A Message from our CEO, Marsha Walden

Dear Tourism Partner, 

Destination BC recently shared its three-phase approach to supporting BC’s tourism industry through the COVID-19 crisis: Response, Recovery, Resilience.  

An overview can be found here. We are in the early stages of our Response. 

This week, the way we can help our industry most, is to ensure Canadians are observing the advice of our health authorities.  

We are all in this together. 
We must use the power of our collective voice to prevent non-essential travel and keep our communities safe. 

During the early Response phase, Destination BC will provide weekly guidance to BC’s tourism industry on how we can work together to ‘flatten the curve’ of the virus infection rate. There is nothing more important to our province right now. Or, to our industry’s future. The chart, posted here, provides this week’s guidance for our key partners in BC’s tourism ecosystem. 

The more we do to respond now, the faster the recovery can begin.

Unlike past natural disasters we have faced together, the COVID-19 crisis portends devastation for people everywhere, catastrophe for the global tourism industry, and deep distress for the world’s economy. With the powerful communication tools at your disposal, we urge you to join Canada’s fight to flatten the curve of virus infection. Many lives are at stake. Many businesses will crumble if the crisis lingers. Many communities may not recover. Now is the time for us to act.

Later, there will be time and opportunity for you to create messaging that connects you to your citizens and inspires your future visitors. Not now.

We know that too many Canadians are continuing to travel for leisure purposes. We must implore them to stay home and follow the advice of our health authorities.  

We know that our resources are dwindling.  
We encourage you to work together, with us, to amplify our collective voice and focus on the most critical messages for this moment. 

We know our world is unlikely to look the same on the other end of this crisis.  
We will need to embrace new thinking. 

We know that we are all in this together. 
And, we are thankful for your partnership.

Stay safe. Stay home.

Marsha Walden

President and CEO
Destination British Columbia