PAUL NURSEY
VICTORIA – This month, Destination Greater Victoria (DGV) and its members gathered for the enthusiastic launch of our 2024 Business Plan. The plan provides our commercial direction for next 12 months and was created with valuable input from our approximately 1,000 members, as well as government officials, key stakeholders, and dozens of committee members.
Our theme for this year is “Taking Stock and Moving the Needle”. To that end, key initiatives well underway include updating our foundational research, finalizing our ten-year tourism master plan, investing in air route development, minimizing our environmental impact, advocating for responsible tourism practices, and continuing to prioritize equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives to create a more equitable workplace and destination.
Our ongoing collaboration with our members and tourism partners will play a key role in continuing to move the needle on these and other priorities, many of which were highlighted at our launch at the Victoria Conference Centre, including:
Destination BC: “Victoria is one of five gateway cities that play a key role in driving tourism in B.C., so it makes sense for us to work closely with DGV on specific markets and opportunities. We look forward to partnering more often and working as one team in areas like travel trade and travel media.” (Richard Porges, CEO)
Victoria Airport Authority: “DGV’s support is critical in helping us demonstrate to airlines the business case for new routes and showing airlines that the level of support they want to see from local hotels and businesses is here.” (Elizabeth Brown, CEO)
Greater Victoria Harbour Authority: “The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority is committed to a safe, sustainable and competitive working harbour. We are thrilled to partner with DGV on shared commitments to showcase the region and progress sustainable tourism.” (Robert Lewis-Manning, CEO)
MMGY NJF: “In the highly competitive global tourism sector, DGV’s focus on sustainability and certification programs like Biosphere is capturing the attention of travel media and setting Greater Victoria apart as a must-see destination. The next step is getting them here because seeing is believing and the travellers will follow.” (Sara Gorgon, Vice President, Public Relations)
With the visitor economy more important than ever before for Greater Victoria, we’re thankful to work with partners like these whose commitments to ethical and sustainable growth match our own. With this business plan to guide our actions, we look forward to reaching new heights and amplifying our impact as we work together to serve Greater Victoria and its residents.
Paul Nursey is the President and CEO of Destination Greater Victoria