Destination BC Launches Wildfire Recovery Marketing Campaign to Support Impacted Communities
Destination BC has launched BC is Open. Explore BC this Fall., a tourism recovery marketing campaign built to immediately support the communities and businesses affected by the 2026 wildfires. The campaign invites British Columbia and Alberta residents to plan a multi-day fall getaway in BC, helping to keep local spending circulating and supporting a strong, resilient visitor economy across the province.
The integrated campaign will reach travellers across paid, owned, and earned channels, in market from September 3 to October 24, 2026. Here is a high-level look at what the campaign includes, where it is focused, and how partners can take part.
Campaign at a glance:
| Campaign | BC is Open. Explore BC this Fall. |
| What it is | A tourism recovery marketing campaign led by Destination BC to help communities and businesses affected by the 2026 wildfires. |
| In market | September 3 to October 24, 2026, with a staggered tactic rollout. |
| Markets | British Columbia (primary) and Alberta (secondary), with earned media extending into Ontario. |
| Focus areas | Impacted and neighbouring areas, including the Thompson Okanagan, Kootenay Rockies, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, and the Fraser Canyon. |
| Channels | Paid Tactics – Traditional – TV & streaming, and sponsored content. Digital – Meta, YouTube, Performance Max.
Owned/earned Channels – Web, email, social, partner collab social posts, earned media. |
Who and where the campaign supports
Areas supported
The campaign focuses on impacted and neighbouring areas that are open, welcoming, and ready for visitors right now, including the Thompson Okanagan, Kootenay Rockies, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, and the Fraser Canyon. These communities are open for business this fall and eager to host guests.
Audiences
The campaign focuses on reaching residents in British Columbia (primary) and Alberta (secondary), our key short-haul and drive markets for fall travel.
What the campaign includes
The campaign brings together paid, owned, and earned tactics in a staggered rollout over six weeks. Here is a high-level look at each piece.
Paid recovery marketing
- Objective: remind BC and Alberta residents that BC is open, and motivate them to plan a multi-day overnight trip this fall.
- Creative message: Explore BC this Fall, expanded to BC is Open for video assets.
- Tactics: traditional TV, streaming and sponsored content on CTV and CBC, plus digital across Meta, YouTube, and Performance Max.
- In market: September 3 to October 24, 2026, with TV ads live as of September 14.
Building on our US fall campaign
This recovery work builds on paid marketing already in market in the United States. As part of our co-investment campaign with Destination Canada and Destination BC’s ongoing marketing, Destination BC restarted a planned fall travel campaign in California, featuring Valleys & Vineyards and Birthplace of Adventure. To help support recovery, we expanded that campaign to add Washington, a key drive and short-haul market, encouraging fall 2026 and 2027 travel to BC.
Social content and the #RealTime series
Alongside the paid campaign, Destination BC is working with content creators and tourism industry partners to share real, current proof of open and welcoming conditions.
- Up to three content creators, one each from the Okanagan, Kootenays, and Cariboo Chilcotin, are producing social-first videos as part of a real-time series that shows what a day in these communities looks like right now.
- BC tourism industry partners are also encouraged to participate in this component, using the #RealTime Partner Social Toolkit. The #RealTime approach encourages partners to post verified, time-and-location-stamped content, tag @SuperNaturalBC, and use #ExploreBC and #RealTime so travellers see accurate, current conditions.
#RealTime creator example:
Editorial
Media provides third-party validation that communities across BC are open and welcoming. Destination BC is working with broadcast and news partners to extend the reach of the campaign and share real stories from the ground.
- On-location TV segments are being filmed in the Fraser Canyon, Kootenay Rockies, and Okanagan, airing on CTV in BC and Alberta later in September.
- Sponsored news coverage is planned with CBC in BC and Alberta.
How industry partners can get involved
Partners across the province can amplify the campaign and help build a consistent, province-wide message. Here is how to take part.
- Share #RealTime content: post verified, time-and-location-stamped photos and videos of open, welcoming conditions, tag @SuperNaturalBC (or @DestinationBC on LinkedIn), and use #ExploreBC and #RealTime.
- Keep your local Visitor Centre informed: make sure your operating hours and contact information are current so visitor services teams can direct travellers to you.
- Support from afar: where communities cannot yet welcome visitors, encourage buying local, gift cards, and future bookings to help sustain jobs and businesses.
Why this campaign matters
Tourism is one of the most effective ways to help communities recover after an emergency. When visitors return, they support local jobs, small businesses, and the wider economy that many BC communities rely on.
- The visitor economy sustains nearly 17,000 tourism businesses and strengthens communities in every region of the province.
- In 2024, tourism generated $23 billion in revenue and supported nearly 163,000 direct, indirect, and induced full-time jobs.
- Helping tourism businesses recover protects livelihoods, keeps local spending circulating, and supports a resilient provincial economy.
Stay tuned: we will continue to update this page with campaign assets, video links, imagery, and coverage as tactics roll out. For the latest, follow Destination BC on LinkedIn and watch for updates in the Directions newsletter.
Key links and resources:
