Tourism

The Point Ellice House Museum and Gardens in Victoria. (Black Press Media file photo)

Popular Victoria historic site closes citing lack of provincial funding

Point Ellice House and Gardens is operated by a non-profit on behalf of the province

 

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

 

The Pacific Rim National Park Reserve’s 25-kilometre ʔapsčiik t̓ašii pathway abruptly ends at the Park Reserve’s southern border. (Westerly file photo)

Path connecting Tofino to Ucluelet should finally be complete by spring 2024

Funding arrives to build path between Ucluelet and Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

 

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
Michaelangelo and Candice Woodward celebrating the announcement of the 2019 Capital City Comic Con. (Black Press Media file photo)

Future uncertain as Island’s Capital City Comic Con on hiatus for 2023

Resources required to plan the event for its traditional spring dates deemed too onerous

Michaelangelo and Candice Woodward celebrating the announcement of the 2019 Capital City Comic Con. (Black Press Media file photo)
The new million dollar boardwalk leading to the natural hot springs in Ahousaht territory was built in partnership with 43K Wilderness Solutions, Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society, and BC Parks. (Keltsmaht Adventures photo)

Ahousaht re-opens Hot Springs near Tofino

Maquinna Marine Provincial Park and Hot Springs is open to the public

The new million dollar boardwalk leading to the natural hot springs in Ahousaht territory was built in partnership with 43K Wilderness Solutions, Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society, and BC Parks. (Keltsmaht Adventures photo)
Cim MacDonald’s Rotary Club mural on the Rotary bunker. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Unveiling tour showcases newest Chemainus murals and sculptures since 2020

Everyone invited for walking tour to see and hear about the latest additions

Cim MacDonald’s Rotary Club mural on the Rotary bunker. (Photo by Don Bodger)
A rendering of the campground at Buddy Bay. Photo supplied by ICET

New Gilford Island campground will be a big ecotourism draw

Buddy Bay campground a short walk from Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation’s Gwa’yas’dums village

A rendering of the campground at Buddy Bay. Photo supplied by ICET
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)
Former golf instructor Bill Flower has found a new passion, driving a pedicab. (Submitted photo)

Vancouver Island golf instructor Bill Flower stops driving… and starts driving

Shoulder woes rob former golf pro of one career, strong knees power a new one, Parksville Pedicab

Former golf instructor Bill Flower has found a new passion, driving a pedicab. (Submitted photo)
Biting into a Nanaimo bar is one of 101 things that everyone should do in Nanaimo. (News Bulletin file photo)

Rejuvenated Nanaimo Bar Trail beckons for those looking for a sweet treat

Amplified tour offers some options for enjoying signature dessert well off the beaten track

Biting into a Nanaimo bar is one of 101 things that everyone should do in Nanaimo. (News Bulletin file 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)
Bruce Waugh, from B.C., works on his masterpiece during the 2022 Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition in Parksville on July 17. (Kevin Forsyth photo)
Bruce Waugh, from B.C., works on his masterpiece during the 2022 Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition in Parksville on July 17. (Kevin Forsyth photo)
An artist works on his sand sculpture on Day 2 of the 2018 Parksville Beach Festival’s sand sculpting competition. (PQB News file photo)

Parksville sandcastles makes grand return this weekend after 2-year absence

Sand sculpting competition theme is the ‘Roaring Twenties’

An artist works on his sand sculpture on Day 2 of the 2018 Parksville Beach Festival’s sand sculpting competition. (PQB News file photo)