PAUL NURSEY
VICTORIA – As the year draws to a close and Destination Greater Victoria (DGV) gets ready to launch our 50th year of serving Greater Victoria residents and businesses, here’s a look back at some of the remarkable things we helped accomplished in 2023 with the support of our members and the communities we serve:
- Greater Victoria was awarded Biosphere certification. Now, 51 DGV members are linked to the Biosphere program;
- With the support of the Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission, we’ll host Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada in January and the CFL’s Touchdown Pacific in August;
- DGV made foundational year-round business a priority, securing 52 conferences and 89 local events in 2023, growing business back to about 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels;
- Uber started providing service in the Victoria area;
- Porter Airlines began offering direct service from Victoria to Toronto;
- The procurement process for the long-awaited Belleville Terminal Redevelopment got underway;
- Summer average daily rate and revenue per available room results were well above 2022 levels;
- Affordable workforce housing for hotel and hospitality workers took a step forward, with tourism revenue contributing funding for a 40-unit workforce housing project; and
- The Victoria Hospitality Awards returned to honour the many people in our industry who go above and beyond to provide exceptional customer experiences.
Greater Victoria’s many accolades included being named #1 City, Best Small City, #8 Best City for Food, and Friendliest City in the World in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards; #2 city in Travel + Leisure Readers’ 5 Favourite Cities in Canada; Best Midsize City in the World and Most Walkable Destination Outside the US in Travel Awaits; and a Must-See City in the 2024 Good Housekeeping Family Travel Awards.
All of us at DGV extend our heartfelt gratitude to our many partners and the communities, local businesses and visionary leaders who helped us achieve these milestones. While there is still work to do in areas such as air route development, overall, 2023 was a year that cemented recovery.
As we look to the new year, we remain committed to responsible practices, sustainable growth and delivering results. In 2024, we look forward to working with Greater Victoria municipalities and our nearly 1,000 member businesses to promote, enhance, and manage our vibrant destination with authentic experiences that leave a lasting impact, celebrate local culture, and weave the stories of our people, heritage, and traditions into every visitor’s journey.
Paul Nursey is the President and CEO of Destination Greater Victoria
