CELEBRATING WORLD TOURISM DAY! | | | |
World Tourism Day - September 27, 2025
World Tourism Day 2025 highlights tourism’s transformative potential as an agent of positive change.
September 27 is a day to celebrate your successes and milestones, and plan for the future. The Board and Staff at Tourism Fernie thank you all for making tourism in Fernie a key economy and an on-going success.
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The annual Fernie Fills My Cup fall stay promotion kicks off on October 1!
Read more details below in the Marketing Updates section.
| | ELKO BOAT LAUNCH CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY | | |
Four Years in the Making… The Elko Boat Ramp–Take Out Project Is Near Completion!
In partnership with the RDEK Area A & B and funded by EVR, Province of BC, RDEK and others, construction is fully underway on the Elko Boat Ramp–Take Out along the Elk River. Work began on September 8 and is scheduled to be completed in October. The boat ramp will be open sooner, stay tuned for updates using the Read More link below.
Once complete, the site will feature an engineered boat ramp (take-out only with dam below), improved access and parking, new signage, a toilet, and a picnic table — making it easier and more enjoyable for both locals and visitors to experience the river and the recreation area. These improvements also support access for the Elko Fire Department and CanFor for their permitted water needs. The RDEK Board of Directors approved the site under their Regional Parks program in 2023.
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EVR and Tourism Fernie recently announced a $200,000 donation to Tourism Fernie Society supporting sustainable tourism & recreation initiatives in the Elk Valley.
On September 10th, Elk Valley Resources (EVR) and the Tourism Fernie Society announced EVR’s $200,000 donation to the Society in support of sustainable tourism and recreation initiatives in the Elk Valley.
Fernie and the Elk Valley continue to see growth in both tourism and local recreation in the outdoors. This growth in the enjoyment and use of area trails, lands, lakes and rivers creates a variety of needs, challenges and even opportunities, that need a collaborative effort to address for long-term sustainability.
The funding from EVR will be used to enhance sustainable access to the Elk River by supporting the river access project at Elko, as well as supporting the continued success of the AmbassadorWILD Program, a program focused on preserving important nature-based locations and promoting safe and sustainable recreation in the Elk Valley.
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Congratulations to the AmbassadorWild Team!
The AmbassadorWild Program is a finalist in the Fernie Chamber of Commerce's Business Excellence Awards in the 'Environmental Sustainability' Category.
The Awards will be held at Cirque Restaurant on October 16th. Congratulations to all the finalists!
A full report on the Ambassador Wild 2025 season will be included in the next newsletter in November.
| | | | INDUSTRY NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS | | |
Destination BC's Spark Program - Birthplace of Adventure
Aimed at sparking and supporting innovative tourism ideas in the Birthplace of Adventure - this new destination brand celebrates the southeast corner of BC, announced recently by Destination BC, in partnership with the Tourism Innovation Lab.
Tourism entrepreneurs, small businesses and non-profit organizations located in the Birthplace of Adventure are invited to apply between September 16 and October 30, 2025.
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New YXC - YLW Pacific Coastal Flights begin October 27!
Earlier this summer, Pacific Coastal Airlines announced the launch of new non-stop service between Kelowna (YLW) and Cranbrook (YXC), beginning Monday, October 27, 2025, as part of its Winter 2025/2026 schedule.
This route will operate daily using 19-passenger Beechcraft 1900 aircraft with morning departures, and onward connections from Kelowna to Victoria, Nanaimo, and Comox,
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Destination BC launches Ski Marketing Campaign in California
This month, Destination BC launched its 2025 California ski marketing campaign, a strategic initiative designed to inspire engaged, intermediate to advanced skiers to experience British Columbia’s world-class ski resorts this winter. These passionate travellers see skiing as a winter ritual – nature-lovers in awe of its power and beauty, seeking both the thrill of discovery on the slopes and the warmth of BC’s welcoming mountain communities.
