Destination British Columbia
January 2020
 
 
 

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Adaptive skiing at Big White Ski Resort
Adaptive skiing at Big White Ski Resort | Destination BC/Matt Ferguson
Coronavirus Update

Destination BC is working closely with Provincial and Federal agencies, Destination Canada and other industry partners to actively monitor the coronavirus, and the impact on travellers and our industry.

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Hiking with a TrailRider in Capilano River Regional Park, North Vancouver.
Hiking with a TrailRider in Capilano River Regional Park, North Vancouver | Power To Be 
Mobility-Focused Travel Itineraries on HelloBC.com 

Destination BC has created and added mobility-focused travel itineraries to HelloBC.com, highlighting over 250 attractions and experiences throughout the province. The itineraries are designed to increase access for people living with physical disabilities, and help people plan their visits to BC with added peace of mind. It's all part of the Province's commitment to ensure experiences and adventures in BC can be accessed and enjoyed by all.

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LA chef, restaurant owner, and Top Chef season 14 winner Brooke Williamson experiences the healing power of BC's vast nature.
LA chef, restaurant owner, and Top Chef season 14 winner Brooke Williamson experiences the healing power of BC's vast nature
Destination BC Invites Top Chef Winner Brooke Williamson to Experience the British Columbia Effect

On January 15, Destination BC released a 5-minute short film documenting three days in the life of Top Chef winner Brooke Williamson, as she travels from Los Angeles to BC to spend time in nature, take in many of BC’s iconic experiences, and experience the healing powers of BC’s vast natureknown as The British Columbia Effect.

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Wilderness Lake, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast
Wilderness Lake, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast | Destination BC / Kari Medig 
Tourism Marketing Committee (TMC) 2020

Destination BC would like to thank outgoing TMC members: Andre Kuerbis, Tom Rosner, Steve Smith, Nikki Hellyer, Ty Speer, and Carl Jones. Thank-you for your time and dedication to BC's tourism industry. We are excited to welcome our newest TMC members: Amy Nunn, Executive Director of Sales and Marketing for Prestige Hotels and Resorts, Chris Drysdale, Owner-operator of Cloudside Hotel, Jayson Faulkner, President of Bridal Falls Gondola Corporation, and Jessica Fremlin, Marketing Director at Siwash Lake Wilderness Resort and welcome back Erika Stenson. We look forward to working together to develop a successful, dynamic, and sustainable tourism sector for BC!

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Post-ski meal in the village at Sun Peaks Resort 
Post-ski meal in the village at Sun Peaks Resort 
| Destination BC/Reuben Krabbe 
Destination BC's Co-Op Program

Since launching in 2015, the Co-Op Marketing Partnerships Program has seen an annual increase in participation. The 2020/21 intake was no exception. The program received 65 applications, requesting $5.7 million in funding, the largest request in the program’s history, for a program budget of $4 million. Funding notifications will be issued on January 31, 2020. We’d like to thank everyone for their interest in this program and look forward to many successes as a result of the strong industry collaboration occuring.

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Learning Centre
A hand-cyclist on the accessible Galena Trail in New Denver, BC.
We All Need to Build a Better Understanding of Accessibility
Destination BC's Learning Centre is stocked with must-read accessibility resources. Explore various educational tools—including case studies, articles, videos and top tips from inspiring businesses committed to inclusiveness—there to support your business' journey towards accessibility for employees and travellers.

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GOOD NEWS

Sea to Sky Gondola reopening on February 14, 2020.
With 50% off lift tickets from Feb 14-17, the Sea to Sky Gondola is giving back some of the love and extraordinary support received during the closure 
Sea to Sky Gondola is Reopening on February 14, 2020!   

We are thrilled to learn that the Sea to Sky Gondola will re-open mid-February after a criminal act of vandalism forced its closure last year. The arduous task to rebuild was not without reward though. Tourism partners and the community came together en masse to support the Sea to Sky Gondola team, pitching in "every step of the way" to help it get back up and running ahead of schedule. It’s collaborative partnerships like this that make BC tourism such a success.

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Boats in Victoria's harbour.
Boats in Victoria's harbour | Destination BC/
Reuben Krabbe  
Vancouver Island Recognized in AFAR Magazine and CNN 

Vancouver Island is featured in Afar Media's Where To Go in 2020 in Spring, and has also been named one of CNN Traveller's 20 Best Places To Visit in 2020. Congratulations to Tourism Vancouver Island, the community destination marketing organizations, and tourism businesses across the island for creating a top-rated destination for global travellers.

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A traditional Māori welcome awaited guests at AKL.
A traditional Māori welcome awaited passengers at AKL 
Vancouver to Auckland Seasonal Service

Congratulations to Air Canada on their new non-stop seasonal route from YVR to AKL (in Auckland, NZ). Gate celebrations were held at both airports for passengers embarking on the inaugural flight on December 13, 2019, including a water salute and pōwhiri—a Māori welcome ceremony involving speeches, dancing, singing, and finally the hongi—at AKL. Destination BC's Joanne Motta attended to show our support for this great new connection. Flights to New Zealand are available through March 2020. 

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Heli-skier in the Kootenay Rockies.
Heli-skier in the Kootenay Rockies | Destination BC/Blake Jorgenson 
BC Ski Coverage in Germany

Stemming from a Destination BC-sponsored trip in 2018, a ski article on Focus Online, a premium outlet with a circulation of 6 million, published a great article: Powder Slopes in Western Canada. The journalist talks about the variety of skiing in BC within resort boundaries, as well as Cat and Heli-skiing, covering multiple regions. The article, which has a total advertising value of $800K CAD, is the latest of many generated from the trip.

