Tourism

Surrey-raised musician Jazzy B with his StarWalk plaque on Granville Street in Vancouver during its unveiling in September 2016. (File photo)

New ‘StarWalk’ tour maps B.C.’s most celebrated entertainers for free on VanWalks app

‘People commemorated in the sidewalk have shaped not only Canadian culture, but worldwide entertainment’

Surrey-raised musician Jazzy B with his StarWalk plaque on Granville Street in Vancouver during its unveiling in September 2016. (File photo)
Adventurers enjoy paddle rafting at Kumsheen Raft Resort In what is expected to be one of the biggest gatherings in the Lytton area since the 2021 wildfires, more than 200 former employees will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Kumsheen Rafting Resort this long weekend. (Kumsheen Rafting Resort)

200 former employees to descend upon Lytton’s Kumsheen resort for 50th anniversary

A yearlong celebration set to kick off for the May long weekend

Adventurers enjoy paddle rafting at Kumsheen Raft Resort In what is expected to be one of the biggest gatherings in the Lytton area since the 2021 wildfires, more than 200 former employees will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Kumsheen Rafting Resort this long weekend. (Kumsheen Rafting Resort)
With Stihl Timbersports athlete Stirling Hart watching, Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce executive director Leanna Kemp fires up a chainsaw and cuts through a log. Hart was in town Monday to promote the Stihl Timbersports National Championship, which is coming to Chilliwack Aug. 12-13, 2023. (Eric J. Welsh/ Chilliwack Progress)

VIDEO: Stihl Timbersports nationals coming to Chilliwack in August

The Chilliwack Coliseum will host a pro and women’s competition featuring chopping and sawing events

With Stihl Timbersports athlete Stirling Hart watching, Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce executive director Leanna Kemp fires up a chainsaw and cuts through a log. Hart was in town Monday to promote the Stihl Timbersports National Championship, which is coming to Chilliwack Aug. 12-13, 2023. (Eric J. Welsh/ Chilliwack Progress)
The mirrored, geodesic dome of Science World at the end of False Creek in Vancouver makes is a perfect location for a last light photograph. (John Enman photo)

Science World to get $20M from B.C. for leaky dome repairs

Province also announcing additional $30M for tourism projects across B.C.

The mirrored, geodesic dome of Science World at the end of False Creek in Vancouver makes is a perfect location for a last light photograph. (John Enman photo)
Klahoose Wilderness Resort is located in Homfray Channel. Photo courtesy Klahoose Wilderness Resort

Indigenous B.C. wilderness resort recognized as one of best new hotels in the world

One of Klahoose Wilderness Resort’s biggest assets is its location, AFAR Stay List 2023 says

Klahoose Wilderness Resort is located in Homfray Channel. Photo courtesy Klahoose Wilderness Resort
People make their way along the waterfront in downtown Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday, Aug 18, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Tourism shot up in 2022, but still far short of pre-pandemic levels: StatCan

For the full year, national tourism spending jumped by 45 per cent

People make their way along the waterfront in downtown Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday, Aug 18, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
B.C. sex workers are preparing for their busy season, which can be dangerous. (Unsplash)

Sex trade workers, outreach organizations prepare for busy Kelowna tourist season

HOPE outreach urges people to pay for the services they solicit as though it’s a legal industry

B.C. sex workers are preparing for their busy season, which can be dangerous. (Unsplash)
Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport Lana Popham (front row second from left), Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Future Skills Selina Robinson (front row third from left) and Okanagan College President Dr. Neil Fassina (front row right) were on hand for the announcement for a new food, wine and tourism centre for the college. (Photo/Gaary Barnes)

Province cooks up new centre for tourism, culinary arts at Okanagan College

The province is providing OC with $44.8 million for the centre

Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport Lana Popham (front row second from left), Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Future Skills Selina Robinson (front row third from left) and Okanagan College President Dr. Neil Fassina (front row right) were on hand for the announcement for a new food, wine and tourism centre for the college. (Photo/Gaary Barnes)
Raylene Watts, left, and Alex Tuele, both from Fanny Bay, visit the Port Alberni waterfront looking for treasure on Wednesday, March 9, 2023. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Treasure seekers scour British Columbia for pot of ‘gold’

B.C.-based scavenger hunt offered $1,000 if someone could solve five riddles

Raylene Watts, left, and Alex Tuele, both from Fanny Bay, visit the Port Alberni waterfront looking for treasure on Wednesday, March 9, 2023. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
People walk past carnival game stands below a ferris wheel during the Pacific National Exhibition Fair, in Vancouver, on Thursday, September 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. introduces $30M fund to support festivals, events over next 2 years

