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Good afternoon members and stakeholders,
Please find below a few updates for your review. We welcome updates from you to share in upcoming newsletters.
It is clear that the weather has been a challenge, especially this month. We should all "Pray for Snow" and for the Griz to get to work! That said, at Tourism Fernie, we are focused on the future of tourism as much as the present. I hope you can join us at our AGM event to learn more about our vision and big projects. Thank you for all that each of you does to support tourism in Fernie.
A special shout out to all the groomers on-mtn and on the local trails and sledding areas - You do an amazing job and the groomed trails are in great shape!
~ Jikke, the Board & Staff of Tourism Fernie
| | TOURISM FERNIE AGM & INDUSTRY EVENT | | |
Mark your Calendars! Free to Attend!
Tourism Fernie Industry Event & Annual General Meeting
Bayleaf Indian Fusion Restaurant
at Fernie Golf Course,
102 Fairway Drive
Tuesday, March 31st, 2026
Industry Networking - A Year in Review - Visions & Projects to Future Proof Tourism - Speaker & Engagement - Complimentary Lunch
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Nominations are now open for joining the Board of Directors!
Deadline: February 20th.
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Lodging Data Update for Fernie
2025 lodging numbers covering January - December are starting to come in. The charts above show % occupancy and average room rates for Fernie area hotels compared to the same time last year and other destinations.
Overview of the year showed last winter season was very strong, this past spring was down primarily due to the reduction of corporate bookings and impacts on business and consumer confidence with the political events down south. Numbers started to return to expected levels starting in July and were stronger each month than the previous year. Final numbers for 2025 are showing slightly up from 2024. Official numbers will be confirmed in time for Tourism Fernie's AGM.
Typical leisure visitation still fluctuates with the seasons, weather, events and available things to do. Canadian and US visitation did see an increase this year, especially summer and fall. Corporate business continues to book hotel room nights year-round except for the spring dip mentioned above.
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Winter Grooming Collaborative
Supported by Tourism Fernie, Island Lake Lodge, and the City of Fernie's RMI Tourism Funding, the winter grooming collaborative works together to make our winter trails epic and accessible for Nordic, fat biking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and simply walking and running!
The groomed trails are in great shape so get out there to enjoy and be sure to financially support all the trail groups! Please adhere to all trail signage to help keep the trails in tip top shape!
Get the new Grooming App - Nordic Pulse
View the Winter Trail Map or pick one up around town.
| | | FUNDS FOR COMMUNITY EVENT - FIFA 2026 | | | |
Local Organizations Applying for Funds
A new one-time 2026 Community Event Support Fund by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture & Sport is just starting to be reviewed by local groups including Tourism Fernie and Fernie Youth Soccer Assn to create a fun and free community event(s) in June/July during the FIFA World Cup to celebrate local sport, culture, community in the spirit of the games. Deadline to apply is February 6th.
For more details or to get involved please email FC2026@tourismfernie.com
| | | JOIN THE CALL - WORKING WITH THE TRAVEL TRADE | |
Given the strong appetite for travel trade learning across the sector, Destination BC will be hosting a Working with Travel Trade industry call:
11 AM - 12 PM MST, Tuesday, February 10th
This session is open to any BC tourism business or community DMO, including those who did not participate in the pilot and will offer foundational insights into how to work with international travel trade partners, build market readiness and align products for global audiences.
| | | Destination BC's Market Development Team will take participants through the fundamentals of working with the travel trade, including what it is, why it matters for the future of your business and how you can assess whether it's a good fit for you. | | | |
Something New is Coming!
Behind the scenes, Tourism Fernie has been busy working on a brand new website for TourismFernie.com! Our current site has served us well for nearly a decade, and we’re now in the final stages of bringing its amazing replacement to life. While we’ll be sharing more soon, we can say the new site is designed to deliver a much better user experience, especially on mobile. We can’t wait for everyone to see it.
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Calgary Wedding Fair 2026
Tourism Fernie will be back at the Calgary Wedding Fair on February 1, joined by Fernie Alpine Resort, Island Lake Lodge, and Spa 901. Together, we’ll highlight everything Fernie has to offer, giving the destination a strong presence as a boutique mountain wedding spot for couples dreaming of something a little more special.
Email brona@tourismfernie.com or christine@tourismfernie.com if you're interested in attending the 2027 Wedding Fair.
| | MEDIA COVERAGE FOR FERNIE | | Influencer Campaign: @mountain_marie_ | |  | |
NW Travel & Life Magazine
Fernie, BC: Winter Fun in a Mountain Town
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Singletrack Bike Magazine (UK)
Read Full Article HERE
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Explore Magazine
An Adventurer's Guide to Winter Along BC's Southern Highway
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New Fat Biking Brochure
Fat biking continues to grow in popularity as a fun and accessible way to explore Fernie in winter and experience the outdoors a little differently. Tourism Fernie has recently released a brand new fat biking brochure, highlighting some of the best trails and loop options in the area, along with helpful tips for getting out on the snow. Feel free to share it with your guests!
