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Destination BC Directions: June 4, 2021
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Reflecting at Little Huson Caves (Destination BC/Jordan Dyck).
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Destination BC's Statement about Mass Grave at Former Kamloops Indian Residential School
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The mistreatment of Indigenous peoples in Canada is a tragic and shameful part of our history. The discovery of 215 bodies found in the area around the former Kamloops Indian Residential School is once again a reminder of the atrocities and harms Indigenous families and Survivors have suffered and continue to suffer.
We are profoundly saddened by this discovery, and our thoughts are with Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, and all Indigenous communities across Canada. We recognize that this news is triggering of trauma for Indigenous peoples across our province, especially those with close personal or family ties to experiences in the residential schools. We stand with Survivors, their families, and communities through their healing journeys.
We have a responsibility to change policies and programs in a concerted effort to address the harm caused by residential schools and actively participate in reconciliation. We are committed to working in partnership with Indigenous communities throughout BC, with Indigenous Tourism BC, to understand, support, and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.
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Destination BC Launches “Be Open to More” Summer Campaign
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Today, we launched our summer campaign “Be Open to More”, which encourages British Columbians to experience new adventures this summer in BC – whether travelling somewhere new or trying a new, bookable activity in their favourite destination. The campaign features 10 key experiences to encourage BC travel, coupled with a call to action to “plan your summer getaway now” for travel after June 15, or once we enter Step 2 of BC’s Restart Plan.
Campaign tactics begin today with a 30-second TV spot on Global, CTV, CBC and Connected TV, and 15-second videos on YouTube, all driving to our campaign landing page, which introduces BC residents to the 10 experiences. A full launch is planned for mid-June.
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Updates to Destination BC Messaging Guide
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We have updated our Messaging Guide to reflect steps within BC’s Restart. The guide includes key milestones for travel, suggested messaging and recommended actions, and a comprehensive FAQ.
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Refer to this Messaging Guide until further notice.
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Help maximize visibility for your property by visiting CheckinCanada.com today.
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List your Accommodation Inventory with Check in Canada
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With summer vacations on the horizon and BC’s Restart in place, we want to help residents plan their trips in BC once we enter Step 2. In partnership with Check In Canada (CIC), Destination BC will create a Summer Accommodation page on HelloBC.com that allows travellers to easily find rooms by their preferred location and date. Users will be redirected to the CIC website, where they can browse hundreds of listings and connect with providers to book their stay.
To take advantage of this opportunity, visit CheckinCanada.com to review your current listing, or sign up here. CIC will provide free access to the platform, with no participation or referral fees until March 1, 2022. Should you have any questions or concerns about listing your inventory, please contact [email protected].
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ITBC Hosts Free Virtual Workshops for National Indigenous History Month and Peoples Day
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Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) is hosting a series of free virtual workshops to celebrate National Indigenous History Month (June) and National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21), in partnership with Destination BC and sponsored by Daily Hive. The workshops aim to promote local Indigenous-owned businesses, raise awareness of the province’s exceptionalIndigenous travel experiences, and highlight the many ways tourism supports the revitalization of Indigenous cultures.
Browse the workshops below and click to reserve your spot:
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Celebrate National AccessAbility Week
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Celebrate National AccessAbility Week (May 30 – June 5) to recognize and honour the valuable contributions of Canadians with disabilities and promote the benefits of inclusion and diversity within our workplaces and communities. The national virtual event is also a time to highlight the efforts of individuals, communities and organizations that are actively working to remove barriers to accessibility and inclusion, and encouraging and inspiring others to do the same.
In celebration of BC’s fourth annual AccessAbility Week, people with disabilities will be supported through $500,000 in new community grants aimed at improving accessibility and inclusion. Disability Alliance BC (DABC) will distribute the grants to support local accessibility projects, with details posted on DABC’s website later in the year.
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Click below to learn how you can participate in National AccessAbility Week.
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In early May, DBC aired a 30-second PSA on local news networks and paid social channels, which garnered over 5 million impressions.
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“Stay Local, Support Local” Initiative Connects BC Residents to Their Communities
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In November 2020, Destination BC launched a “Stay Local, Support Local” content initiative encouraging residents to support BC businesses in their own communities, in alignment with Provincial Health Office orders and recommendations. This initiative, which ran from November 7 – May 24, included shopping, outdoor activity and dining guides on HelloBC.com; 20 local ambassador partnerships; and the distribution of partner content via paid and organic social channels and email. In total, our efforts around “Stay Local, Support Local” this past winter and spring have driven over 44 million impressions with 45,000 direct referrals and 93,000 indirect referrals to industry partner websites.
As part of Step 1 of BC’s Restart, we are encouraging local travel now, within Regional Health Zones, and inspiring residents to start planning their summer getaways for travel in Step 2 and beyond. Join us in following through on our pledge to travel locally this year and let’s get excited to explore BC as soon as the time is right.
