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Directions: News from Destination BC
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Hiker walking along a trail at Idaho Peak near New Denver (Destination BC/Dave Heath).
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Updated Spring/Summer Emergency Messaging Now Available!
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Visit our website to access the latest Emergency Messaging Guidance and learn more about official emergency information resources for BC as well as suggested messaging, infographics/visuals, and actions for BC’s tourism industry partners during emergencies. We've compiled resources and tips to help tourism businesses navigate questions, mitigate visitor concerns, and proactively manage perceptions during emergencies.
Step-by-step guides are available for download to help prepare tourism businesses and their staff for emergencies, with templates and tools to help operators easily plan a fast and effective response.
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Download our new spring/summer responsible travel infographics for sharing with your networks on social media.
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Share these job opportunities with your networks! (Destination BC/Hubert Kang)
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We're Hiring - Apply to Join our Team!
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We're hiring for multiple marketing and destination development roles. Apply to join our team for one of the following positions:
✔Marketing Coordinator, Global Marketing Programs (May 25 deadline)
✔Senior Program Advisor, Destination Development (May 25 deadline)
✔Senior Program Advisor, Destination Development - Iconics (May 25 deadline)
✔Senior Brand & Creative Specialist (May 26 deadline)
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Take the BC-Wide Tourism and Hospitality DEIA Survey!
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We've partnered with the Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) and go2HR - the resource for people in tourism to conduct a survey about the status of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) efforts of tourism and hospitality businesses in BC. This survey provides an opportunity for meaningful DEIA engagement and open feedback, to gain a better understanding of DEIA efforts that will help lead us to a better future, together.
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Share this opportunity with your networks and complete the survey online, here (Destination Vancouver/Hubert Kang).
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This strategy provides the opportunity to re-imagine our province — creating iconic, inspirational routes and places that will strengthen travel appeal in all regions of BC, in all seasons.
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A Dispersion Strategy to Differentiate BC on the World Stage
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Together with the support of Indigenous Tourism BC, the tourism industry, and communities throughout the province, we are branding, marketing, and supporting the development of globally compelling routes and places that span the entire province of BC. Compelling Reasons to Explore BC is a long-term strategy to responsibly increase tourism revenue to BC through dispersion, using Place Branding and Destination Development to competitively differentiate BC on the world stage. By identifying a small number of globally compelling routes and places, this strategy provides a powerful new way to package and market BC to international visitors and facilitate the development of remarkable in-destination experiences.
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Revitalization of Vancouver Chinatown Supports Businesses, Tourism
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Government of British Columbia funding will be used to support infrastructure upgrades and the revitalization of Vancouver Chinatown, creating a vibrant and thriving community for residents, local businesses, and tourists. Vancouver’s Chinatown has been humming busily for more than a century with vivid colours, exotic cuisine, attractions, monuments, shops, dining, and nightlife. As one of Vancouver's oldest neighbourhoods, Chinatown is home to important cultural heritage assets, many community organizations with deep historical roots, and exciting tourism experiences.
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Vancouver Chinatown is a landmark tourist attraction and is considered the largest Chinatown in Canada.
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The recent infrastructure upgrades along the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail are part of a $21.5-million investment to expand and enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation in BC.
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Upgrades Made to Juan de Fuca Marine Trail
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New camping and hiking upgrades are now available on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail! People hiking the popular 47-kilometre wilderness trail on southern Vancouver Island now have access to enhanced camping facilities and new elevated tent platforms at five backcountry campgrounds including Mystic Beach, Bear Beach, Chin Beach, Little Kuitshe Creek, and Payzant Creek. These upgrades will improve camping and outdoor recreation experiences for visitors, providing enhanced opportunity for them to enjoy BC's backcountry and coastal beauty.
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People Will Train for More Hospitality-Sector Jobs
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More people in the Lower Mainland will be able to train for job opportunities in the high-demand hospitality sector. The Province, through a Community and Employer Partnerships (CEP) project, is providing more than $210,000 to Easter Seals British Columbia/Yukon to deliver skills and certification courses of its CompassWorks training program. This year, eight participants will each receive 22 weeks of work experience at Easter Seals House in Vancouver. The program includes skills development and certification training, job-search techniques and follow up support, which will prepare participants for employment in the hospitality industry in the Lower Mainland.
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This announcement is part of the StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan, which is making education and training more accessible, affordable and relevant to help businesses grow and fill in-demand jobs (Destination Vancouver/Kindred & Scout).
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This initiative supports accessible tourism and travel needs, reduces wait times, and is helping British Columbians and visitors get where they need to go, when they need to get there.
