A Message from Hon. Anne Kang, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport

Minister Anne Kang is sharing the following statement on wildfires for tourism partners across the province:

Wildfires are having a profound impact on some communities in B.C., and our first priority remains keeping people safe.

At the same time, we know wildfires can have significant impacts on local businesses, workers, and communities, particularly during the peak tourism season. For many in the tourism and hospitality sectors, this is a critical time of year, and this creates uncertainty and unforeseen challenges.

I want to thank our tourism and hospitality partners, including hotels, campgrounds, mountain resorts, restaurants, attractions and many other tourism businesses that are assisting evacuees, visitors and affected communities.

Throughout the province, tourism operators, associations and visitor centres continue to amplify official messaging, provide timely traveller information and help identify and coordinate available resources to support the needs of B.C. residents and others visiting the province. Beyond these practical supports, the sector continues to demonstrate remarkable kindness and compassion to those facing uncertainty.

I especially want to thank accommodation providers throughout the province for supporting the wildfire response by providing a place to stay for the thousands of people who need it. Countless accommodation providers and their staff have gone above and beyond to support evacuees and response personnel. I am also grateful for the leadership and support of the BC Hotel Association, BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, and Visit Penticton, whose recent coordination efforts have been instrumental in assisting the Province, and communities, businesses and evacuees throughout the Okanagan.

The examples of community care and generosity are too many to list. Restaurants and cafés throughout the province have been providing free and discounted meals to evacuees. Businesses have been supporting food banks, collecting supplies for emergency response organizations and providing services and activities for displaced families.

I also want to recognize the strong collaboration taking place between our government and industry throughout this response. Representatives from my ministry, Destination BC and Emergency Management and Climate Readiness are working daily alongside the Tourism Industry Association of BC, Indigenous Tourism BC, tourism regions, community destination management organizations and others to share information, coordinate response efforts, support travellers and businesses and help minimize impacts throughout the province. This collaboration is critical to ensuring stakeholders have timely information and that the needs of communities and businesses are reflected as the response evolves.

Outside of affected areas, communities throughout British Columbia remain ready to welcome visitors. We know many tourism businesses are counting on the summer season, and we are encouraging visitors to continue exploring communities that are open and welcoming guests. Anyone travelling should check EmergencyInfoBC, DriveBC, and Destination BC’s Know Before You Go resources for the latest information.

No matter where you are in the province, one way we can all support fire-affected communities is to look for the Buy BC label when we shop. It’s an easy way to identify products that are grown, raised or processed in B.C. If you’re eating out, order a B.C. wine or cider, and ask whether locally grown ingredients are available in your meal.

As communities begin returning home and recovering from wildfire impacts, tourism businesses will play an essential role in driving recovery, supporting local economies and welcoming visitors back when the time is right. We recognize that recovery will look different in every community, and we will continue working with industry to understand where support is needed most.

Our government will continue to work closely with tourism partners and stand with communities, workers, and businesses as B.C. responds to the wildfires. Thank you again to our tourism partners for your continued leadership, collaboration and support for communities across B.C.