BC’s Tourism Sectors to Benefit from $400,000 in Funding from Destination BC

Vancouver – Provincial tourism sector associations support an abundance of activities in BC such as mountain biking, ocean boating, camping, and RVing. To help their network of businesses and communities across the province, tourism sector associations throughout British Columbia will benefit from $400,000 provided through Destination BC.

Destination BC currently works with 15 sector associations across the province through the Co-operative Marketing Partnerships Program (full list below), such as the BC Farmers Market and BC Craft Brewers Guild. Each one supports BC’s tourism industry, working collaboratively with members and partners who share the same passion for enhancing tourism experiences through marketing initiatives.

During this difficult time, the role of BC’s sector associations has increased. These funds will allow sector associations to continue to support their members, provide direction on the implementation of health and safety measures, and develop sector-specific marketing plans in partnership with Destination BC.

“Tourism sector associations play a key role in supporting people working in the tourism industry and demand for their services has increased significantly during COVID-19,” says Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. “We want sector associations to be able to continue contributing to the long-term well-being of the tourism industry.”

Sector associations have had to pivot quickly during COVID-19. This funding will support operating and administrative costs, and ultimately help ensure businesses and communities can continue to showcase and grow experiences across our province.

“Whether it’s fishing or golfing, mountain biking or wine tasting, we want to help BC’s tourism businesses get back on their feet as quickly as possible,” said Marsha Walden, President and CEO at Destination BC. “These one-time grants will help sector associations support their members on the road to recovery.”

Destination BC currently provides over $2.0 million in funding for these 15 sectors through our Co-op Marketing Partnership Program. When COVID-19 first began to impact BC’s tourism industry in March, Destination BC quickly modified this program to ensure flexibility through the extension of existing funding contracts.

Destination BC will continue to support BC’s tourism industry by providing access to resources and tools, training programs, program modifications, and insights for small- and medium-sized enterprises, throughout the transition from COVID-19.

Quick Facts:

Sector                                                Lead Organization(s)

Backcountry Lodges                       Backcountry Lodges of BC

BC Ale Trail                                       BC Craft Brewers Guild

BC Bird Trails                                    Tourism Richmond

BC Farmers Market                         BC Farmers Market Association

Camping & RV                                  BC Lodging & Campground Association

Fishing BC                                         BC Freshwater Resort Outfitters Association, Sport Fishing Institute for Saltwater Fishing, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC

Gardens                                             Gardens BC

Golf                                                    Allied Golf Association

Guest Ranches                                 BC Guest Ranch Association

Guide Outfitters                              Guide Outfitters Association of BC

Mountain Bike                                 Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association

Ocean Boating                                 British Columbia Ocean Boating Tourism Association

Ski (Alpine, Heli-Cat, Nordic)        Canada’s West Ski Areas Association

Snowmobile                                      BC Snowmobile Association

Wine                                                   BC Wine Institute

Tourism by the Numbers

• British Columbia’s tourism industry generated revenue of $20.5 billion in 2018*, an increase of 4.9% over 2017, and a 53.3% increase from 2008.
• In 2018, British Columbia’s tourism industry employed 161,500 people, a 4.3% increase from 2017. This means that tourism provided a job for roughly 1 out of every 16 people employed in the province.
• There were 19,329 tourism-related businesses in BC, in 2018, employing over 161,500 people and paying $6 billion in wages and salaries.
• The tourism industry generated $6.9 billion in export revenue in 2018, growing 8.2% from 2017.
• GDP for the provincial economy as a whole grew 2.7% over 2017. The tourism industry contributed $8.3 billion of value added or GDP (in 2012 constant dollars) to the BC economy. This represented 3.0% growth over 2017 and 42.1% growth since 2008.
• In 2019, the majority of BC’s visitation was domestic: 74% of all visitors to BC were Canadians. These domestic visitors contributed 49% of tourism revenues in our province.
• British Columbians can support BC’s visitor economy by spending some of the $6.7 billion they annually spend abroad by exploring their own province.

More provincial statistics on tourism industry performance can be found here.

*Latest information available from BC Stats

About Destination BC:

Destination BC is a provincially funded, industry-led Crown corporation that supports a strong and competitive future for BC’s tourism industry through a combination of global marketing, destination development, industry learning, cooperative community-based programs, and visitor servicing. Destination BC receives approximately $52 million each year, out of a Provincial investment of about $140 million in BC’s tourism ecosystem as a whole. These investments help to improve the visitor experience, support businesses and communities, and strengthen BC’s worldwide reputation as a destination of choice. For more information about Destination BC’s programs and services, please visit: http://www.DestinationBC.ca/

For additional information, please contact:

Destination BC Media Relations

Email: [email protected]