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Directions: News from Destination BC
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Christmas lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park - Cliffwalk.
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A Holiday Message from Destination BC
Reflecting on 2025, Looking Ahead Together
As the year draws to a close, we pause to reflect on our shared accomplishments and the opportunities ahead. Once again, BC's tourism industry has shown its strength, adaptability, and leadership.
BC's vital visitor economy grew in key markets this year, with positive year-to-date results from China, Germany, and the US. These gains speak to our collective efforts to keep BC top of mind for international travellers.
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Together with communities and Indigenous Tourism BC, we launched six new destination brands: Rainforest to Rockies, The Great Wilderness, The Infinite Coast, Valleys & Vineyards, Birthplace of Adventure, and Nature's Heartland. Each brand reflects a distinct journey through the abundant nature, culture and adventure in BC, helping international visitors discover what calls to them. These brands are already enhancing BC's global competitiveness and supporting the communities they represent.
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The Destination BC staff gathered for Pink Shirt Day in 2025.
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Destination development strategies for four of these brands were also shared this year, outlining how each brand will be brought to life on the ground for visitors, the tourism industry, and communities. With emphasis on focus areas identified in the Iconics Destination Development Framework – encounters, experiences, and touchpoints –it serves to help the brands succeed on the ground through guiding the development of an enhanced visitor experience. These strategies identify experience development opportunities aligned to deliver on the brand promises. Thanks to all our partners in the creation of these collaborative plans.
In January, we formed the British Columbia Tourism Football Club (BC Tourism FC), a consortium including Destination BC, Destination Vancouver, Indigenous Tourism BC, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, the BC Destination Management Organization Association (BCDMOA), and the City of Vancouver. Together, we're preparing for the FIFA World Cup 26™—showcasing our province on a global stage, boosting tourism, and creating lasting benefits across BC.
This year, British Columbia was the focus in media across the globe, including The Reluctant Traveler, Lonely Planet, National Geographic, BBC Travel, The New York Post, and many more. Our Travel Media team works hard to create exposure for BC as a destination of choice. Thank you to all our industry partners whose support makes these stories possible.
Visitor services are a vital part of BC’s $22.1 billion tourism economy, generating economic benefits for businesses and communities. They provide practical information and support while also creating connections that inspire travellers to stay longer, explore further, and return again. By making visitors feel welcomed and supported, these services build BC’s reputation as a destination of choice. Thank you to our Visitor Services team, which manages the Visitor Services Network Program (VSNP), who have delivered excellent support to visitors across the province.
This year also brought challenges. New US tariffs reminded us of the fragility of cross-border relationships and the value of tourism diplomacy. While tourism isn't directly subject to tariffs, economic ripple effects can influence travel patterns and sentiment. As we continue promoting BC across US and global markets, we're also prepared to adapt if needed. Together, we've reinforced BC's reputation as a must-visit, welcoming, and inclusive destination.
We also marked a change in leadership on our Board. Thank you to Scott Fraser for his years of service as Chair. We warmly welcomed Ingrid Jarrett, whose deep industry experience and collaborative leadership will help guide our next chapter.
BC held the spotlight in 2025 as host of the Invictus Games in Whistler, an event that drew visitors and further established BC as a premier destination for major international events. These wins set the stage for welcoming the world in 2026.
In 2026, we will share our new 2026-2029 Corporate Strategy, to provide clarity about the choices we will make over the next three years and beyond.
As we close out the year, I want to thank our industry partners, communities, and tourism businesses. Your collaboration and innovation continue to build a thriving and sustainable tourism industry in BC.
On behalf of all of us at Destination BC, I wish you a joyful holiday season filled with rest, reflection, and time with loved ones. Thank you for your continued dedication to BC’s visitor economy. We look forward to working together in the year ahead.
Richard Porges
President & CEO
Destination British Columbia
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In addition to seed funds, mentorship, and additional partner support, selected applicants gain access to a network of tourism innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders across the province.
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Valleys & Vineyards “Spark” Program Winners Announced in the Thompson Okanagan, Creating New Tourism Experiences
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Three finalists who made winning pitches for the Valleys & Vineyards “Spark” Mentorships & Grants Program were each awarded a $3,000 seed grant and mentorship to help them get started with their new tourism ideas. The Valleys & Vineyards “Spark” Program is a collaborative partnership initiative between Destination British Columbia, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, and the Tourism Innovation Lab. The goal of the program is to find, advance, and support new tourism ideas that will enhance the experience of Refined Globetrotters – travellers motivated by world-class destinations, fine dining, and the history and authentic charm of new places – and other visitors to the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys.
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SuperNaturalBC.com Now Available in German and Spanish for Key Global Markets
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Localized versions of the SuperNaturalBC.com site for the Germany and Mexico markets are now live. These language-specific versions make it easier than ever for travellers in those regions to engage with content in their own language and discover the transformative experiences that BC has to offer. The international versions of SuperNaturalBC.com are powered by AI-enabled machine translation technology, which allows for real-time, automated translation of the full site content. This approach enables Destination BC to deliver localized content more efficiently and cost-effectively while maintaining control over messaging.
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Germany and Mexico are key international markets for British Columbia. In 2023, Mexico accounted for an estimated 180,000 visitors to BC. Germany followed, with an estimated 100,000 visitors.
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Over two days in Kelowna, the program brought together 40 tourism sellers from across the province and 40 international buyers from key global markets for a mix of learning, marketplace appointments, and experiential activities.
