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Destination BC Directions: July 15, 2021
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Reflecting in nature along Nisga'a Highway (Destination BC/Grant Harder).
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A Message on Wildfires and Industry Resources
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As we begin to make promising steps toward a post-pandemic life, many areas of BC are facing more challenging circumstances. The extreme heat and wildfires over the past weeks are a stark reminder of the importance of emergency preparedness and having protocols and procedures in place to respond. At Destination BC, we continue to regularly engage with our industry and cross-government partners via the Tourism Emergency Management Committee (including the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport; ITBC; TIABC; the BCDMOA; and the BC Regional Secretariat), the Joint Information Centre (with representation from each Government of BC agency), and others as needed, to ensure that we – and BC’s tourism industry – have the latest information and can respond in a timely manner. Please also read this Provincial statement from July 15.
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BCAA Launches New Contest for Residents to Explore BC on an Ultimate Northern Vancouver Island Road Trip
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Between now and July 26, BC residents are invited to enter BCAA’s new contest for their chance to win a grand prize of the ultimate Northern Vancouver Island road trip. With prizing from Kwa’lilas Hotel, Sea Wolf Adventures, Dolphins Resort and more, the lucky winner will spend four nights indulging in three of Destination BC’s Top 10 Experiences from our Be Open to More campaign, while enjoying the vast beauty of the region and the remarkable experiences delivered by our tourism partners.
The contest will be shared through Destination BC and BCAA’s consumer social channels, as well as BCAA’s website and email newsletter, which has over 600,000 subscribers. The contest kicks off a summer content partnership between BCAA and Destination BC, who are joining forces to produce collaborative content around road safety information and road trip itineraries.
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The West Kootenay 'Spark' Program is seeking passionate people in the West Kootenay area with creative tourism ideas.
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West Kootenay 'Spark' Program Info Sessions
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Destination British Columbia – in collaboration with Kootenay Rockies Tourism, Arrow Slocan Tourism, Destination Castlegar, Discover Creston Valley, Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism, Tourism Rossland, and the Tourism Innovation Lab – is looking for passionate, creative people with a new tourism idea in the West Kootenay area. The West Kootenay “Spark” program matches selected applicants with a tourism mentor and provides a $3,000 seed grant to help develop new ideas.
Do you have a new tourism idea for West Kootenay? Entrepreneurs, small businesses and non-profits based in the area are encouraged to register for the upcoming information session on Wednesday, July 28 at 11.30am to learn more about how to apply.
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Differentiating BC on the World Stage
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The Invest in Iconics Strategy is a long-term strategy to responsibly and sustainably increase tourism revenue to British Columbia through seasonal and geographic dispersion. By identifying a small number of globally compelling routes and places through Place Branding and Place Making (destination development), this strategy provides a powerful new way to package and market British Columbia to international visitors and facilitate the development of remarkable in-destination experiences.
The process to create new place brands is extensive, with a number of phases involved along the way. We are currently in the Discovery Phase. The purpose of the discovery process is to validate the Iconics – what they are, where they are, and how many there are. In this phase, we'll gather valuable input to support the development of each Iconic’s brand.
Learn more about Place Branding and the Invest in Iconics Strategy.
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Touring Stanley Park Through an Indigenous Lens
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Leveraging our summer campaign partnership with Corus Entertainment, Destination BC secured a value-add editorial opportunity with Michael Newman on Global TV. Following a brief introduction, Global collaborated directly with Indigenous Tourism BC to produce a two-minute segment with Candace Campo of Talaysay Tours, showing viewers the transformative power of experiencing BC through an Indigenous lens.
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Talaysay Tours offers Indigenous cultural tours in Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast.
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CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM
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The Okanagan Rail Trail leads visitors through some of the Okanagan's most iconic experiences (DestinationBC/@miraecampbell).
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Okanagan Rail Trail Spotlights Iconic Okanagan Experiences
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Following the opening of the Okanagan Rail Trail in 2018, a partnership was formed between Tourism Kelowna, the City of Kelowna, Tourism Vernon, the District of Lake Country, the Okanagan Indian Band, the Regional District of the Central Okanagan and the Regional District of the North Okanagan to access Co-op Program funding, with the goal of promoting the new community asset to a wider audience and driving visitation. The Okanagan Rail Trail takes bikers and hikers through many hallmark Okanagan experiences, including orchards, vineyards, golf courses, lakes, valley mountains, and interesting terrain. The Trail also provides users with opportunities to learn about the syilx/Okanagan people and their traditional territory.
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New Communication Materials Available to Support Changes in Mask Guidance and Workplace Transitions
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The BC COVID-19 Industry Engagement Table Secretariat has provided the following communication materials related to changes in mask guidance and the pace of transition for workplaces across BC.
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Provincial Government Requests Input for New Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy
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BC’s draft Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy aims to protect residents from the impacts of climate change while nurturing the ecosystems we depend on. The strategy highlights actions the government is taking in 2021-22, and presents a suite of proposed actions for 2022-25. The public is invited to comment on the document until August 12, 2021. Input will inform the next phase of the strategy, expected to be released in 2022. Be sure to review the submission criteria before sending comments.
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Increased Housing Flexibility Introduced to the Agricultural Land Reserve
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New rules are facilitating increased housing flexibility in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), helping farmers and non-farmers support their families and businesses in their communities. Farmers and ALR landowners can now have a principal residence and small secondary residence on their property, allowing for agritourism accommodation, housing for farm labour or rental properties for supplemental income.