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Brad Parsell new CEO of Kootenay Rockies Tourism
After a successful executive search process conducted by Chemistry Consulting Group, Kootenay Rockies Tourism is pleased to announce the appointment of Brad as the new CEO after the retirement of Kathy Cooper.
Read More
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Lodging Data Update for Fernie
Year-to-date (YTD) lodging numbers for January - August are in. The charts above show % occupancy and average room rates for Fernie area hotels compared to the same time last year and other destinations. Fernie's YTD hotel occupancy is 70%, down 6%; however, the average room rate was $202.43, up 9%. Specific to AirBnB numbers in the Fernie area, YTD occupancy was 47%, up 11%, and average room rate YTD was $222, up 3%.
Current summer season accommodation numbers are strong, with July close to the same as 2024 and August surpassing 2024. Fernie had a strong winter season (Jan-Mar) with occupancy 7% higher than the previous winter season; however, spring (Apr-Jun) was down 17%. The primary reason for the lower spring business is the reduction of corporate bookings and impacts on business and consumer confidence with the political events down south. Since spring, we have seen an increas, including from the USA, and corporate travel is returning, based on fall forecastse in leisure travel to Fernie including from the USA, and corporate travel is returning based on fall forecasts.
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Fernie Fills My Cup Promotion
On October 1, we’re rolling out the annual Fernie Fills My Cup promotion across Meta, Google, Calgary’s radio station 101.5 TODAY, Avenue Calgary’s digital channels, and Tourism Fernie’s consumer newsletter.
The campaign highlights Fernie as the perfect place to “refill your cup” and is designed to inspire overnight visitation during this quieter travel period. Visitors who book directly for a minimum of two nights between October 13 and November 16 will receive a $75 or $125 gift card of their choice to shop local in Fernie.
The campaign landing page, ferniefillsmycup.com, will go live by October 1.
An email has also been sent to accommodators encouraging them to create a special promo code on their websites to make it easier for visitors to book this promotion directly.
If you have any questions about the promotion, please email brona@tourismfernie.com.
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This is Fernie! Episode about Wapiti
After a short break, we’re back with a new episode of This is Fernie with Sadie! This time, Sadie took viewers to Fernie’s beloved Wapiti Music Festival - celebrating Canadian indie music, community spirit, and summertime vibes.
You can watch the full episode on Tourism Fernie’s YouTube channel and share it with your networks or embed on your websites and newsletters to inspire visitors for the 2026 festival!
| | | | MEDIA COVERAGE FOR FERNIE | | |
World Traveller Magazine:
Fernie, British Columbia: A Rocky Mountain Town with a Soul
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Snownews.com.au:
Make the most of your Epic pass skiing in Canada
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Influencer Campaign:
@thenatureeducator
258K followers - 51K views
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Influencer Campaign:
@thenatureeducator - AmbassadorWILD feature
| | | SUMMER VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS | | |
The Tourism Fernie Summer Visitor Survey was conducted online from June - September. 353 Visitors completed the survey.
The wordcloud above reflects the answers received for Q14: Any highlights, must do's, or businesses or people you would like to praise or recommend? The bigger the font, the more mentions that business or attraction received. Congratulations to our amazing Trails and all the folks who build and maintain them, for receiving the most mentions, and a special shoutout to all the fantastic frontline staff who also received high praise!
Other highlights include:
- 49% First time visitors (11% higher than winter); 51% return visitors, with 8% who had only visited in the winter before.
- Net Promoter Score of 74. Up 6% on winter results. Only 4% detractors; 18% passive responses - means they wouldn't recommend or detract.
- 95% said their visit had met their expectations.
- Predominantly rubber-tyre traffic, with a significant number from across the USA, including long-haul.
- Over 90% travelling with family and/or friends
For the full survey results, please see the attached pdf at the link below.
| | | 2025-2026 VISITOR RESOURCES | |
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The Fernie & Elk Valley Cultural Guide for Fall-Winter 2025-2026 is now online!
