Boudicca

Not sure whether to post this here or in bicycle mechanics, but I figure I'm more likely to understand the answers here. I'm looking for advice...

I have a well-loved Rocky Mountain Whistler hybrid, which I use as my commuting/runaround bike, as well as a road bike, which is never going to be a good bike to tour because it's just too twitchy to take a load. So I've started wondering if I could (or should) convert the hybrid to a tourer. I'd want drop handlebars, because I find them more comfortable for distances, and I suppose I'd swap out the suspension fork for something else. But is this even a sensible idea? And what else would I need to change?

Right now I'm looking for a bike for week-long, motel-type tours, so all I'd need is rear panniers for some bike stuff and the clothes I'm wearing from day to day -- no tent, no sleeping bag, no cooking gear. The bike has a triple chain ring in the front and Deore/Acera, although I swapped out the rear cassette for one with somewhat smaller teeth as I never, ever, ever used the granny gear. I've done about 7,000 km on it, and it's still going strong.

Picture below, if I can remember how to post it....

And thanks for your insights.