"The Wild Within" Destination BC Launches Revitalized Tourism Brand Celebrating Super, Natural British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia – Destination BC released its new corporate strategy and tourism marketing plan today, and unveiled key elements of BC’s revitalized destination brand that will be used to market British Columbia to prospective visitors from around the world.

The revitalized Super, Natural British Columbia® brand, focuses on nature at its core and showcases the power of the British Columbian wilderness, and the emotional connection that it makes with travellers. The brand was developed in 1partnership with the Vancouver office of award winning advertising agency Dare. It was developed following extensive consultations that included brand discovery research with over 10,000 consumers across international markets, input from over 350 industry stakeholders both at home and abroad, and insights from 115 frontline staff in visitor’s centres who talk to thousands of visitors each year.

The new brand will first be used in Destination BC’s upcoming ski campaigns in Washington, and Ontario beginning this month and throughout the ski season. It will then be utilised for a series of innovative social media, advertising and PR initiatives moving forward.

Destination BC also released an ambitious three-year corporate strategy and marketing plan today designed to strengthen the key drivers behind tourism revenue—marketing and the travel experience—in new ways. Tourism has become one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world and is BC’s third largest employer. In 2013, just over 132,000 people were employed in tourism-related businesses in BC, up 3% over 2012. The tourism industry also contributed $7.3 billion in GDP in 2013, a 2.1% increase over 2012.

Quotes:
Marsha Walden, CEO, Destination BC:
“Since Destination BC’s inception, we’ve been listening to industry’s many voices, gathering perspectives on the best approach to building value for the businesses and people in our visitor economy and seeking direction on the most important role for us in that work. Industry wants bold leadership and a clear plan. They need inspired marketing to draw the world to their doorstep. And, like every business, they want to get maximum value from every dollar in BC’s tourism system. Our new corporate plan lays out the strategy Destination BC will follow for the next three years to help British Columbia reach its full potential as a tourism destination – our plan for how we will win, together.”