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Province Supports Sustainable, Accessible Taxi Services
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Better access to wheelchair-accessible taxis is coming to BC! Funding through the Government of BC's Passenger Transportation Accessibility Program Maintenance Rebate is helping to reduce the expenses for taxi companies when it comes to owning and maintaining accessible taxis. During the next two years, additional funding streams through this program will focus on reducing the cost of operating, purchasing and converting wheelchair-accessible taxis, and providing drivers with training to better support the passengers who rely on them.
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Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society will Benefit from Investment to Enhance Tourism Experiences in Vancouver
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Safe and inclusive public spaces and dynamic tourism attractions are key to vibrant communities. They bring together people of all ages and abilities, in turn supporting businesses and boosting economic vitality. Throughout the Lower Mainland, communities are welcoming residents and visitors alike to enjoy tourism experiences. The Government of Canada has announced an investment of $457,760 through the Tourism Relief Fund for Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society. This support will allow the Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society to build on the successful return of the Honda Celebration of Light in 2023.
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The festival is one of Vancouver’s anchor summer event, attended by 1.3 million annually, of which 24% come from outside the region, including 16,000 visitors from the United States and over 20,000 international visitors from elsewhere (Destination Vancouver/Vision Event Photography Inc).
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Visit our Research webpage for data on resident perceptions of tourism, industry performance, market research and more.
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The Value of Tourism
Here are some fast facts highlighting the power of tourism in BC:
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BC’s total tourism revenue in 2021 was $13.5 billion, a +22.7% increase over 2020.
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In 2021, tourism contributed $5.0 billion to BC’s GDP, higher than any other primary resource
industry other than mining.
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Tourism generated $1.4 billion in provincial and municipal taxes for BC in 2021, a +28.9%
increase over 2020.
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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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One simple step today can make a difference in how effectively you respond to and recover from an emergency.
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Prepared BC: Guide for Tourism Operators
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With templates and tools that build off the guide, this document is designed to help tourism operators easily plan a fast and effective response to emergencies.
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BC Ecotour Operator Shares Story of One of the Biggest Coastal Cleanups Ever
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Watch Destination Canada's TED talk featuring Kevin Smith and learn how his ecotourism company, Maple Leaf Adventures, operating in the Great Bear Rainforest in BC, teamed up with five of direct competitors – including sharing personal financial details – to pitch an idea for funding from the Government of BC. Hear how they used their knowledge of the landscape to work together on a massive environmental cleanup.
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With a commitment to responsible tourism, the initiative not only saved hundreds of tourism jobs but also removed 1,000 tonnes of garbage from BC's coastline.
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Biosphere is a sustainable tourism system certified by the Responsible Tourism Institute, an international body that promotes environmental protection and the improvement of the quality of life in tourism destinations.
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Eagle Wing Tours is the First Marine Ecotour Operator in the World to become Biosphere Certified!
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Eagle Wing Whale & Wildlife Tours is the first marine ecotour operator in the world to become Biosphere Certified! Eagle Wing sets a remarkable example of the vital role healthy oceans play in our world. Through their commitment to environmental stewardship, they've paved the way for responsible and sustainable tourism, emphasizing the importance of conservation and the well-being of marine ecosystems in BC. Their efforts to ensure that the Salish Sea remains a thriving haven for biodiversity serve as inspiration for how we can work together to protect our oceans and build a future where stewardship and sustainable practices safeguard beautiful BC.
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FIFA World Cup 26™ Vancouver Official Host City Brand Launched
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On May 18, Vancouver’s FIFA World Cup 26™ Official Host City Brand was unveiled, marking the beginning of the city’s journey to hosting the biggest single sport event in history, in a little over three years’ time. Starting today and leading up to 2026, Vancouverites and visitors to the city will be able to see the excitement visually at many places across the city. FIFA World Cup 26™ will benefit the local economy significantly. Preliminary estimates by Destination BC and BC Stats show that the tournament could generate more than $1 billion for BC’s tourism sector during and in the five years following the tournament and an incremental 900,000 additional visitors to the province.
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CAN says that in the near future, the kits will also include an interactive checklist, an airport map, and travel tips (CAN).
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Victoria International Airport Offering Autism Resource Kits for Travellers
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Victoria International Airport (YYJ) has partnered with the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) to make autism resource kits available to children, young people and families who are travelling by air. The kits were specially developed by CAN to help reduce the anxiety of travel, including noise-cancelling headphones, sensory fidget items and an air travel themed activity book.
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Seair Brings Accessibility to Seaplanes!
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Seair is committed to making seaplane travel easily accessible for all their guests. Seair is the first seaplane company to offer passengers a wheelchair lift service, to allow for safe entry and exit into our seaplanes and with minimal assistance. The wheelchair lift is available at their Nanaimo and Richmond/YVR locations, with more locations to follow.
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Seair also has aircraft boarding ramps and wheelchair service available at their three main seaplane terminal locations.
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