Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
Vancouver | Jordan Manley
Vancouver, Coast & Mountains (VCM) regional representatives work collaboratively with partners throughout the region, to connect industry to various programs available through Destination BC.
Destination BC also provides professional development and networking opportunities throughout the year for VCM partners via community and industry forums, sector marketing meetings, workshops, and stakeholder outreach.
Managed under Destination BC, the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region expands outwards from Metro Vancouver along three main arteries: the Sunshine Coast, the Sea-to-Sky Corridor, as well as the Fraser Valley and Fraser Canyon, which are both anchored by the Fraser River. It connects to the Gold Rush Trail up the Fraser Canyon and to the Highway 3 Corridor through Hope and Manning Park.
Destination Development in the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Region
Destination development is the strategic planning and advancement of defined areas to support the evolution of desirable destinations for travellers, with a sole focus on the supply side of tourism, by providing compelling experiences, quality infrastructure, and remarkable services to entice repeat visitation. Learn about Destination Development in the VCM region.
New Regional HR Consultant
To support strong and strategic HR practices for tourism businesses in the region, go2HR and VCM have hired a regional HR Consultant, as part of the Labour Market Action Plan. Cindy Conti will provide on-the-ground support to help businesses with recruitment strategies, develop HR standards and processes, and provide expert advice. Learn more.
COVID-19 Business Resource:
For details and to register for the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Tourism Resiliency Program, visit the
BC Tourism Resiliency Network website.
VCM Industry Forums
Held annually, these two forums provide an opportunity for VCM partners and Destination BC to network, share and learn. The Community Forum is a full day event held in late spring, specifically for community tourism organizations, and allows Destination BC to provide an update on many of its programs areas, activities and opportunities for VCM tourism partners. Community partners are also given the opportunity to share their priorities and activities for the upcoming year. The Industry Forum is held in early December, when Destination BC shares marketing and development destination work that is taking place in the region, accompanied by updates from key industry partners and special guest speakers.
Building Back Better
2020 and 2021 have been challenging years for our industry, especially in the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains (VCM) tourism region, as we rely heavily on international visitation. The VCM team, along with many partners, have been working hard to build back better. Together, tremendous accomplishments have been made over the past years, some of which are highlighted in the graphic. All of these combined efforts are assisting us better to collectively move towards recovery. Learn more about Destination Development in Vancouver, Coast & Mountains.
Sunshine Coast | Andrew Strain
Vancouver, Coast and Mountains: Travel Media Relations and Travel Trade
Destination BC’s VCM Travel Media Relations and Travel Trade Representative is part of an integrated team that plans and executes tactical strategies for effective media coverage.
Our VCM representative is always looking for fresh story ideas and products to share with journalists, tour operators, and at trade shows. Our VCM representative not only plans and executes tactical strategies for North America and key international markets, but also identifies market trends and opportunities for VCM partners.
By attending trade shows, our VCM representative develops relationships with tour operators and wholesale operators to introduce a variety of tourism product into their tour packages, to encourage visitation to the region.
Vancouver | Grant Harder
Stay Connected
Stay informed by signing up for Destination BC’s industry newsletters. The Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Regional Newsletter provides program updates, engagement, opportunities and industry information for VCM-based tourism operators and marketing organisation.
For more information about programs and services for the VCM region, contact:
Karen Tunkara – Director of Indigenous and Regional Partnerships
Tel: 250 419 8777
Email: Karen.Tunkara@destinationbc.ca
Jody Young – Manager, Vancouver, Coast & Mountains (Regional Services)
Tel: 604 953 6731
Email: Jody.Young@destinationbc.ca
Josie Heisig – Senior Program Advisor, Vancouver, Coast & Mountains (Regional Services)
Tel: 604 953 6768
Email: Josie.Heisig@destinationbc.ca
Jonathan Heerema – Senior Program Advisor, Vancouver, Coast & Mountains (Destination Development)
Tel: 604 218 6419
Email: Jonathan.Heerema@destinationbc.ca
Allison Picard – Senior Program Advisor, Vancouver, Coast & Mountains (Destination Development)
Tel: 604 953 6741
Email: Allison.Picard@destinationbc.ca
Michael Brown – Coordinator, Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
Tel: 236 468 1341
Email: Michael.Brown@destinationbc.ca
Heather McGillivray – Travel Media Relations & Travel Trade Specialist
Tel: 250 888 5687
Email: Heather.McGillivray@destinationbc.ca
Cindy Conti – Vancouver, Coast & Mountains HR Consultant
Tel: 778 268 1740
Email: cconti@go2hr.ca
Subscribe to Directions, Destination BC’s e-newsletter, for the latest news and program updates.
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