Who We Are & What We Do

With a growing interest in eco, adventure, aboriginal and cultural tourism, Tofino Air recognized the opportunity to make Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast an ultimate travel destination for such excursions.  In July 2010 after months of research, preparation and networking, Distinctly West Coast was launched.

Distinctly West Coast is the marketing, promotion and sales division of Tofino Air which operates as an internal boutique agency that represents this scenic floatplane travel company and a select number of complementary service partners.

Distinctly West Coast’s first step was to develop professional and personal relationships with small businesses on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast that specialized in providing a ‘unique West Coast experience’. With overwhelming interest from tour operators, B&B’s,  hotels and resorts, DWC developed the Mild to Wild adventure itinerary ideas with the best way to get you there… Tofino Air.

Tofino Air created DWC to be a portal for creating successful experiences and in turn successful business.  Travelers today are looking for local travel, shorter stays and the ability to customize their trips; therefore DWC sourced unique organizations and businesses on the Island to offer travelers itinerary ideas that meet these needs.  While doing so, DWC and Tofino Air profile their service partners and build capacity in these businesses creating a win-win for everyone.

Charlene SanJenko, under the guidance of Tofino Air owner Chris Danroth, began researching, interviewing and listening to the needs of travelers and the needs of local businesses. After determining a niche market (travellers wanting to experience something unique and different that included eco, cultural, aboriginal and adventure), they decided to develop a sales, marketing and promotional arm of Tofino Air, now known as Distinctly West Coast.

In order to get DWC off the ground, an experienced and skilled team of seasoned professionals and passionate service partners were recruited for the purposes of INNOVATION and COLLABORATION! These individuals were handpicked based on the roles they needed played, referrals and attitude. A strategy was then devised to ensure that DWC and their service providers would both benefit from featured itineraries.

Tofino Air has secured several successful partnerships with both Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast businesses and organizations as a result of Distinctly West Coast increasing awareness and visitation to both regions. Through the vehicle of Distinctly West Coast, Tofino Air continues to seek out new opportunities and partnerships and will continue to create unique West Coast experiences for travellers seeking a Mild or Wild adventure in one of the most beautiful places in the world.