Destination BC awards $4.0 million to support collaborative tourism marketing partnerships

VANCOUVER – Destination BC is providing $4.0 million in fiscal 2018/19 to support 62 marketing initiatives around the province through the Co-Op Marketing Partnerships Program. Destination BC’s funds will be matched by the programs participants on a one-to-one basis, at minimum.

Designed around collaboration, the Co-Op Marketing Partnerships Program encourages partnerships between groups, sectors and communities that share common marketing goals to leverage funding in order to maximize their marketing efforts. Participants span all six regions of the province with support for community-based tourism projects as well as sectors such as golf, mountain biking, wine touring and fishing.

Funding is awarded on a competitive application basis. Since launching in 2016, the Co-Op Marketing Partnerships Program has seen an annual increase in participation from communities and sectors around the province. During the 2018/19 intake, Destination BC received $5.26 million in funding applications for the $4.0 million budget.

Now entering its third year, the Co-Op Marketing Partnerships Program continues to align BC’s tourism industry in innovative ways to raise tourism revenue across the province. In 2016, the tourism industry in BC generated $17 billion in revenue, a 7.9% increase over 2015, and a 39.3% increase in the past decade. Tourism contributed $7.9 billion in GDP, similar to the Oil & Gas industry at $8.2 billion.

The BC Ale Trail is one of the Co-Op Marketing Partnership Programs that encompasses all six tourism regions. Through partnership, the BC Ale Trail has worked to promote craft brewery destinations across BC by creating unique content, new itineraries and podcasts. Watch Paul Kamon, Executive Director of Sunshine Coast Tourism and Tourism Consultant/Lead Administrator of the BC Ale Trail share the story behind the BC Ale Trail and their experience working with the Co-Op Marketing Partnership Program.

All applications are carefully reviewed against the program criteria and requirements. Visit the Co-op Marketing Partnerships Program page on Destination BC’s website to learn more about the program and application guidelines.

See Backgrounder A for the complete list of participants for each funding stream.

Quotes:
Marsha Walden, CEO, Destination BC
“The tourism industry understands the power that comes from working together in a fiercely competitive global marketplace. Through the Co-Op Marketing Partnerships Program we have seen diverse groups of communities and organisations strategize collectively to transform their tourism landscape. We are excited to see what more they will accomplish in the year ahead.”

Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture
“Destination BC’s Co-Op Marketing Partnerships Program provides incredible opportunities tor the tourism industry to pool their resources and creativity,” said Minister Lisa Beare, “Tourism is an important, sustainable industry that provides jobs for more than 130,000 British Columbians. Whether creating new content or forming new collaborations, I look forward to watching partners in this Co-Op Program grow their marketing impact in the year ahead and grow more good jobs for British Columbians.”

About Destination BC
Destination BC is an industry-led Crown corporation that works collaboratively with tourism stakeholders across the province to coordinate marketing at the international, provincial, regional and local levels. For more information about Destination BC’s programs and services, please visit: DestinationBC.ca

For additional information, please contact:
Media Relations
Destination BC
Email: Media.Relations@DestinationBC.ca