Project Title:

2010 and Beyond Strategic Plan

Project Organization:

Tourism Vancouver Island

Project Investment:

  • Island Coastal Economic Trust: $469,257
  • Industry Partnerships: $95,994
  • Tourism Vancouver Island: $95,994
  • Total Budget: $734,513

Project Highlight:

This project creates a legacy of video assets for community organizations to use in promoting economic development and tourism. 

During the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, there was concern that attention would be focused mostly on Vancouver and Whistler, leaving Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast overlooked. Tourism Vancouver Island developed a specific strategy to attract visitors to the Island and Coastal regions by capitalizing on the global awareness generated during the 2010 Olympics.

In partnership with communities, Tourism Vancouver Island developed a plan to highlight the region’s tourism opportunities. The strategy called for increased media attention and the acquisition of new high-definition video footage showcasing the region’s assets.  Assistance was offered to Island and Coastal communities in producing finished video features and profiles, preparing press materials about communities and hosting regional press trips. The strategy also featured A Taste of Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, an event held at Robsons Square on the eve of the Olympic opening ceremonies.

Completed in 2012, the Strategy had considerable results in leveraging media attention generated by the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. The project’s high-definition video component created a legacy of video assets that have been used by many communities throughout the region in the production of tourism and economic development films. The Legacy DVD Production component provided communities with a promotional video product that has been used both for investment and tourism attraction. HD Footage of the Island and Coastal region was used by the Olympic Secretariat in BC Stories and BC Explore campaigns and was featured prominently at the Vancouver International Airport before, during and after the Olympic Games.  The produced media packages were dispersed to key Tourism BC and Canadian Tourism Commission media contacts, and journalists were attracted to the region by the story ideas. The Taste of Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast was an overwhelming success that hosted close to 70 media representatives, each of whom received a USB stick containing all press materials.

Island Coastal Economic Trust funded this project on 2012 through the Investment Readiness program.