Thompson Rivers University Tourism Management

11/03/2026

We love seeing our TRU Tourism alumni putting what they've learned into practice!

Mitchell Forgie, TRU alumnus and Destination Development Manager at Tourism Kamloops, recently shared an article that asks a great question: “What belongs here?”

In What Belongs Here? Lessons in Destination Development from IAAPA, Mitchell looks at how destinations can create experiences that attract visitors while also benefiting the communities that call these places home.

Destination development is an important part of what we teach in our Tourism Management programs, so it's great to see these conversations happening right here in Kamloops.

Congratulations, Mitchell! We're proud to see the work you're doing and encourage our students, alumni and industry partners to give his article a read.

🔗 Read the article:

What does destination development actually mean, and how do we build experiences that make people want to visit, stay longer and come back?

10/19/2026

Well, this is something we're pretty proud of!

TRU Tourism Management has been highlighted as one of Thompson Rivers University's standout programs in Maclean's magazine! 🎉

What makes this recognition especially meaningful is that Maclean's highlighted something that's a big part of what we do here: bringing classroom learning together with real-world experiences and co-op opportunities.

For students, that means getting the chance to take what they're learning and put it to work in an industry with so many different career paths.

We're proud to see Tourism Management getting this recognition, and even prouder of the students, faculty and industry partners who make up our TRU Tourism community.

10/15/2026

Have you met David Carter? 👋

David teaches in Tourism Management, with a focus on events, the business side of tourism and innovation. His own path into tourism started when he realized something he already loved — travel — was actually something he could study.

His reminder to students: tourism is about more than dollars and cents. You get to be part of some of the most significant moments in people’s lives.

As David says, “It’s supposed to be fun.”

10/13/2026

Meet Jesse 👋

If there’s one thing Jesse Godlington’s career shows, it’s that a degree in tourism can take you in some pretty interesting directions.

Jesse graduated from TRU with a Bachelor of Tourism Management in 2018. These days, you’ll find him in Squamish, where he’s the founder and lead guide at Squamish Climbing Academy.

Jesse is an ACMG Rock Guide, and through Squamish Climbing Academy he works with kids and families getting outside and onto real rock. They offer after-school climbing, camps, courses, group adventures and private guiding. His work combines guiding and mentorship to help young climbers build confidence, safety skills and outdoor experience.

One of his favourite camp memories is of an eight-year-old he took on How Did I Get Here?, a 5.8 multipitch climb in Chek Canyon. She was scared, worked through it and made it to the top. By the time they were heading back down, she told Jesse it was her favourite day of camp.

Jesse’s career hasn’t followed a straight path. After TRU, he helped found Phoenix Magnet Academy, an experiential boarding school focused on outdoor education. When it closed, he used that experience in youth programming and climbing to launch Squamish Climbing Academy.

Climbing has taken Jesse across Australia, including the Blue Mountains, Tasmania and Arapiles. But Squamish is still his favourite. It’s home, has world-class granite and is where he gets to introduce kids and families to climbing.

Jesse is also Vice Chair of the Squamish Access Society, helping protect climbing access and steward local crags, and in the off-season, he coaches the wrestling team at Howe Sound Secondary. He’s even been featured in Gripped Magazine talking about kids and outdoor climbing.

We asked Jesse what he’d tell students considering a career in tourism:

“Treat tourism as people and place, not only bookings and marketing. Get real operational experience early. Stay curious about the communities you work in. Be willing to start something, learn from failure, and rebuild. Keep putting real experiences and the people you serve at the centre.”

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Jesse!

10/06/2026

The BC Wildfire Symposium is taking place this week at TRU.

Co-hosted by Thompson Rivers University and the University of University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), more than 170 delegates are joining us in Kamloops for 30 presentations, five panels and 25 posters, along with a keynote and closing plenary presentation.

This year’s theme is “Fire in a Changing World,” with conversations covering fire prediction and mapping, fire and forest management, wildfire and tourism, wildfire adaptation and mitigation, fire regime and climate change, fire and ecology, and more.

Tourism’s own Jason Johnston is also part of the program, joining a panel on post-wildfire recovery in Jasper.

We’re looking forward to a great few days of sharing knowledge, ideas and conversations here at TRU.

10/05/2026

🔗 https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=Gp0c6-jml0CH_rsBaQk1t-CS2GmZRwpApUkk3O8VgJJUQURZMjBIOUs3SUc3SjNLSzRYU1BMRkJYWS4u&route=shorturl

Want to start building your tourism network before you graduate?

We’re looking for Tourism student ambassadors to represent TRU as table hosts at the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) Summit in Kamloops, October 7–8.

As a student ambassador, you’ll attend the Summit for free, meet and network with tourism industry professionals, and represent TRU and our Tourism programs.

There are about 10 spots available.

Interested? Sign up by Tuesday, October 6 at 4 p.m.

09/27/2026

World Tourism Day has us thinking about why we teach tourism in the first place.

Every year, we get to work with students who will go on to build businesses, plan events, manage destinations, work with communities and bring new ideas into this industry.

Some already know exactly where they want tourism to take them. Others figure that out along the way.

Today, we’re celebrating our students, alumni, faculty and the many industry partners who are part of the TRU Tourism community.

09/22/2026

Some of the most meaningful travel experiences happen when you learn the story of a place.

Indigenous tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors in Canada. Before the pandemic, it generated more than $1.9 billion in GDP and supported over 39,000 jobs across the country.

From cultural tours and storytelling to outdoor adventures and culinary experiences, Indigenous tourism offers visitors the chance to connect with land, culture and community in powerful ways.

For tourism students, it’s also an opportunity to learn how tourism can be developed in ways that are respectful, community-led and grounded in culture.

Tourism isn’t just about visiting a destination. It’s about understanding it.

📸 Secwepemc Museum & Heritage Park

09/18/2026

What can you do with a Tourism degree? Emma Matusiak has a pretty great answer.

Emma studied Tourism at TRU, specializing in events, and today she owns Elm & Peony Events right here in Kamloops.

Her interest in events actually started when she was 17 and helped plan a surprise wedding hidden inside a 50th birthday party. Years later, she turned that interest into a career and eventually her own business, Elm & Peony Events, in March 2020.

Since then, Emma has planned 81 weddings, building a business around the part of events she has always loved most: the people.

Emma was recently featured in Faces of Kamloops, sharing more about her path from TRU student to business owner and what she’s learned along the way.

We love seeing where our Tourism grads take their careers. Congratulations, Emma! 👏

09/16/2026

What is your favourite travel destination and why?