firsthand.

Click here to view the recording of the ACAT 2024 US Consumer Research key findings webinar presented by Margaret Brigley, CEO & Partner, Narrative Research. A PDF copy of the presentation is also available.  

THE NEW TOURISM ACCESSIBILITY READINESS RESEARCH HAS BEEN RELEASED  
A new report developed in partnership between TIANS and Tourism Nova Scotia has been released that provides insight on Industry Readiness for incoming provincial accessibility standards. The work also included a review of trends in accessible tourism, and best practices case studies.

Normalizing accessibility as a standard practice in the tourism sector may appear as a lofty goal, but with information and support, operators can make improvements; often with reasonable investment. With dedicated efforts and intentional attitudes, the province’s tourism industry can become a leader in accessibility improvements.

THANK YOU!  THE TIANS TEAM