One-time grants come as event organizers cite increased costs, supply chain issues, trouble hiring

People walk past carnival game stands below a ferris wheel during the Pacific National Exhibition Fair, in Vancouver, on Thursday, September 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The empty streets of Banff are seen as Parks Canada is restricting vehicles in the national parks and national historic sites in Banff, Alta., on March 24, 2020. Banff tourism officials are joining the call for better management of visitor traffic in the most heavily visited parts of the national park. In a document outlining its development plans for the next decade, Banff and Lake Louise Tourism says it wants to reduce damaging traffic bottlenecks through improved public transit and fewer private vehicles. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Banff tourism report seeks fewer private vehicles, more public transit in park

‘Vehicle traffic is one of the single biggest challenges in terms of…our ability to be sustainable’

The empty streets of Banff are seen as Parks Canada is restricting vehicles in the national parks and national historic sites in Banff, Alta., on March 24, 2020. Banff tourism officials are joining the call for better management of visitor traffic in the most heavily visited parts of the national park. In a document outlining its development plans for the next decade, Banff and Lake Louise Tourism says it wants to reduce damaging traffic bottlenecks through improved public transit and fewer private vehicles. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
A young boy who arrived on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong wears a face mask and face shield at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Hopes high in B.C. as China lifts border rules, but tourism recovery may take months

Chinese travellers were the second biggest international market for B.C. in 2019

A young boy who arrived on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong wears a face mask and face shield at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A woman checks out a jobs advertisement sign during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on Wednesday, April 29, 2020. Statistics Canada will release its latest reading on the job market on Friday. The agency will release its labour force survey for April. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

FINLAYSON: A post-Labour Day review of B.C.’s job market

‘The province’s economy is now losing steam amid a turbulent and uncertain global backdrop and decelerating growth in both the U.S. and Canada’

  • Sep 7, 2022
A woman checks out a jobs advertisement sign during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on Wednesday, April 29, 2020. Statistics Canada will release its latest reading on the job market on Friday. The agency will release its labour force survey for April. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
West Kelowna wine country, pictured in October 2020. (Phil McLachlan - West K News)

B.C. wine industry still recovering, looking to return to pre-pandemic boom

The wine industry contributed $3.75 billion to the province economy in 2019

West Kelowna wine country, pictured in October 2020. (Phil McLachlan - West K News)
An Ottawa Police Service (OPS) office, Ministry of Transportation (MTO) officer and employees from Lady Dive Tour look at the aftermath of a single-vehicle accident involving an amphibious Lady Dive Tour vehicle which crashed into the 24 Sussex Dr. in Ottawa, Ont. on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
An Ottawa Police Service (OPS) office, Ministry of Transportation (MTO) officer and employees from Lady Dive Tour look at the aftermath of a single-vehicle accident involving an amphibious Lady Dive Tour vehicle which crashed into the 24 Sussex Dr. in Ottawa, Ont. on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
Squamish B.C. landscape (pixabay.com photo)

Visitors urged to love Sea-to-Sky region, but @dontloveittodeath

Awareness campaign aims to get residents thinking about litter, environment degradation and more

Squamish B.C. landscape (pixabay.com photo)
Tofino has been named one of the world’s most extraordinary destinations by TIME Magazine. (Westerly file photo)
Tofino has been named one of the world’s most extraordinary destinations by TIME Magazine. (Westerly file photo)
A community of 1,396, Galiano Island saw an estimated 80,200 visitors in 2007 (John McKinley file)

Galiano Island’s ecological footprint swells from tourism: study

Community’s footprint ‘much larger’ than other B.C. locales

A community of 1,396, Galiano Island saw an estimated 80,200 visitors in 2007 (John McKinley file)
Dick Brown at 16. (Submitted photo)

Victoria man surprised to learn he authored 1966 note in B.C. beach time capsule

Letter found 56 years later by Rathtrevor Beach tourists

Dick Brown at 16. (Submitted photo)
Leah discovered a small glass cream bottle that contained a note written more than 50 years ago. (Submitted photo)

B.C. family discovers 56-year-old message in bottle on Vancouver Island beach

Buried treasure inadvertently dug out of 4-foot deep hole in sand

Leah discovered a small glass cream bottle that contained a note written more than 50 years ago. (Submitted photo)