VANCOUVER, B.C. (October 26, 2020): The British Columbia Hotel Association (BCHA) and Tourism Vancouver Island (TVI) have partnered to assist Canadian “snowbirds” – residents who travel to warmer destinations during colder months – who are choosing to come to Vancouver Island this fall/winter due to COVID-19 restrictions precluding travel to the United States.
The partnership has created a dedicated resource for long-stay visitors who plan to “Venture West This Winter” at VancouverIsland.Travel/Snowbirds to promote dispersion of business across the Vancouver Island region, winter activities and mindful travel. Snowbirds can book accommodation, educate themselves on safety protocols for the communities they will be visiting and plan ahead to spend their extended time on the Island living like a local.
“With our temperate winter climate, Vancouver Island is a natural alternative for Canadian Snowbirds,” says Anthony Everett, President & CEO, Tourism Vancouver Island. “We are committed to supporting the survival of the 3,000+ tourism businesses in the Vancouver Island region by adapting our target visitor and forging deep partnerships and collaboration, including with BCHA, to strengthen the visitor economy.”
“B.C.’s accommodation community has suffered monumental financial losses and hardship due to COVID-19’s impact on travel,” adds Ingrid Jarrett, President & CEO, BC Hotel Association. “With the Canada-U.S. border closed for the foreseeable future, the fall/winter off-season poses particularly threatening challenges to the tourism industry. This requires an innovative look at new potential markets and Canadian Snowbirds pose a promising opportunity that we are thrilled to explore.”
Tourism Vancouver Island amplifies the recovery marketing work of its industry partners, including Destination Greater Victoria, who will extend promotion to potential Canadian visitors this winter through its own dedicated marketing campaign.
TVI and BCHA hope this partnership will serve as a successful model that can be replicated across the province by the British Columbia Regional Tourism Secretariat; a partnership between BC’s five Regional Destination Management Organizations, including Tourism Vancouver Island, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association and Northern British Columbia Tourism Association.
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About Tourism Vancouver Island:
As one of five not-for-profit destination management and marketing organizations within the province, Tourism Vancouver Island’s mission is to support Vancouver Island’s evolution into a globally preferred travel and getaway destination. Governed by a volunteer board of directors, the association represents tourism stakeholders throughout the region, including Victoria, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and a stretch of mainland coast between Moses and Bute inlets. Tourism Vancouver Island gratefully acknowledges funding from the Province of B.C. through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. For more information, visit www.tourismvi.ca.
About the BC Hotel Association:
The British Columbia Hotel Association is a non-profit organization that works on behalf of accommodators at federal, provincial, and community levels, and champions issues such as taxation, tourism, marketing, corporate relations, labour, and consumer services. In 2018, B.C.'s tourism sector generated $20.5 billion in revenue, supporting over 19,300 businesses and 300,000+ employees. The B.C. hotel community plays an integral role in this prosperity of tourism, and is made up of over 1,300 accommodators, 60,000 employees, and 80,000 rooms. For more information, visit www.bcha.com.
Media Contacts:
Kelsey Millman
Communications, BC Hotel Association
Anthony Everett
President & CEO, Tourism Vancouver Island
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