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Only permissions from local government or First Nations government will be required (DestinationBC/Andrew Strain).
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The change follows a recommendation from the Business Technical Advisory Panel (Destination BC/Steve Ogle).
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Private Liquor Retailers Approved to Supply Special Event Liquor
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Private liquor retailers – including wineries, breweries and distilleries with onsite stores – can now sell their products to holders of special event permits at community festivals, family gatherings, private functions and other events. Previously, only government liquor stores could sell liquor products to permit holders.
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New Tourism Relief Fund Earmarks $500 Million to Support Post-pandemic Recovery
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Announced by the federal government this week, the new Tourism Relief Fund will provide $500 million to support the national tourism sector over a two-year period. Most of the funding will be delivered by Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) directly to eligible tourism businesses, with a minimum of 10 percent invested in Indigenous tourism projects. $15 million will be delivered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) to support destination development, seasonal and local attractions, human resources and skills development.
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Federal Government Invests in New EV Fast Chargers across BC
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To support a clean energy future and strengthen the economy, the federal government announced a $2.35 million investment to BC Hydro to install 47 electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers across the province, supporting BC’s journey towards a net-zero future.
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BC Residents' Public Perceptions: COVID-19 Travel and Tourism Wave 29 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 52
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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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Accommodation Data Source Change
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Research and Analytics is pleased to announce we are transitioning our Hotel Accommodations data source from CBRE to STR, in order to provide our industry with more timely data. You can find monthly Hotel Accommodation data, including Occupancy, Average Daily Rate, and RevPar, on our Tourism Industry dashboard. For more information, please contact us at [email protected].
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STR's timely data can be accessed by anyone in the tourism industry (Destination BC/Tanya Goehring).
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This report is updated monthly.
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April 2021 International Visitor Arrivals Report
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The April 2021 International Visitor Arrivals Report – a summary of customs entries data to BC and Canada from selected markets of origin – is now live on the Destination BC website.
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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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7 Ways to Engage Your Audience on Social
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Social media is a great tool to connect with and inspire visitors. By engaging and responding to conversations with potential or past visitors, you can build a community of advocates for your business, allowing you to amplify positive messages and encourage others to share their experiences. Destination BC shares a few best practices to follow when communicating with your social media community.
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Communicate regularly with your social media community to encourage advocacy for your business (Destination BC/Owen Perry).
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The ban will be lifted three months earlier than originally planned (Destination Vancouver/Al Harvey).
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Federal Government to Lift Ban on Cruise Ship Traffic in Canadian Waters
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The federal government has announced an end to the ban on cruise ship traffic in Canadian waters, with ships allowed to resume sailings on November 1, 2021. Operators must be able to fully comply with public health requirements.
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Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada Receives $2 Million in Funding from Destination Canada
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Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) has received $2 million and $950,000 of in-kind support from Destination Canada. The funding will ensure ITAC can move forward its new sales and marketing campaign, The Original Original, which promotes Indigenous tourism operators in efforts to rebuild the Indigenous tourism industry.
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Prior to March 2020, Indigenous tourism was outpacing all other tourism sectors in Canada for growth.
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Take transit in Vancouver for steep discounts on local tours and attractions (Destination BC/Grant Harder).
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TransLink Offers Discounts to Vancouver Tours and Attractions this Summer
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To promote public transit ridership while supporting tourism businesses through post-pandemic recovery, TransLink is offering passenger discounts to hundreds of Vancouver tours, attractions, and sightseeing destinations over the course of the summer.
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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 “Performance Management in the Workplace” (August 5) and 'Creating a Website for Your Business' (August 24). To access the webinars free of charge, register online using coupon code DBC3034.
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Respect wildlife, Take only photos and Practice fire safety are three of nine rules outlined in the Camper's Code.
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Camper’s Code Shares 9 Rules to Follow this Summer
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We all have a role to play when sharing spaces at BC’s parks and campgrounds – particularly during wildfire season. Whether you’re staying in an RV at a private campground or in the backcountry, follow the nine rules outlined in the Camper’s Code to protect the natural environment and respect the campers around you. You can also find expectations of the Code outlined in our Messaging Guidance for BC's Tourism Industry, under Tourism Restart Step 3 Toolkit.
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West Kootenay EcoSociety Inspires 10 Governments to Commit to 100 Percent Renewable Energy by 2050
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West Kootenay EcoSociety’s 100% Renewable Kootenays campaign endeavours to gather support for local governments to commit to transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy community-wide by 2050. So far, 10 local governments have made the commitment, with support from the organization’s Community Playbook and Toolkit, a comprehensive guide directing communities towards development of a climate action plan.
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Refer to the Community Playbook and Toolkit for a guide on transitioning to renewable energy sources.
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Any Canadian tourism-related product, business, initiative, event or service that occurred between June 1, 2019 and July 31, 2021 is eligible.
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Nominations Open for 2021 Canadian Tourism Awards
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The Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s 2021 Canadian Tourism Awards recognize the successes, leadership and innovation of the country’s tourism industry, while showcasing the best tourism products, services and experiences. Nominations are open in four categories: Air Canada Business Excellence Award; Indigenous Tourism Award; Sustainable Tourism Award; and Tourism Employee Appreciation Award.
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Thinking About Fall Hiring?
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Thinking of hiring a student to help your business this fall? Through the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP), you can apply for wage subsidies and receive up to $7,500 to hire a student. To learn more, attend the FREE info session on Wednesday, August 4 at 1:00pm, brought to you by Talent MATCH. Registration is required.
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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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