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Join Our Pledge to Travel in BC this Summer
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During this year’s Tourism Week (May 23-29), Destination BC introduced the 2021 Tourism Pledge to Travel in BC once restrictions are lifted, with the goal of supporting local tourism businesses through post-pandemic recovery. The “I Pledge to Travel in BC” badge, along with Value of Tourism infographics and Destination Canada's 'Heartbeat of Canada' video, can be found on the corporate website. Post and share this content, and help us inspire people across the province to travel locally and build our industry back up after 15 months of devastation, hardship and losses.
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We pledge to travel in BC this summer. Will you?
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Susan Rybar Joins Destination BC as Acting Vice President of Destination Management
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Starting June 7, Susan Rybar will assume the role of Acting Vice President of Destination Management at Destination BC, taking over from Grant Mackay, who announced his retirement last month.
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CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM
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Route 16 offers the trip of a lifetime to motorcycle enthusiasts (Destination BC/Jongsun Park).
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Route 16 Consortium Expands to Seven Community Partners Promoting Motorcycle Touring Along the Highway 16 Corridor
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Route 16 is a collaborative initiative that promotes motorcycle touring traffic along the Highway 16 corridor, from the Alberta border to Prince Rupert. It also works to ensure the route is identified and recognized as a top touring destination. Led by Tourism Prince George, this consortium in the Co-op Program has now expanded to include seven community partners along highway 16. Through engaging content and brand-aligned videos and images, Route 16 promotes the trip of a lifetime to motorcycle enthusiasts while encouraging them to extend their adventure by stopping along the way to explore the region’s rich culture and history and beautiful surroundings.
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The Indigenous Tourism Recovery Fund responds to a call to action from the Tourism Task Force.
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140 Indigenous Tourism Businesses in BC Receive Grants to Support Economic Recovery
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The Provincial Government, in partnership with Indigenous Tourism BC, has supported 140 Indigenous tourism businesses across BC with $5 million in grants to mitigate the impacts of the global pandemic.
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Province and go2HR Launch BSAFE COVID-19 Safety Certificate Program
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The Provincial Government has launched BSAFE, a COVID-19 safety certificate program developed in partnership wiht go2HR, to increase consumer confidence as businesses prepare to return to normal operations in accordance with BC’s Restart.
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With enhanced connectivity, business owners will have more opportunities to grow locally and expand into new markets.
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Fast, Reliable Internet is Coming to 19 Northern BC Communities
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The Provincial Government has announced record investments in connectivity supporting faster, more reliable internet in 19 northern communities. The upgrades will help business owners unlock new opportunities to do business, recruit talent and create jobs, contributing to economic recovery as we emerge through the pandemic together.
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BC Parks Makes Outdoor Recreation More Accessible and Inclusive
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With visitation to provincial parks reaching record highs, BC Parks is ensuring everyone can enjoy BC’s beautiful outdoors by expanding accessibility through new projects in campgrounds, day-use areas and playgrounds. In addition, new accessibility information will be added to BC Parks’ website, allowing people to see photos and descriptions of facilities to better plan their visit.
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BC parks welcome more than 23 visitors annually (Destination BC/6ix Sigma).
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Combined with the Circuit Breaker Business Relief Grant, the Small and Medium Sized Business Recovery Grant is providing $560 million in relief to businesses impacted by the pandemic (Destination BC/Andrew Strain).
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Provincial Government Increases Funding for Small and Medium Sized Businesses
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The Province of BC has added millions in funding to keep the Small and Medium Sized Business Recovery Grant operating until Step 3 of BC’s Restart commences on July 1. After applications close on July 2, the total investment is expected to reach $430 million, with funding distributed to more than 20,000 businesses and 260,000 employees over the course of the pandemic and beyond.
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Federal Government Increases Availability of Rapid Tests for COVID-19 Screening
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The Federal Government is working with industry associations, non-profits and other organizations to increase availability of rapid tests for COVID-19 screening. Screening can identify positive cases early, helping to reduce the spread of the virus and prevent outbreaks. The initiative is intended to help Canadian organizations better protect their employees and customers, and add another layer of protection to reduce community transition and keep the economy running.
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Federal Government Launches Black Entrepreneurship Program
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The Federal Government has launched the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP), in partnership with Black-led businesses organizations and financial institutions across the country. With an investment of $350.8 million over four years, the program aims to support Black Canadian businessowners and entrepreneurs with up to $250,000 in loans as they grow their startup or small business.
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BC Residents' Public Perceptions: COVID-19 Travel and Tourism Wave 27 Report
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Destination BC is monitoring British Columbians’ current views on travel, and tracking travel and tourism behaviour intentions to understand the impact of COVID-19 on the industry.
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This report is released approximately every two weeks to track opinions and intentions and watch how results trend over time.
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This report summarize the various research findings from Destination BC, suppliers, other tourism agencies and associations.
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COVID-19 Research Roundup: Week 47
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Our Research Roundup report is updated weekly with relevant research and articles related to the travel and tourism industry and COVID-19.
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Our Learning Centre provides access to resources and tools, best practices, workshops, and training programs for BC’s tourism industry.
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Destination BC’s Content Marketing Learning Series – New Article!
