How BC Tourism Leaders Are Leveraging Major Events to Drive Province-Wide Benefits

At the 2025 BC Tourism Industry Conference—British Columbia’s premier event for tourism professionals—industry leaders gathered to explore a critical opportunity: How can BC ensure international events like the Invictus Games and FIFA World Cup 2026 create long-term benefits that reach beyond Vancouver and across the province?

The session, “Shaping Province-Wide Legacies from Major Events,” co-hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport and Destination BC, brought together a dynamic panel of event and tourism leaders:

• Michelle Collens, City of Vancouver
• Paul Hawes, BC Hotel Association
• Colin Carson, Tourism Prince George / BC Destination Marketing Organization Association
• Lisanne Ballantyne, Tourism Kelowna
• Jenny Duncan, Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025

Moderated by Maya Lange, VP of Global Marketing at Destination BC, the conversation focused on how major events drive tourism, strengthen communities, and create new partnerships that last well beyond the final event.

The panel also introduced the BC Tourism FC—a province-wide team leading the development and delivery of a tourism strategy for FIFA 2026. Their mission is to ensure communities of all sizes can benefit from global attention, by creating visitor experiences that inspire exploration across British Columbia.

Following the session, delegates took part in roundtable discussions, sharing early ideas such as:

• Regional “adopt-a-country” programs
• Province-wide soccer celebrations
• Themed itineraries that encourage travel beyond host cities

As one attendee noted:

“Today I learned how every region in BC can take part. And here’s how I’ll follow up: by starting conversations in my community right away.”

Get involved:

Visit bctourismfc.ca to learn how your organization can participate in planning and activation efforts ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026

📷Left to Right: Shaping Province-Wide Legacies from Major Events session panelists including Maya Lange, Vice President, Global Marketing, Destination BC, Michelle Collens, Director of Destination Events and Tourism, City of Vancouver, Lisanne Ballantyne, President & Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Kelowna, Colin Carson, CEO, Tourism Prince George, Paul Hawes, President & Chief Executive Officer, BC Hotel Association, and Jenny Duncan, Head of Marketing & Communications, Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.