Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour announced today that the government is investing more than $280,000 to support marketing by provincial tourism sectors.

The investment is made through Destination BC’s Co-op Marketing Partnerships Program and will support a number of projects in Campbell River and other communities throughout the province. The enhanced marketing campaigns will promote saltwater fishing, freshwater fishing, sport fishing, ocean boating and diving.

The grants will be delivered by partnering with the BC Ocean Boating Tourism Association, Sport Fishing Institute, BC Fishing Resorts and Outfitters Association, Freshwater Fisheries Society of British Columbia, Tourism Harrison Hot Springs, Tourism Fernie, Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism, Tourism Chilliwack, Fishing Highway 24, Tourism Port Hardy, Tourism Campbell River and the Dive Industry Association of BC.

It is expected that the additional investment will help draw more visitors to the Campbell River and surrounding communities. Tourism is one of B.C.’s largest industries, a key sector of the BC Jobs Plan and a significant job creator. The province enjoys a competitive tourism advantage thanks to diverse and scenic landscapes, world-class tourism products, excellent infrastructure, rich culture and geographic accessibility to visitors.

Destination BC is the Province’s crown agency for tourism marketing and is helping deliver on key actions under the provincial tourism strategy Gaining the Edge: 2015-18. They are an industry-led Crown corporation that works collaboratively with tourism stakeholders throughout the province to coordinate marketing at the international, provincial, regional and local levels.

Quotes:

Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour –

“The tourism sector helps drive the provincial economy and this initiative will help showcase communities like Campbell River to British Columbian residents and beyond. Our goal is to encourage more visitors to #ExploreBC and enjoy the great fishing, diving and boating experiences our province has to offer. The new funding will leverage Campbell River's existing marketing programs.”

 Marsha Walden, CEO, Destination BC –

“Fishing – both fresh and saltwater – is an important pillar for our passions-based marketing efforts in 2017, and is especially appealing to travellers in our key North American markets. And with fishing, comes an array of iconic B.C. experiences in Campbell River including whale watching, river rafting and even helicopter tours that all align with this passion, in turn driving more visitors there. It’s this continual spill over effect that helps tourism produce the highest GDP among all of BC’s natural resource industries throughout the province.”

Quick Facts:

• The Province invests over $98 million annually in the tourism industry across every region to grow and market the sector.
• In January 2017, there were 23,427 more visitors to the province over the same month in 2016 - a 9.2% increase.
• In 2016, 5.5 million international visitors came to B.C. - a 12.3% increase compared to 2015.
• In 2015, the tourism industry generated $15.7 billion in revenues, $7.4 billion in GDP, and supported nearly 19,000 tourism-related businesses, with 127,700 employed in the industry.

Learn More:

Destination BC’s Co-op Marketing Partnerships Program: www.destinationbc.ca/Programs/Regions-Communities-and-Sectors/Destination-BC-Co-op-Marketing-Partnership-Program.aspx

BC Jobs Plan: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/bcjobsplan/economy/tourism/

B.C. Provincial Tourism Strategy, Gaining the Edge: www.jtst.gov.bc.ca/tourismstrategy/documents/GainingTheEdge_2015_2018.pdf