Backgrounder: Funding for destination marketing organizations and tourism business support services in British Columbia

May 27, 2021 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Western Economic Diversification Canada

Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), announced over $8.3 million, through the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF), for five tourism business support organizations in British Columbia. Projects funding enabled western tourism industry associations and destination marketing organizations to provide important services to local tourism companies.

Destination BC received $6.7 million for two projects:

• $6.2 million to help Community Destination Marketing Organizations (CDMOs) to adapt their business models and cover some fixed costs; and,
• $500,000 to deliver digital workshops and personalized coaching to help tourism businesses improve and adapt their digitalization.

Greater Victoria Visitors & Convention Bureau received $170,000 to develop and deliver a "Winter in the Capital City" program to assist Victoria businesses during COVID-19.

Metro Vancouver Convention and Visitors Bureau received $500,000 to organize winter promotions to assist Vancouver businesses devastated by COVID-19.

Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association received $850,000 to provide additional support for the BC Tourism Resiliency Program in the areas of health and safety, technology adaptation and real time travel data to assist tourism businesses in rural BC.

Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia received $100,000 to help tourism businesses mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 through research, education and safety.

Related products

• Government of Canada Regional Relief and Recovery Fund Saving Tourism Jobs in British Columbia
• More support for tourism and other small businesses experiencing COVID-19-related losses across Western Canada
• Western Economic Diversification Canada working with tourism businesses to bolster the industry’s recovery efforts in western Canada