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Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
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View of Sechelt Inlet from West Coast Wilderness Lodge in Egmont. (Destination Canada)
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Thank you to everyone who joined the VCM team for our annual Community Forum!
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VCM Community Forum in Ch'illiwack
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It’s a wrap on the VCM Community Forum, held two weeks ago at the Coast Chilliwack Hotel. The annual event is a highlight of the year for the VCM team and this year’s gathering felt extra special, thanks to the enthusiasm of all community partners who tested their presentation skills with Pecha Kucha-inspired updates (A+ for all of you)! This year’s agenda was crafted through partner feedback and included updates from Indigenous Tourism BC, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport (TACS), and Spinal Cord Injury BC.
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Thank you to all the presenters for sharing their time and knowledge, and to all the communities who joined us (including many first-timers)! We also extend our huge appreciation to the Tourism Ch’illiwack team for working with us to host a memorable event.
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Stay tuned for details on the VCM Industry Forum this fall, which is open to all tourism partners in the region. Follow us on LinkedIn for event updates!
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VCM and DBC staff join Tourism Harrison’s Stephanie Gallamore for the grand opening.
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Harrison Visitor Centre & Sasquatch Museum Grand Opening
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Congratulations to Tourism Harrison on last week’s grand opening of the Harrison Visitor Centre & Sasquatch Museum with the support of Sts’ailes and the Village of Harrison Hot Springs. The new building is three times the size of the original museum. Its main feature is the “Land of the Giants'' exhibit, highlighting the area’s bald eagles and sturgeon, alongside the legendary Sasquatch. It also includes a recreated Sts’ailes longhouse, an interactive kiosk, carvings, foot castings, and interpretive panels.
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The Harrison Visitor Centre & Sasquatch Museum was built with a tremendous amount of thought and care, creating an accessible museum and an enhanced multimedia and sensory video experience. It has received the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification program’s Gold Certification for accessibility.
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The word Sasquatch is thought to be an anglicized mispronunciation of Sa:sq’ets, the Sts’ailes word for “hairy man.” The Sts’ailes People believe the Sa:sq’ets is a spiritual being that can vanish into the spirit realm at will and is the primary caretaker that watches over the land.
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Tourism Harrison was able to access Destination BC’s Indigenous Learning & Projects Grant for Visitor Services to support the creation of some of the Sts’ailes interpretive content.
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Sasquatch Days brought lively intercultural festivities to Harrison Hot Springs. (Chad Wetsch)
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Sasquatch Days in Harrison Hot Springs
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It was a picture-perfect weekend for the 12th annual Sasquatch Days in Harrison Hot Springs. The two-day intercultural event, which was open to the public, included friendly competition between numerous war canoe race clubs, who came from across the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and the United States. In addition to the canoe races, attendees had an opportunity to learn more about Sts’ailes culture and traditions through a salmon BBQ and bannock lunch, free medicine walks, and an artisan market.
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Chad Wetsch, VCM’s General Manager, was invited by Sts’ailes and the Village of Harrison Hot Springs to participate in the Opening Procession and the VIP Paddle on Saturday, June 22.
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New River’s Edge glamping tents are now open.
(REO Rafting & Yoga Resort)
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Good News: REO Rafting & Yoga Resort Is Open Again
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After suffering devastating destruction due to last summer’s wildfires, REO Rafting & Yoga Resort, near Boston Bar, has opened for its 42nd season following eight months of rebuilding and revitalization. Though the capacity is smaller now, the business opened with 17 glamping tents, each located five metres above the rapids of the Nahatlatch River. Guests have resumed whitewater rafting on the world-class river and, although the tragedy of the fire frames both sides of the waterway, the regrowth is green and the speed and continuous nature of the rapids keeps them focused on the waters ahead.
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The rebuild of the Yoga & Wellness Retreat Centre will carry forward into the 2025 season; in the meantime, the resort has created three yoga decks, a relaxation zone with hammock gardens, forest- and river-view pergolas, and nature walks. REO Rafting & Yoga Resort will be open until September 21, and locals and visitors are invited to see the revitalization efforts and enjoy the best of BC’s nature, adventure, and wellness.
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Members of the Metro Vancouver Destination Management Council collaborate on region-wide planning.
(Diana Mulvey)
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Resetting Priorities across the Metro Vancouver Planning Area
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The Metro Vancouver Destination Management Council (MVDMC) recently organized a workshop for tourism and destination development partners to build connections, learn how to advance their community’s tourism goals, and collaborate on region-wide planning. The Council has convened since 2021 to implement the area’s Destination Development Strategy. Its membership includes representatives across the region with roles in planning, economic development, events, and destination management. The Council has delivered several tools and resources to support partners with long-term tourism planning.
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Enhanced visitor-use management is needed to protect Pipi7íyekw/Joffre Lakes Park.
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New Partnership to Protect the Beauty and Culture of Pipi7íyekw/Joffre Lakes Park
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BC Parks, LílÌ“wat Nation and N’Quatqua for Pipi7íyekw/Joffre Lakes Park have partnered to support the growing number of people eager to visit Joffre Lakes Park, while also conserving the natural and cultural values that make the land special.
The park is collaboratively managed with LílÌ“wat Nation and N’Quatqua with a primary goal of maintaining its natural state. In addition to protecting both Nations' cultural values, including nÅ¥ákmen (a St’at’imc word meaning “our ways”), park stewards focus on resource protection and public safety.
