BRITISH COLUMBIA – Destination BC, with the support of PacifiCan, announced the completion of 11 new community tourism plans, representing mostly small and rural communities across the province, through a Community Tourism Planning initiative.
Each plan aims to ensure that tourism growth respects local culture, supports businesses, and brings benefits to residents. This approach allows for balanced and sustainable growth, where tourism enhances the community’s well-being for residents and the experience for visitors.
“Our new Destination Development Strategy builds upon the District of Kitimat’s new five-year Economic Development Strategy. It focuses on projects that align with federal and provincial priorities and positions Kitimat to target a variety of funding sources. There is momentum for tourism development in Kitimat that can benefit both our residents and visitors,” said Laurel D’Andrea, Executive Director, Kitimat Chamber of Commerce.
The Community Tourism Planning initiative was designed to support communities to develop tourism in a way that works for them. The initiative assisted BC communities, particularly smaller and more rural ones, in developing a long-term vision for tourism and supporting the recovery and rebuilding of the tourism sector post-COVID. It also connected communities with experienced facilitators who led a collaborative planning process. As a result, participating communities developed comprehensive tourism plans, engaged with a wide array of local partners, and explored opportunities for sustainable economic development.
Communities that participated in the initiative and their Champion Organizations
- Clinton (Village of Clinton)
- Cortes Island (Cortes Community Economic Development Association)
- Dawson Creek (City of Dawson Creek)
- Delta (Tourism Delta/Delta Chamber of Commerce)
- Elkford (District of Elkford)
- Kitimat (Kitimat Chamber of Commerce)
- Lake Country (District of Lake Country)
- Lillooet (Lillooet Chamber of Commerce)
- Metchosin, Sooke to Port Renfrew (District of Metchosin, District of Sooke, WorkLink Employment Society)
- South Kootenays (Trail and District Chamber of Commerce)
- 100 Mile House and the South Cariboo (District of 100 Mile House)
“Thanks to the generous support of PacifiCan’s Tourism Relief Fund, Destination BC partnered with small and rural communities, supporting them in overcoming challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic. We applaud the strong local leadership and thoughtful tourism plans created by these communities, developed with valuable input from residents and businesses. Partnerships like these are important for building a strong and resilient tourism industry, and we look forward to seeing the positive impacts for communities and the province as a whole,” said Alison McKay, Vice President, Destination Management of Destination BC.
Business Examiner Staff
