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Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
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September 2023 Newsletter
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Enjoying the fall colours in Whistler (Destination BC/Hubert Kang).
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Richmond (Tourism Richmond).
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Register now! VCM Industry Forum
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Registration for this year’s VCM Industry Forum is now open! Hear the latest updates from Destination BC teams and presentations from our special guest speakers. The Forum will be held in person on Wednesday, November 15 at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond.
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Just Launched: Highway 3 Campaign
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Highway 3 from Hope to the Alberta border is soon to be known as the best-loved touring route in BC, thanks to a unique partnership to market the route to visitors. The Highway 3 Tourism Alliance—a collaboration led by three regions (Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, and Vancouver, Coast & Mountains)—has just launched Hwy3BC.ca. The website showcases communities in BC along Highway 3, shares recommended itineraries, and encourages travelers to slow down to enjoy a classic road trip. Digital ads will promote fall travel.
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stɑl̓əw̓ Arts and Cultural Society (Amber Oliver)
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Second Annual stɑl'əw̓ Pow Wow
in Langley
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stɑl'əw̓ Arts & Cultural Society welcomes visitors to its second annual stɑl'əw̓ Pow Wow. This immersive and inclusive family-friendly cultural experience happens at Langley Events Centre on the territory of the Kwantlen First Nation on September 15, 16, and 17, 2023.
stɑl'əw̓ Pow Wow celebrates Indigenous culture, traditions, music, regalia, and art. As one of the largest Pow Wow events in the Metro Vancouver area, participants will sing, drum and dance together, immersing themselves in the artistic and cultural traditions that demonstrate the intergenerational and interconnectedness of Indigenous ways of being and knowing.
The stɑl'əw̓ Pow Wow is open to the public, and everyone is welcome to attend, supporting and uplifting one another on the path of reconciliation.
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View the full lists of projects, here.
(Destination BC/Albert Normandin).
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Vancouver Organizations Receive Funding to Revitalize Local Public Spaces
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The Government of Canada has announced funding for new and improved public spaces in Vancouver. This will also create tourism experiences that stimulate the local economy and enhance community wellness. Funding will be used to help upgrade temporary plazas and parklets into long-term community hubs across the city for residents and visitors to enjoy. Initially created during the pandemic to offer more outdoor space to eat, rest, socialize, and participate in neighbourhood activities, these plazas and parklets have become well-loved community spaces. These investments are expected to create more than 80 new jobs.
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'The Fields” at the Richmond Olympic Oval (Tourism Richmond).
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The Fields at the Richmond Olympic Oval Now Open
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Recently opened at the Richmond Olympic Oval, “The Fields” provide essential facilities to address an increasing demand for sport programs and event hosting.
The project was made possible by the support of the City of Richmond Mayor and Council who made the lot available for the Richmond Olympic Oval to improve the previously underutilized space. External funding contributions provided the opportunity to improve the once seasonal grass amenity into a year-round world-class facility featuring turf, three half-court basketball courts, a fitness area, lighting and event hosting infrastructure.
When not programmed by the Oval or rented by community sport groups, the space is open for public use.
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Cultus Lake (Destination BC/Local Wanderer).
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BC Parks Recreation Facility Plans
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BC Parks is preparing Recreation Facility Plans for Mount Seymour, Golden Ears, and Cultus Lake Provincial Parks.
As the number of visitors to these parks continues to rise, there is growing pressure on facilities and resources. The Recreation Facility Plans will identify priorities to:
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provide a range of enjoyable, high-quality, and safe outdoor recreation opportunities for visitors, and
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help manage the increasing number of visitors to protect the environmental and cultural integrity of the parks.
Representatives from VCM and the regional CDMOs recently participated in a workshop to share their input related to planning for and managing the visitor experience in each park. Insights were also shared from the Sea to Sky Destination Management Council’s Don’t Love it to Death campaign.
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(Destination BC/Heather McGillivray).
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Travel Media Relations & Travel Trade Update
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This Summer, CITAP+ (Canadian Inbound Tourism Association Plus) held its annual Hidi Nishi Golf Tournament in Metro Vancouver and offered non-golfers a FAM option. VCM was pleased to have the “Summer Sip & Bite” FAM visit the Fraser Valley with 16 BC-based receptive tour operators and industry members sampling Krause Berry Farms & Estate Winery, Fort Langley National Historic Site of Canada, Tuscan Farm Gardens and Glass House Estate Winery.