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Biking on Spine Trail in Rosebery, West Kootenays.
Riders: Kim Joines, former Paralympian and Kootenay Adaptive Board Member, and Mike Riediger, KASA | Jesse Schpakowski
 
Kootenay Project Makes Biking More Accessible

People in the Kootenay region will gain work experience and build their resumes while helping the Kootenay Adaptive Sports Association (KASA) expand adaptive mountain biking in British Columbia. The project is a great example of breaking down barriers for people with disabilities in BC while also providing valuable opportunities for sustainable employment.

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Research Round-Up

October 2019 International Visitor Arrivals 

Despite a slight overall dip in October visitor arrivals, compared to 2018, there was still strong growth from a number of countries including India (34.4%), Japan (15.9%), Germany (13.0%), and the United Kingdom (5.6%).

VIEW OCTOBER DATA →

November 2019 International Visitor Arrivals 

Year-to-date, overnight international arrivals to BC were up 2.6% for January to November 2019. Arrivals from Mexico led the way in 2019, up 10% for January to November, compared to the same period in 2018.

VIEW November DATA →

GOOD TO KNOW

Snowmobiling in Whistler.
Snowmobiling in Whistler | The Adventure Group
Funding for ORV Trail Maintenance and Safety

The Province of BC is once again accepting applications for the Off-road Vehicle (ORV) Trail Fund. Outdoor groups interested in funding opportunities to improve off-road riding conditions and safety are encouraged to apply before February 28, 2020. Established in 2017, the ORV Trail Fund aims to support the off-road recreation industry, enhance tourism opportunities and promote healthy living.

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Juan de Fuca Marine Trail.
 Looking down to Mystic Beach. Along the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail | Destination BC/Tanya Goehring 
Help Develop Sustainable Trails in BC

The Trails Strategy for BC is a call to action that invites all British Columbians to join in supporting and developing a sustainable network of trails throughout the province. Trails are the fundamental means to explore and enjoy our spectacular province, connecting people and nature.The opportunity to provide feedback will be open until February 28, 2020 at 4pm. 

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Accessibility core value at PuSh Festival.
Cuckoo, one of this year's shows, with surtitles.
Accessibility core value at PuSh Festival

Most performances at PuSh Festival (running until Feb 9, 2020) feature accessibility resources and initiatives to ensure people with different abilities can also enjoy the performing arts. This includes ASL-interpretation, and captions for Deaf and hard of hearing audience members. For blind attendees, some shows have live audio descriptions by VocalEye, and there are introductions providing context to shows that are quite accessible on their own. “Relaxed" and "Extra Live" Performances welcome people who may not feel comfortable in a typical theatre environment.

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Kootenay National Park turns 100.
L-R: Rick Kubian, Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay Field Unit; Roger Hostin, Parks Canada (and photographer); and Eldon Ostashek, Canada Post.
Kootenay National Park Turns 100

On January 13, 2020 Parks Canada and Canada Post celebrated the 100th anniversary of Kootenay National Park (NP) in the presence of members of the Ktunaxa and Secwepemc Nations, the Village of Radium Hot Springs council, representatives from Canada Post, and Columbia Valley residents. To mark the occasion a new stamp was unveiled, featuring an image of Floe Lake in Kootenay NP. Throughout 2020, Parks Canada will be hosting activities and events in Kootenay NP to celebrate the anniversary.

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Described Tours at Vancouver Art Gallery.
Described Tours take place at the Vancouver Art Gallery on the last Saturday of every month | Anita Bonnarens 
Described Tours at Vancouver Art Gallery

The Vancouver Art Gallery is proud to welcome people of all ages who are blind and partially-sighted to join their Described Tours. These hour-long exhibition tours, led by specially trained Art Educators, include visual descriptions of art pieces currently in the gallery. To learn more, watch this short video. For bookings and tour times, visit the Vancouver Art Gallery Tours section of their website.

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Help modernize BC's EPA.
Help modernize British Columbia's EPA | Province of BC 
BC's Emergency Program Act Modernization

Emergency Management BC (EMBC) is modernizing the Emergency Program Act (EPA) to support more effective management of emergencies in BC. The Province is seeking input from its many emergency management partners and the public on the recently released discussion paper, which explains the need for new legislation and outlines the proposed policy direction. We encourage all tourism partners to provide feedback by 4PM on January 31, 2020.

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Shift into winter with TranBC.
Stay safe and moving on the roads during the winter season
Shift Into Winter with TranBC

TranBC's goal is to provide useful, timely, accessible, and relevant information to anyone using BC's roads and highways. They use a range of online communications platforms, including the @DriveBC and @TranBC Twitter accounts, with the TranBC blog as their main content hub. The blog is regularly updated and an excellent source for driver education and safety, with popular posts like 7 Things You Need to Know BEFORE Driving the Coquihalla and High Mountain Passes.

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EVENTS

BC's Tourism Industry Conference 2020

BC's Tourism Industry Conference, March 4-6

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the key issues, challenges and best practices in our industry. Mark your calendars and discover why BC tourism matters, in Victoria this March.

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Mission Hills Winery in Kelowna

BC Hospitality Summit, April 6-7

Stay tuned for updates on BC’s largest annual gathering of hospitality businesses.Save the date and learn from leading hospitality innovators at the 2020 Summit—April 6-7 in Kelowna.  

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Canada West Ski Area Association Spring Conference 2020

Canada West Spring Conference, April 28-30

Mark your calendars for the Canada West Ski Area Association Spring Conference in Whistler—Canada’s largest Ski Industry Trade Show, filled with workshops and social events.

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