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Tourism Fernie produces a wide selection of brochures, flatsheets, flyers, calendars, maps, and activity guides.
Brochures & Guides are regularly stocked around town. Need a resupply? Email: rebecca@tourismfernie.com.
We encourage you to embed or link these on your websites or include in your newsletters. Email brona@tourismfernie.com if you need assistance.
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Our current & updated range of brochures and guides includes:
| | | #FERNIESTOKE WINTER SHUTTLE 2025-2026 | | The FERNIESTOKE SHUTTLE APP (via the App Store and Google Play) is required to ride the shuttle, purchase & redeem tickets, find stops and track the shuttle live. | | | |
FWA celebrates 40 years!
Kim and Deb Sedrovic launched Fernie Wilderness Adventures in 1986, when they realised they could turn their part-time passions into a full-time business. Kim was already an established fly fishing guide and FWA became the first licensed fly fishing outfitter in the Elk Valley. With the addition of Cat Skiing and a beautiful new cabin, they offered year-round adventures.
Congratulations Kim & Deb, and thank you for all your contributions to the community!
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Meghan Tabor announced as new Executive Director of the Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association (MBTA) and Mountain Biking BC (MBBC).
Meghan has nearly a decade of leadership experience with Tourism Revelstoke, where she most recently served as Executive Director, and is currently the President of the Revelstoke Cycling Association.
Congratulations, Meghan, we look forward to working with you!
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The City of Fernie has appointed Jeremy Johnston to the position of Director of
Planning and Development Services.
Johnston joins the City from the Community Energy Association, where he served as Community Planning Lead. Prior to that, he held senior planning roles with the municipalities of Elkford and Sparwood, building strong regional expertise in land use
planning, development approvals, and long-range community planning within the Elk Valley.
| | Welcome to our newest members! | | |
Membership with Tourism Fernie is only $200/year! Membership helps support tourism in Fernie, includes a variety of opportunities to market your tourism product, provides voting rights at the AGM and additional support throughout the year.
To discuss your membership or to join, please contact christine@tourismfernie.com
Updates or new events, photos, or specials to add? Contact: rebecca@tourismfernie.com
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We welcome business updates from you that we can share in future e-newsletters. We also send a monthly e-newsletter to visitors promoting Fernie - if you don't already receive that email and would like to be added to the mailing list, please email info@tourismfernie.com.
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Perez McKenzie Immigration Consultations
Offer ongoing! For anyone that has foreign staff on their team and is interested in learning more about how to support your employee through different work permits or permanent resident pathways – this is for you!
Click the link for information regarding the Immigration Consultation session with Perez McKenzie and how to book a session. Tourism Fernie will cover the cost of an initial consultation at a value of $250.
| | | | | Industry Events & Consumer Shows | | February 1, 2026 I The Wedding Fair | Calgary | | | Februrary 2 I City of Fernie - Council Cafe | Fernie Senior's Centre | | | Februrary 10 I DBC Working with the Travel Trade Industry Call | | | Februrary 10 I State of the Snowpack Industry Night | The Central | | | February 16 - 22 I BC Heritage Week | | | February 17 - 19 I International Indigenous Tourism Conference | Edmonton | | | February 18 I Fernie Chamber BBB | Polar Peak Books | | | Feb 28 - Mar 1 I The Outdoor Adventure Show | Vancouver | | | March 4 - 6 I BC Tourism Industry Conference | Kelowna | | | March 6 - 8 I Fernie Griz Days - Nordic Ice | | | March 21 - 22 I The Outdoor Adventure Show | Calgary | | | March 31 I Tourism Fernie AGM | Bayleaf Indian Fusion | | | April 7 - 11 I National Tourism Week | | | April 14 - 15 I BCHA Summit | Nanaimo | | | May 20 - 22 I ORCBC Conference | Kamloops | | |
TOURISM FERNIE STAFF DIRECTORY
Have a question or update? Let us know!
From left to right:
Kate Wienburg, Social Media Content Creator & Co-ordinator | Kate@tourismfernie.com
Rebecca Hall, Admin & Marketing Co-ordinator | rebecca@tourismfernie.com
Jikke Gyorki, Executive Officer | jikke@tourismfernie.com
Corien Sieders, Destination Management & Development Manager | corien@tourismfernie.com
Broňa Kekenakova, Marketing Manager | brona@tourismfernie.com
Christine Grimble, Media/Travel Trade & Projects Manager | christine@tourismfernie.com
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We gratefully acknowledge that we do our business on the homelands of the
Ktunaxa Nation, Qukin ʔAmakʔis, and we honor and respect their ancestors of the past.
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The Official Corporate E-Newsletter for Tourism Fernie Society. Supporting the tourism sector through marketing and destination management initiatives.
Phone: 1-250-423-2037
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