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This month, VCM will be represented at Travel Classics West 2023, which brings together top U.S. travel editors with freelance writers in Vancouver. Destination BC's first Iconic brand—Rainforest to Rockies—will have a soft launch at this media event. Pre- and post-tours will be held across BC, including the Fraser Valley and the Sunshine Coast. VCM will also participate in a GoMedia Canada 2023 post-tour showcasing the Rainforest to Rockies route for six international journalists from the UK, Germany, Australia, Mexico, China, and Japan.
For more information about VCM’s travel media relations and travel trade activities, or to share story ideas and new product updates, contact Heather McGillivray at [email protected]
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Complete the survey, here.
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Provincial Wildfire Business Impact Survey
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The British Columbia Economic Development Association (BCEDA) is measuring some of the initial economic impacts of the wildfires in BC this year through their Provincial Wildfire Business Impact Survey.
This survey is applicable to any wildfire-impacted businesses in Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in BC. Impacts can include road closures, evacuation alerts/orders, smoke, cancellation of major events, delivery interruptions, public perception of closure, and more. Survey results will be shared with Provincial, Indigenous, Local and Regional Governments to help identify businesses and communities’ short and long-term needs.
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Sechelt Visitor Centre (Sunshine Coast Tourism).
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Sunshine Coast Tourism Visitor Centres Achieve Silver Sustainable Tourism Certification
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Sunshine Coast Tourism’s Gibsons and Sechelt Visitor Centres recently received Silver Certification with GreenStep Sustainable Tourism, North America’s largest certification program for the tourism and hospitality industry.
“Visitor Centres play a critical role in helping communicate destination and community values, and this latest achievement helps to showcase the efforts of current sustainability measures of today, while advancing efforts over time through the creation of a sustainability action plan.” - Jenn Burling, GreenStep’s Director of Sustainable Tourism.
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Grouse Mountain Eye of the Wind
(Destination Vancouver/Grouse Mountain).
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Introducing the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Sustainability Playbook
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We recently launched our latest industry resource, the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Sustainability Playbook, created for tourism businesses and destinations. The Playbook guides users through a step-by-step process of measuring baseline performance and creating an action plan for improvement. Designed using global best practices and input from regional partners, the playbook includes tools and industry resources for quick implementation into your operations. Whether you are a team of one or many, the playbook will set your organization up for success on its sustainability journey.
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Register now for the workshop series
(Destination BC/Jordan Manley).
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The VCM Sustainability Playbook Workshop Series
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The Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Tourism Region is excited to present a two-part virtual workshop series for CDMO’s in the region on how to use the Sustainability Playbook and support their tourism businesses in using the new resource. The workshop will guide attendees on the process of creating a sustainability committee and developing a sustainability action plan. Training CDMOs in the VCM region on how to use the Playbook is an important step in elevating the region’s understanding of sustainability and its practical implementation, as well as empowering CDMOs to develop community sustainability champions that support their tourism businesses.
Workshop 1 - October 18th, 1-2:30pm PDT
Workshop 2 - October 25th, 1-2:30pm PDT
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Supports and opportunities available to tourism businesses and communities in VCM.
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Register for a fall TDA intake, here.
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Register Now for the Tourism Digital Academy Program - Limited Space Available
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Two fall intakes of our Tourism Digital Academy are now open: Oct. 3 – Nov. 22, 2023 and Oct. 10 – Nov. 29, 2023. Register for this free, eight-week digital marketing program for BC tourism businesses that want to build their knowledge and skills in digital marketing to an intermediate level. Designed for business owners or marketing team members, this comprehensive program will help jumpstart your digital marketing activities. This program provides actionable guidance and live sessions with industry experts that will help build your understanding of SEO, website usability, content, email marketing, and analytics.
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Join DBC’s Tourism Marketing Committee
(Destination BC/6ix Sigma Productions).
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Deadline Approaching: Tourism Marketing Committee
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Want to join Destination BC’s Tourism Marketing Committee (TMC) and work to develop a successful, dynamic, and sustainable tourism sector for BC? The call for applications for the 2024-2026 term is now open with a deadline of October 11, 2023. Destination BC is looking for two representatives from the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region. Find out more and apply!
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