Packed with gorgeous images, events, attractions and features, the guide promotes and highlights the unique and special arts, entertainment, and heritage of the Elk Valley.
Special features in this issue include:
- Textile artist Sam Sedlowsky
- Author Kelly Siskind
- The History of the Arts Station building, celebrating 35 years as Fernie's cultural hub
- The Booked! Fernie Writers Series
- Kootenay Gay History Project with historian Kevin Allen
- Elk Valley Métis Society
- Paleo Trails - Elk Valley, BC
and much more! The digital copy can be viewed online, and hard copies will be distributed locally and around the region soon!
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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:
| | | TOURISM FERNIE UPDATES & MEMBER NEWS | |
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Welcome, Kate!
Tourism Fernie is excited to welcome Kate Wienburg to the team in the role of Social Media Content Creator & Coordinator. With tourism and marketing experience spanning Australia, the United States, and Canada, Kate is passionate about capturing content and telling stories that inspire travel and bring people together. Having moved to Fernie this summer with her family, she is looking forward to exploring the area and embracing her love for the mountains, outdoor adventure, and small-town life.
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Congratulations, Polar Peek!
After 32 years at 562 2nd Ave, Polar Peek Books has closed its doors - but it's not the end, it's a new beginning! Polar Peek will reopen soon at 482 2nd Avenue, in the former Grow Boutique location.
With new, larger premises, customers and fans of Fernie's favourite bookstore can expect more inventory, more events, more words, and more smiles!
On September 23rd, the community came together for a 'book bucket' chain to help move the merchandise down 2nd Ave.
Congratulations on your expansion - we can't wait to see what you have in store!
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Welcome to our new board members!
Due to changes in member staffing over the summer, two vacancies became available on the Tourism Fernie Board of Directors.
A formal process was conducted by the board to receive nominations and hold an election, and Tourism Fernie was pleased to announce our two new board members on September 10th:
- Juliana Bower, Bower Builders
- Soranne Florea, Island Lake Lake
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Tourism Fernie at the NW Travel & Words Writers Conference in Medford, Oregon
Christine Grimble recently attended the NW Travel & Words Writers Conference which connects travel journalist with destination marketers and engaged in 26 one-on-one meetings!
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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 | | October 6 & 20 I City of Fernie - Council Cafe | Fernie Senior's Centre | | | October 16 I Fernie Business Excellence Awards | Cirque Restaurant | | | October 17 - 18 I Alberta Snowmobile Show | Edmonton | | | October 24 - 26 I Ski & Snowboard Show | Toronto | | | October 29 I Kootenay Rockies Tourism Virtual AGM | | | Nov 9 I Bridal Expo | Calgary | | | November 21 I Sport Event Exchange BC 2025 | Vancouver | | | November 18 - 20 I TIAC Annual Tourism Congress | Ottawa | | | November 28 - 30 I Fernie Holiday Kick-off | | | December 5 I Opening Day | Fernie Alpine Resort | | | January 25 - 28, 2026 I TIAC IMPACT Sustainability Conference | Victoria | | | February 1 2026 I Wedding Fair | Calgary | | | February 17 - 19, 2026 I International Indigenous Tourism Conference | Edmonton | | | March 4 - 6, 2026 I BC Tourism Industry Conference | Kelowna | | |
TOURISM FERNIE STAFF DIRECTORY
Have a question or update? Let us know!
From left to right:
Corien Sieders, Destination Management & Development Manager | corien@tourismfernie.com
Jikke Gyorki, Executive Officer | jikke@tourismfernie.com
Rebecca Hall, Admin & Marketing Co-ordinator | rebecca@tourismfernie.com
Christine Grimble, Media/Travel Trade & Projects Manager | christine@tourismfernie.com
Brona Kekenakova, Marketing Manager | brona@tourismfernie.com
NOT PICTURED (see welcome note above): Kate Wienburg, Social Media Content Creator & Co-ordinator | Kate@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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