Statement from Marsha Walden, CEO of Destination BC Support for Tourism in BC
VANCOUVER –The Government of British Columbia announced on Wednesday BC’s Restart Plan, which outlines the next steps in the strategy to move through the COVID-19 pandemic. Destination BC is working closely with Minister Beare and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, as well as industry partners from every corner of our province, to set out how tourism can be part of the new normal.
For the past few months, Destination BC has pivoted its work, guided by a three-phased approach:
- Response
- Recovery
- Resilience
Until now, we have been in the initial Response phase. This has meant pausing all of our paid international and domestic marketing campaigns, and instead, turning our collective efforts to supporting the provincial health directives through the #exploreBClater campaign; supporting BC’s tourism industry via weekly calls and newsletters, regular updates to our COVID-19 resource hub and ongoing communication with our tourism partners across the province; and, planning an extensive recovery campaign for once travel restrictions are lifted.
Now that we have some certainty about how the re-start will unfold, Destination BC is approaching our marketing recovery in phases that align with the Province’s Restart Plan, with near-term plans to support tourism and hospitality businesses, and strengthen British Columbians’ desire for future travel in BC—something that will have a tremendous impact on the long-term wellbeing of our industry. Beginning in mid-May, Destination BC will focus on hyper-local marketing to encourage people to #exploreBClocal – to be a tourist in their hometown, to reignite interest in our museums, galleries and cultural sites, to remind our residents of how parks, beaches and outdoor spaces can strengthen their mental and physical wellbeing, and to support the small tourism businesses that are the foundation of our industry – all while adhering to the provincial health directives that are in place to protect us all. Further details on these campaigns will be released in the coming weeks.
Destination BC will also 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 in our industry, throughout the transition. We are launching a series of webinars through our Learning Centre, to walk industry through re-opening planning processes, reputation management and communications, strategies to elevate the local visitor experience, and more. And, we will continue to ensure that industry is working with the latest information from weekly calls and webinars, newsletters, and ongoing communication.
As British Columbians, we need to continue to avoid all non-essential, inter-community travel around our province to ensure we’re not compromising the great efforts and sacrifices we have all made over the last few months. As Premier Horgan said, “Every corner of BC is spectacular, and wherever you live is an outstanding place. Stay there and enjoy it.” We’re all in this together, and BC’s tourism industry will continue to lean on each other as we navigate our new future.
Key Stats:
- In 2019, British Columbians spent an estimated $6.7B abroad, on international travel (excluding day trips to the US). This is almost as much as international travelers spent right here, in BC ($7.3B).
- In 2019, 74% of all visitors to BC were Canadians. These domestic visitors contributed 49% of tourism revenues in our province. Of North American visitation, 57% were BC residents and contributed 41% of tourism revenues
Destination BC Resources:
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]