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Working with social media influencers is a powerful way to create content and engage with your target audience. Aside from having these individuals post about their experiences at your business or destination, what else can you do to leverage this partnership? In the third edition of Destination BC’s Digital Content Marketing Learning Series, we explore five ways to extend your influencer partnerships.
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The third edition of Destination BC's Content Marketing Learning Series explores ways to maximize and extend influencer partnerships.
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WestJet and ITAC Distribute $10,000 Grants to Nine Indigenous Tourism Businesses across Canada
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WestJet and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) are providing grants of $10,000 each to nine Indigenous tourism businesses across Canada that were devastated by the economic impacts of the global pandemic. The recipients include three BC businesses: Talaysay Tours in Vancouver, Indigenous World Winery in Kelowna and Moccasin Trails in Kamloops.
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go2HR Introduces Vaccinations in the Workplace Toolkit
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Have questions about your business’s vaccine policy, or wondering whether such a policy should be implemented? go2HR has developed “COVID-19 Vaccinations in the Workplace – Toolkit for Tourism & Hospitality Employers”, a resource filled with practical information and downloadable tools to help tourism and hospitality employers answer and address these questions.
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The kit includes an overview of BC employment legislation, legal and mental health articles, sample employee policies and more.
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Ocean House in Haida Gwaii Featured in UK’s Popular Town & Country Magazine
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In celebration of World Wildlife Day (March 3), the UK’s Town & Country Magazine published an article on the best places in the world to travel for wildlife encounters. One of the experiences featured is the Ocean House in Haida Gwaii, where visitors regularly enjoy encounters with bears, whales and seabirds. The article highlighted the resort as a spectacular Indigenous-owned business guided by the Haida concept of Yahguudang, or respect for all living things.
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Big White Sees Bookings Spike Following BC’s Restart Announcement
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In the two days following the announcement of BC's Restart, Big White Ski Resort received more bookings than in the past three months combined. Ninety percent of recent reservations are for Christmas/New Year’s and BC/Ontario Family Day, while 10 percent is for summer camping. The resort’s website also saw a notable spike in traffic from Western Canada, Toronto and Montreal following the announcement, demonstrating the eagerness of people everywhere to book their post-pandemic holidays.
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Big White Ski Resort is one of many tourism operators across the province seeing an increase in bookings over the past week.
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Bon Voyage Promotes Northern BC & Vancouver Island Package for 2022
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Bon Voyage, one of the UK’s top tour operators, featured a new BC vacation package in their recent newsletter following the Destination BC UK team’s active promotions of the region and dedicated training with Bon Voyage staff. The 16-night itinerary, planned for 2022, includes stops in Vancouver, Northern BC and Vancouver Island, treating travellers to areas that are sparsely populated, stunningly scenic and abundant with wildlife.
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Upcoming Webinars from Small Business BC
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Small Business BC provides practical business webinars and online education to develop business skills and strategy.
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Destination BC has partnered with Small Business BC to offer free access for tourism business stakeholders across the province to online education supporting COVID-19 recovery. Upcoming webinars include 'Blogging to Promote Your Business' (June 7) and “Creating Engaging Video Content Using Your Phone” (June 15). To access the webinars free of charge, register online using coupon code DBC3034.
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Farewell and Best Wishes to Tracey McBride, CEO of Tourism Prince George
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On behalf of the entire Destination BC team, we would like to express our gratitude and best wishes to Tracey McBride, CEO of Tourism Prince George, who will be leaving the organization at the end of June. Tracey has done an incredible job steering Tourism Prince George through the pandemic, and has positioned her team well for a successful recovery. Best of luck to Tracey in her future endeavours!
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Tracey will be missed by all of us at Destination BC!
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The Canadian Pavilion was a partnership effort led by Destination British Columbia, and included Destination Canada, BC Ski Resorts and the Yukon, NWT, and Banff and Lake Louise.
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Australians Attending Snow Travel Expo Inspired to Travel to BC Ski Resorts
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The Australian Snow Travel Expo consumer ski shows have wrapped in Melbourne and Sydney! Throughout the event, thousands of Australians visited the Canadian Pavilion and discussed their next ski holiday with experts from BC’s ski resorts, including Whistler, Sun Peaks, Silver Star, Big White, Red Mountain, Revelstoke and Fernie. The mood was upbeat, with consumers expressing a collective desire to hop onto an airplane and head to the mountains in Canada.
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BC Residents Gather to Celebrate First BC Trails Day
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Throughout the past year, BC residents have experienced firsthand the healing benefits of the outdoors, particularly trails and greenspaces – and, this Saturday, June 5, the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC is encouraging people to show their support for local trails. Whether going out for a solo walk or cycle, joining a local trail or recreation group, or attending a BC Trails Day event, there are plenty of ways you can show your love for the trails that have supported our mental health throughout the pandemic. Find an event near you and enjoy your weekend out on the trails!
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The first BC Trails Day is Saturday, June 5.
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Destination BC COVID-19 Communications
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Here's how to stay connected on the latest from Destination BC:
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If you have questions that can't be answered through the various resources on our website and official channels, please send them to [email protected] and we will work to address them.
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