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Fam tour participants were impressed by their explorations within the VCM region. (Destination BC/Monica Leeck)
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Spring FAMS Target Singapore Market
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In early April, Air Canada introduced new non-stop flights between Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Singapore's Changi International Airport (SIN).
The route operates four times weekly, with a fifth flight per week scheduled to start in December.
To support awareness of this new route, Destination BC teamed up with Air Canada, Destination Vancouver, Tourism Richmond, Vancouver Hotel Destination Association and YVR to host two familiarization tours in May.
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The first included travel media and influencers based in Singapore; here is an example of a resulting article with The Travel Intern. The second included key tour operators from Singapore, who were invited through Rendez-vous Canada in May.
In addition to opportunities within Singapore, the new Air Canada route will support travel from other markets in Asia such as Indonesia, Malaysia and southeast India. It’s also a good connection for Australians travelling from Perth/Western Australia to Vancouver.
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The VCM region completed a successful spring season with meetings at the TMAC conference. (Heather McGillivray)
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Travel Media Relations & Travel Trade Update
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To cap off the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains tourism region’s participation in pre-summer travel media and travel trade industry events, VCM attended the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC) conference, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. VCM was well represented with Tourism Whistler, Tourism Richmond, Discover Surrey, Tourism Langley and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in attendance, each with an opportunity to conduct 24 one-on-one media marketplace appointments. BC-based travel journalists won big at the annual TMAC Awards, presented at the conference with Destination BC sponsoring the category “Best tourism story for positive change”.
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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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Surrey Council Approves Over $44.9M for Outdoor Sport Facilities
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Surrey City Council is making significant investments in outdoor sport infrastructure with the approval of the City’s Five-Year (2024-2028) Financial Plan. The plan earmarks more than $44.9 million towards new, upgraded and enhanced outdoor sport facilities, with more than $16.8 million allocated for 2024.
Key projects moving forward in 2024 include a third field hockey pitch at Tamanawis Park, a covered lacrosse box and multi-sport box at South Surrey Athletic Park, artificial turf field space and parking lot expansion at Cloverdale Athletic Park, and more.
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Surrey City Council is making significant investments in outdoor sport infrastructure. (City of Surrey)
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Introducing Two New Visitor Centres in the VCM Region
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Vancouver (Water and Cordova streets)
Hours: June 4 – September 30, 10am to 3pm
Destination Vancouver has introduced a new visitor kiosk in Gastown, with the support of Gray Line Westcoast Sightseeing and the Gastown Business Improvement Association. The kiosk will provide essential information and resources to enhance visitors’ experiences.
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Vancouver Visitor Kiosk (Matt Taylor/Destination Vancouver)
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Langley Visitor Centre. (Discover Langley City)
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Langley City (101-20611 Fraser Highway)
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm
Discover Langley City has opened a year-round Visitor Centre in downtown Langley. Complementing the summer Mobile Visitor Services program, the Visitor Centre is located in the Discover Langley City office.
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Sunshine Coast Slow Food Cycle (Gibsons): Enjoy a self-guided, 20-kilometre bike tour of farms, cideries, breweries and artisans, featuring fresh product, food samples, farm animals, and a wrap party at Persephone Brewing. Date: July 28 (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
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Paddlewheeler Riverboat Tours (New Westminster): Paddlewheeler Riverboat Tours have resumed on the Fraser River, offering a unique opportunity to see picturesque landscapes, rich wildlife, and vibrant cultural heritage from the comfort of a classic, 100-passenger paddlewheeler. Tours include Sunset on the Fraser Dinner Cruise, Pitt Lake Wilderness & Nature Tour, and Ladner Wetlands and Nature Cruise.
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Don’t Love it to Death sign in Lillooet. (Lorne Russell)
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Don’t Love it to Death: Signs are in the Ground!
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This summer, you may notice Don’t Love it to Death signs installed at trailheads, parks, and natural spaces around the region, thanks to funding from the Targeted Regional Tourism Development Initiative. Approximately 170 signs with thought-provoking images and messages aim to remind residents and visitors to be aware of their impact and respect the environment, wildlife, and fellow recreationists.
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Now in its second year, the Don’t Love it to Death awareness campaign reveals the impacts of bad behaviour and gives recreationists the tools and knowledge to protect and preserve the places they love.
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Ahead of the recent May long weekend, the Don’t Love it to Death campaign team also launched the Bad House Guest video series, designed for social media and starring comedian and actor Katie Burrell. The series parallels Katie's outrageous behaviour as a guest in someone's home with poor behaviour that is common when recreating outdoors.
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The new North Shore Like a Local pledge campaign offers easy-to-follow tips on reducing your environmental footprint, so Vancouver’s North Shore can continue hosting travellers well into the future. To take the pledge, visit the Vancouver North Shore website and follow @vancouversnorthshore on social media.
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Make the pledge to explore Vancouver's North Shore responsibly.
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Supports and opportunities available to tourism businesses and communities in VCM.
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go2hr's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion online training course will help you build a more respectful and welcoming work culture. (Destination BC/Hubert Kang)
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Enroll in go2HR’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Online Training Course
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Did you know go2HR offers several resources to help employers build a workplace that values respect and appreciation for all workers? Enroll your team in go2HR’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) online training courses, which are designed exclusively for the tourism industry. You'll demonstrate your commitment to inclusivity, attract a diverse talent pool, and improve employee retention – just some of the many rewards of an inclusive, supportive work culture!
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