Campbell River Pivots to Respond to COVID-19

Co-op marketing partnerships program recipient, the #MeetourNeighbours Regional Strathcona partnership, is made up of Campbell River-area communities that have come together to form a group to promote travel to the region, led by Destination Campbell River, with partners the village of Sayward, the village of Tahsis, the village of Zeballos, and the village of Gold River. With the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the #MeetourNeighbours partnership responded to follow provincial health mandates, and to keep their residents and travellers safe.

Firstly, they considered timing, and how some communities would not be able to welcome visitors until late in the summer, and adjusted their plans to follow the restrictions. On their new Campbell River Collection app, they shared safety messaging, were able to feature more outdoor stakeholders and those that could quickly adapt to the new protocols.

They reviewed their photography and video assets, understanding that many would need to be reshot to better reflect the pandemic-related experiences on offer, and to ensure they showcased social distancing. Their team continued to work with local content creators throughout Summer and Fall 2020 to re-shoot their key experiences, enjoyed in new pandemic-friendly ways.

Their team also worked with four local ambassadors to create and re-cut existing content, like this regional promotional video, which reflected the current health protocols, and encouraged local exploration.

Lastly, the team also updated the content on their website, sharing virtual visitor centre information, and details on how to safely visit Campbell River.