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BC Accelerator Program Pilot Strengthens Global Connections for BC Tourism Businesses
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In October, Destination BC’s Market Development team hosted the first-ever BC Accelerator Program, a new pilot initiative designed to help tourism businesses in British Columbia expand their global reach by strengthening their understanding of and connections within the international travel trade ecosystem. The travel trade remains one of the most powerful ways to connect tourism experiences in British Columbia with high-value international travellers, and this pilot reflects Destination BC’s commitment to supporting partners as they navigate this important channel.
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Celebrating a Season of Connection: Destination BC’s Destination & Industry Development Team Fall 2025 Engagement Recap
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During fall 2025, Destination BC’s Destination & Industry Development team was on the ground and in conversation with tourism partners across British Columbia, leading engagement to inform new destination development strategies for Nature’s Heartland and The Infinite Coast. These are two of six destination brands within the Super, Natural British Columbia® family of brands. The input gathered this fall will support the development of these upcoming strategies.
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Guided by a focus on collaboration and shared learning, the sessions created space to listen, learn, and strengthen relationships, helping ensure destination development continues to support BC communities and the visitor economy.
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Destination BC works with international tour operators on itinerary development support, product knowledge, training and education, familiarization tours, and joint marketing initiatives, to drive business.
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Asia-Pacific Momentum: Trade Events and New Winter Promotions
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From ski promotions in China to trade training in Vancouver, Destination BC’s Travel Trade team has been busy this season. As BC’s tourism sector heads into winter, Destination BC’s Market Development teams across the Asia-Pacific region have been generating strong interest in our province’s winter and year-round travel experiences. Through trade events, training, and new partnerships, the teams are building visibility and engagement in key markets to support long-term recovery and growth.
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Game On! FIFA World Cup 2026™ Match Updates and Province-Wide Tourism Efforts
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With confirmation that Vancouver will host matches featuring Australia, Switzerland, Qatar, New Zealand, Egypt, Belgium – and of course, Canada – this is a key moment to share an update on Destination BC and the BC Tourism FC’s work to prepare for the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Destination BC’s Scholar in Residence, Dr. Jarrett Bachman, has provided a helpful look at how the Vancouver matches may unfold, which can be read here.
With confirmed match schedules now available, Australia has emerged as a priority market. As of December 15, paid digital media will begin in Australia. In addition, paid search campaigns launched in Switzerland, Belgium, and New Zealand on December 11, extending the campaign’s reach through Google to audiences in markets with growing interest and active travel planning behaviour.
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Group G matches will include Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand. If Egypt’s Mohamed Salah plays in Vancouver, it could spark significant international media interest (AI generated image).
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Destination BC has created a series of seasonal graphics and preparedness tips that can be downloaded and shared across your channels. These visuals help remind visitors to travel responsibly and stay informed, especially during high-risk weather conditions.
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Stay Winter Ready: Explore BC Tourism Emergency Resources
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As communities across BC prepare to welcome a wave of holiday travellers, it’s a timely moment to revisit the emergency communication and preparedness tools available to our industry. The emergency preparedness page on DestinationBC.ca is organized to help you quickly find what you need, when you need it. Resources include: templates, checklists, and planning tools, guidance for real-time responses, trusted information sources, and reccomended mobile apps.
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Destination BC Travel Media October Update
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Destination BC's Travel Media team supported several media stories this season.
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September International Visitor Arrivals Report
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The September 2025 International Visitor Arrivals report is now available on our website. September saw increasing visitation across our overseas markets with year-to-date growth of 23.7% from China, 13.9% from Japan, 13.5% from South Korea and 4.4% from total Europe.
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The International Visitor Arrivals Report summarizes customs entries to BC and Canada from key markets, providing monthly and year-to-date data, with percentage changes compared to last year.
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BC's Look West Plan to Strengthen Economic Security in the Face of Threats
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The provincial government has launched Look West, a strategic plan to deliver major projects faster, expand skills training and grow key sectors to strengthen BC’s economy, creating good jobs and opportunities for people and businesses, and benefiting all of Canada.
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The strategy sets a 10-year vision to strengthen BC’s economy, including continuing work to speed up permitting and diversify key sectors, so BC’s economy is less reliant on the United States.
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Visitors are encouraged to walk downtown, explore the history of the Dawson Creek community, and read through descriptions of the new plaques via the digital App. As part of this project, a new brochure has also been created for those without cellular data.
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Visitor Services Revitalizing History in Dawson Creek
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In March 2024, the City of Dawson Creek received the Visitor Services Experience Enhancement Grant from Destination BC to enhance its Historical Downtown Walking Tour. The project added 11 new plaque locations and introduced a digital tour via the OnthisSpot App, allowing visitors to explore local history interactively as they walk through downtown. To ensure accessibility, a printed brochure was also developed for those without cellular data. This initiative invites both residents and visitors to engage with Dawson Creek’s rich heritage in a fresh, user-friendly format.
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Early Bird Registration Open:
BC Tourism Industry Conference
March 4-6, 2026
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The 2026 BC Tourism Industry Conference, taking place at the Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort in Kelowna, will celebrate the transformative power of tourism. Industry professionals can take advantage of early bird registration, now open through January 14, 2026, to secure preferred rates. Full registration details and pricing are available on the conference website.
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IMPACT® Summit Victoria
January 25-28, 2026
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Registration is open for the IMPACT Sustainability Travel & Tourism Conference, taking place at the Victoria Conference Centre. Presented by Destination Greater Victoria and in part by Destination BC, the event brings together industry, government, and community leaders to advance sustainable tourism. The name “IMPACT” reflects tourism’s dual role as both a key economic driver and a force with significant environmental, social, and cultural influence.
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