Destination BC Launches FIFA Promotion at IMM 2025

Destination BC, together with BC Tourism FC partners, stoked excitement for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Vancouver at the International Media Marketplace in Sydney, February 13-14, and London, February 17-18. With over 400 travel media and global companies in the audience at each event, we worked alongside partners Destination Vancouver, Destination Canada, and Tourism Whistler to raise awareness of British Columbia’s role in hosting 7 of the tournament’s matches in Vancouver and encourage travel throughout the province before, during, and after the tournament.

At IMM Australia 2025, we worked with Australian broadcaster and host of SBS Australia’s “The Weekly Football Wrap”, Claudio Fabiano, to present his personal experiences of attending previous FIFA events and highlight key messages promoting British Columbia’s involvement in 2026. 

“Believe me when I say there’s nothing like a FIFA World Cup,” Claudio shared with the room full of editors, journalists, broadcasters and influencers at the event. “You really understand a World Cup when you realize the most amazing things happen off the pitch, and the experience you have in a host city can stay with you forever. For the first time ever, 32 will become 48. Not only 48 teams trying to etch themselves into eternal sporting glory, but 48 different styles of football, sets of fans, music, food, fashion, cultural expressions… and that’s not including the millions that follow along even though their nation didn’t qualify.”

Image 1 | Left to Right: Krista Alcazar (Destination Vancouver), Lizzie Doyle (Destination BC Australia Media/PR), Claudio Fabiano (SBS, The Weekly Football Wrap), and Monica Leeck (Destination BC) pose together at IMM 2025 Australia; Image 2, 3 | Claudio Fabiano speaking at IMM 2025 Australia Luncheon sponsored by Destination BC.

For IMM UK 2025, we partnered with Dan Marsland, Head of Marketing at Weird Fish Clothing, to share his first-hand experiences of the province with an engaged audience and showcase some of the imagery captured by him and his crew on their 2023 campaign photoshoot. The photoshoot featured iconic imagery of nature, wildlife, scenery, activities and Indigenous Peoples from various locations in BC.

Image 1 | Destination BC’s Rosie Barcroft presenting at IMM UK 2025; Image 2, 3 | Dan Marsland from Weird Fish presenting at IMM UK 2025 Luncheon sponsored by Destination BC.

Presentations at both of these events were anchored by a new video aimed at tourism industry partners to encourage travel to British Columbia in times during and surrounding the tournament.

Watch Now! British Columbia Welcomes the World FIFA World Cup 2026: https://youtu.be/qMIvw7QkFgI