Destination Vancouver

This morning the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade shared their inaugural Benchmarking Greater Vancouver Report at an event at BCIT’s downtown Tech Collider. This new Benchmarking Report measures Vancouver’s performance against 19 peer cities across three pillars: economic performance, sustainability and infrastructure, and liveability. Destination Vancouver's Royce Chwin joined a panel discussion, moderated by the GVBOT’s Bridgitte Anderson, ICD.D, that highlighted some of the key findings. The major takeaway being that while global perception of the Vancouver ‘brand’ is extremely strong, there is an increasing gap between that reputation and actual performance. Particularly concerning is that our economy is underperforming on a number of the measures. If the right blend of focused strategic investment, policy reform and innovation is directed at the challenges the region faces, it’s clear that Greater Vancouver is well-positioned to capitalize on the advantages we already enjoy and transform into a global leader. This report provides the baseline against which progress can be measured. Learn more and download the full report at https://lnkd.in/gy3qdPd3 #Benchmark2024 #Vancouver #GVBOT

Last week, Destination Vancouver’s Meeting & Conventions and Market Development teams hosted a series of events in London promoting Vancouver to our UK audiences. Joined by Destination Vancouver CEO, Royce Chwin, the team caught up with local partners to discuss future trends in global travel, sustainability, and destination development, highlighting how Vancouver leads the way in these initiatives. One highlight was a special Vancouver-themed MICHELIN dining experience for our key partners, hosted at Murano restaurant in London with executive chef and owner Angela Harnett and her MICHELIN-starred team. Having been in Vancouver earlier this year for a collaboration at Burdock & Co. with Chef Andrea Carlson and her team, Chef Angela was full of praise for Vancouver’s culinary scene and the warm hospitality she experienced while she was here. The week made clear the amount of interest and excitement in the UK for Vancouver as a leading destination for travel, events and conferences. We’ll continue to look for opportunities to showcase the very best of Vancouver’s world class offerings and capitalize on that interest. #TeamVancouver [Royce Chwin, Michael Drake, Krista Alcazar, Megan Nelson, Ben Pattie, Lois Wallis, Michael Brabin]

At Destination Vancouver we know that locals are an integral part of #TeamVancouver so it’s essential for us to understand how residents perceive tourism and the impact it has on their community.   We measure this impact through our annual Residents’ Perceptions of Vancouver’s Tourism Industry survey. The findings from the 2023 survey show that most residents are aware of tourism’s positive economic impact on our local economy.   Key results from the survey are:   ▪ 80% of residents value the contribution visitors make to the local economy ▪ 81% of residents agree that the tourism industry supports local businesses in their community ▪ 74% of residents agree that the positive impacts of tourism in their community outweigh the negative ▪ 76% of residents take pride in making visitors feel welcome in their community   To learn more, download the summary report at https://lnkd.in/g6xnysp9 or request the full report by getting in touch with our team at communications@destinationvancouver.com.

Vancouver’s very own Ryan Reynolds is bringing his Wrexham AFC club, a.k.a. the Red Dragons, to face off against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place on July 27.     Wrexham’s co-owner Rob McElhenney took the club to his Philly birthplace last year and now it’s Vancouver’s turn to host.    The friendly match between Wrexham and Reynolds’ hometown team Whitecaps will be filmed for the wildly popular Welcome to Wrexham. So let’s make sure the atmosphere at BC Place is electric and Vancouver shows off our community spirit.     Find ticket information for the match at https://lnkd.in/gPNH6nxx 

This week marked Tourism Appreciation Week in Vancouver, coinciding with National Tourism Week. Declared by the City of Vancouver, Tourism Appreciation Week encourages us to celebrate the pivotal role that tourism plays in our city and the tremendous impact it has on our economy.     Under the theme Canada: Powered by Tourism, National Tourism Week highlights the significance of tourism from coast-to-coast-to coast. Nationally, tourism is an economic powerhouse, contributing more than $300M a day for Canada’s economy. Locally, the visitor economy contributes more than $8.5 billion annually to Vancouver’s economy, enriching our city’s vibrancy and diversity.     Thank you to our members and all of #TeamVancouver who contribute to our tourism industry and who help make it thrive.    #BCTourismCounts  #TourismWeekCanada2024 

In recognition of tourism’s significant contribution to Vancouver’s economy, the City has declared that April 15 – 19 is Tourism Appreciation Week in Vancouver.     The Proclamation reads, in part, “Let us celebrate the contributions of our tourism industry, honour the hard work and dedication of those who make it thrive, and encourage all residents to embrace the spirit of hospitality and welcome that define our city."    Read the Proclamation, here: https://lnkd.in/gTwyN2Uw    Tourism Appreciation Week coincides with National Tourism Week, highlighting the pivotal role of tourism in Canada. The week-long celebration invites tourism partners to champion and promote our destinations, tourism businesses, and employees.    Learn more about celebrating everything tourism at https://lnkd.in/emSTRZeF  #TourismWeekCanada2024  #BCTourismCounts 

Few things mark the arrival of spring in Vancouver more than our impressive cherry blossom season. With more than 40,000 cherry blossom trees in bloom across the city, it's no wonder Lonely Planet named Vancouver one of the top places in the world to see cherry blossoms in 2024.      Don’t miss out on the many community events still happening as part of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. The annual festival is on now through April 25.    Discover more on Vancouver’s cherry blossom season in this piece by Lonely Planet: https://lnkd.in/ggcbnQJD  

We’re thrilled that Katie Clarke, People and Culture Coordinator at DVan, has been named one of this year’s Destinations International 30 Under 30 recipients. Announced in Boston at the Destinations International CEO Conference, we were proud to see Katie being recognized as part of this talented Class of 2024.     Destinations International is committed to empowering future leaders. Each year, emerging leaders in the tourism industry are selected to gain valuable professional development, networking, and educational opportunities.     Katie has played an integral role in rebuilding our DVan team post-pandemic, having successfully recruited 29 new team members – and counting. She has spearheaded the development and management of Destination Vancouver’s 2024 wellness program, recognizing the importance of promoting wellness within our organization.     Learn more about the 30 Under 30 Class of 2024, here: https://lnkd.in/eMyX_uhc     Congratulations, Katie! 

Yesterday, DVan was on hand at YVR to congratulate our partners Vancouver Airport Authority and Air Canada on the first non-stop route linking Vancouver and Singapore. The first outbound flight took off today and will operate four times weekly onboard Air Canada’s flagship Dreamliner fleet.       Air Canada’s new service between YVR and Singapore’s Changi International Airport (SIN) connects passengers to two vibrant and diverse cities which share a number of similarities. For example, did you know that Singapore has a very popular Tim Horton’s location? We understand their lemon yuzu donuts are delicious.      Learn more about the new route, here: https://lnkd.in/guXytair      [Photo: Vancouver Airport Authority] 

From 8:30 – 9:30 tonight, Earth Hour encourages us to go “lights off” and make the #BiggestHourForEarth by taking one hour doing something good for the planet. The initiative helps raise awareness to environmental considerations and encourages all of us to be mindful of how our choices affect the natural world.      Destination Vancouver is committed to being part of a sustainable and resilient industry that provides unforgettable experiences while contributing to the stewardship and renewal of our natural environment and social wellbeing in our host communities.      And Vancouver has long been a champion of sustainability and continues to work towards ambitious goals to combat climate change.     Are you going lights off tonight? Learn more about sustainability and eco-friendly activities in Vancouver and Destination Vancouver, here: https://lnkd.in/gdjxnUQG