BC Tourism Resiliency Program provides a path to recovery for rural and remote businesses

Rural communities are an important part of the B.C. tourism experience. Many of these communities have focused on tourism to help diversify their local economies. When COVID-19 threatened their progress, PacifiCan took action, working with 4VI to support and strengthen the sector through the BC Tourism Resiliency Program.

In addition to the financial impacts imposed by the pandemic, tourism businesses noted they were struggling to navigate the myriad of federal, provincial and local relief measures. They also expressed challenges in adapting their operations to meet public health measures.

Beyond financial impacts imposed by the pandemic, tourism businesses noted they were struggling to navigate and access the myriad of federal, provincial and local relief measures. They also expressed challenges in adapting their operations to meet public health measures.

To meet these challenges, stakeholders across the industry collaborated to develop a program to support rural and remote tourism businesses. These stakeholders included tourism businesses, Island Coastal Economic Trust, local governments, the provincial government, Destination British Columbia, Indigenous Tourism BC and go2HR.

$1 million in PacifiCan funding allowed 4VI, supported by other B.C. regional tourism organizations, to respond to the urgent needs of rural and remote tourism businesses by providing business advice, guidance and resources. Participating businesses received one-on-one advice, tailored to their needs and supplemented through a variety of online training opportunities and access to subject matter experts.

The BC Tourism Resiliency Program:

• assisted 3,317 businesses
• provided 1,847 advisory services
• created, maintained or expanded 91 Indigenous businesses and 289 women-owned businesses