Destination BC Provides $4.38M to Support 63 Co-operative Tourism Marketing Partnerships Across the Province

Vancouver— Destination BC is announcing $4.38M in funding to help partners drive consumer demand, educate visitors on responsible travel practices, and increase tourism revenues in communities through destination and activity sector marketing initiatives across the province.

The Co-operative Marketing Partnerships Program invests resources into marketing that supports responsible, short-haul visitation in more seasons, and more areas of the province. It is designed to facilitate collaboration, encouraging partnerships between sectors and communities to achieve common marketing goals and leverage funding to maximize marketing efforts. The program has continued to evolve since its inception in 2015 to align with shifts in travel behaviours, and industry needs and priorities. This year, the program expanded its initiative eligibility criteria to include visitor education marketing, emphasizing Destination BC’s – and the BC tourism industry’s – commitment to responsible tourism.

Examples of this year’s initiatives include:

Don’t Love it to Death

Now in its second year, Don’t Love it to Death has become a leader in visitor education marketing. Through social ads, videos, ambassador partnerships, community installations, and more, it aims to educate residents and visitors in the Sea-to-Sky corridor to be mindful of the impact they can have, providing tips and tongue-in-cheek calls to action for responsible outdoor recreation. The Co-op initiative is led by Tourism Whistler, with partners Tourism Squamish, Vancouver’s North Shore Tourism Association, Discover Surrey, Sunshine Coast Tourism, Tourism Abbotsford, Tourism Burnaby, Tourism Pemberton, Tourism Hope, Cascades & Canyons, and Tourism Harrison River Valley.

Land of Hidden Waters

Led by the Fishing Highway Tourism Association and partnered with Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association, Tourism Wells Gray, and Tourism Kamloops, Land of Hidden Waters promotes the unique beauty, natural wonders and road trip experiences along the corridor and connectors of Hwy 25, Hwy 5, Hwy 97, and Wells Gray Park.  With a focus on sustainable travel, freshwater experiences are now more accessible than ever with EV road trip itineraries that include practical tips such as charging station locations, charging etiquette, and places to stay along the way. 

NEW: Explore North Okanagan

The communities of Vernon, Lumby, the Okanagan Indian Band, and Destination Silver Star are embodying the spirit of the Co-op program for their latest venture, collaborating this year to create Explore North Okanagan. This new collective, led by Destination Silver Star, aims to create a cohesive way to move all travellers throughout the region, create educational messaging around minimizing impacts to communities and nature, and share the living history and stories of local Indigenous cultures.

Nanaimo and Region

Led by Tourism Nanaimo, the initiative partners with the City of Nanaimo and neighbouring Gulf Island communities of Gabriola Island, DeCourcy, and Mudge Islands, which are located on the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. They aim to showcase the region’s unique advantages such as adventurous outdoor recreation and a vibrant arts and culture scene, and opportunities to learn about Indigenous culture on Saysutshun Island (formerly known as Newcastle Island). The ultimate goal is to encourage travellers to engage deeply with the region through detailed itineraries and learning opportunities.

Zoomer and Beyond

This long-standing initiative promoting Indigenous cultures, arts, wellness, culinary experiences, and soft nature-based experiences within the Kootenay region has a targeted focus on travellers aged 45 years plus (Zoomers). While the Kootenays are well-known for their more extreme adventure experiences, this Tourism Fernie-led initiative – in partnership with Cranbrook Tourism, Tourism Kimberly, Invermere Panorama Tourism, Tourism Radium and the Columbia Valley Tourism Marketing Society – aims to attract visitors during the Spring and Fall seasons, with an emphasis on road tripping.

BC Ale Trail

The BC Ale Trail’s immersive self-guided experiences for foodies, adventurers, and nature lovers provides beer enthusiasts with over 225 breweries to discover across the province in all seasons. A visit to the BC Ale Tail website provides travellers with information on different regions, food and beverage offers, and experiences, as well as a link to download the BC Ale Trail mobile app, which highlights partner liquor stores, tap houses, sip & stays, tours, Visitor Centres, attractions, and more.

Fishing BC

The Fishing BC marketing initiative brings together the fresh and saltwater fishing sectors under one provincial collaborative marketing effort to get more anglers fishing in BC. A visit to the Fishing BC website takes travellers through a broad range of year-round fishing experiences destinations across BC. They have raised awareness of fishing opportunities for people with mobility challenges, and this year, the sector will also create visitor education marketing campaigns that promote safe, respectful, and sustainable use of resources, including boat and river safety.

Links and Resources:

• See backgrounder for list of community and sector participants.
• Learn more about the Co-op Program and application guidelines.
• Learn more about BC resident perceptions of tourism and how it benefits communities around BC.
• Sign up for our BC Content Hub for images, videos, b-roll, travel stories, maps and more.

Quotes:

Hon. Lana Popham, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport

“We know people are increasingly seeking out responsible travel opportunities and the expansion of eligibility criteria to include visitor education means more people will have the information they need at their fingertips to plan safe and responsible travel. This funding supports the creative and unique tourism offerings British Columbia is recognized for world-wide.”

Alison McKay, Vice President, Destination Management, Destination BC

“Investment in marketing that supports responsible travel during more times of the year, to more communities in the province, is a key driver for sustainable tourism growth in BC. We continue to be amazed by the creativity and collaboration from our program partners across the province. This year’s funding not only promotes and underscores the need for responsible travel, but cultivates deep collaboration among our industry – the foundation for our collective success.”