Regional Olympic Updates

 

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The Celebration in British Columbia continues with the 2010 Papalympic Winter Games

For two weeks in February, British Columbia became home to international athletes and sport fans during the remarkable 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Now Canada’s westernmost province is set to celebrate once again with the arrival of the Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler. Click here to read more

 

Visitor survey looking past Olympic moment

Tourism BC's Research and Planning team took a one month break from the Provincial Accommodation Survey for the 2010 Games. The entire Research and Planning department at Tourism BC was redeployed for the month of February to conduct surveys of residents and visitors during the Games in Richmond, Vancouver and Whistler. Here is a link to a story in the Vancouver Province on the project.

 

DONNA BARNETT: Cariboo Chilcotin at the Olympics

Click here to read more

 

CCCTA represented at BC Street

The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association is inviting you to stroll down BC Street, an interactive pavilion and showcase of the region's communities.
Located at the O Zone, the largest official celebration site for the 2010 Games, BC Street is designed to give visitors a glimpse of the region's beautiful destinations by highlighting some of the best attractions, festivals, arts, culture and history in a one block radius.
Click here to read daily CRD BC Street Updates 

 

Barney Bentall and his Grand Cariboo Opry at the Olympics

Legendary Canadian performer Barney Bentall left his ranch near Clinton long enough to play for thousands of fans at a free concert in Whistler's Village Square during recent Olympic celebrations.

Barney will be performing again on Feb 27 and Blue Rodeo is confirmed for the 28th for the Whistler Live! venue. More info here.

Photo: Geoff Moore

 

Olympic News from the Bella Coola Valley

BCVT celebrates 18 years of Valley Tourism
Click here to read more

Also read about:
Olympic Podiums have Local Connections
Bella Coola Valley a ‘Natural' for Yoga Retreats
Mild weather creating unique skiing opportunities in Bella Coola
2010 Winter & Spring Trout Fishing Looking Promising!
    

 

CCCTA at BC Street - February 14, 2010

After four months of preparation and two days of around-the-clock setup, the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast was on view for the world to see today at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games!
	Today was the opening of BC Street, an 18,000 square foot venue showcasing seven regions and more than 80 communities of the province at the breathtaking Olympic O Zone celebration site in Richmond. As the 2010-2011 Forest Capital of Canada, the Cariboo Regional District and the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Region will showcase all our forests have to offer to spectators from around the world!
Entering through a grandiose log home façade built by Pioneer Log Homes, spectators walked through a forest of pine, spruce, birch and Douglas fur to learn about the many tourism and business opportunities our region has to offer. Many spectators stopped by to warm up in front of our pellet stove from Pinnacle Pellets and enjoy the Cariboo Chilcotin tourism DVD.
	Close to 5000 spectators walked through the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast pavilion today, with an estimated 2000 more to walk through before closing.  Spectators were quizzed about the variety of trees in the exhibit by Letitia Da Ros, a UBC Forestry student who shared her knowledge for the day.
The biggest hit?  A character log in the middle of the pavilion for all to sign their name, country of origin and an Olympic message.  Only day one and almost half the log is completely covered with signatures from visitors as far away as England and Argentina.  BC Street will be open the duration of the Winter Olympic Games, February 21 -28 in Richmond.  We encourage everyone to stop by and say HI! From the BC Street Staff, A special thanks to Garfield Johnson for all his help transporting 15 trees from Kersley to Richmond and several days setting up the BC Street booth on his 50th birthday! Shawna Hinsche Alan Madrigga Danielle Johnson Letitia Da Ros GO CANADA GO!

 

 

Canada welcomes the world to the 2010 Winter Games

Let the Games begin.
On February 12, the final runner in Canada's 45,000-kilometre (27,962-mile) torch relay will light the Olympic Cauldron and mark the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Click here to read more

 

 

The 2010 Olympic legacy is already alive and well throughout all regions of BC

One of the many strategies that TBC has incorporated to bring awareness too all regions of BC are by using various social media channels like YouTube, Twitter and many Bloggers pages.
Key partners and websites include: VANOC, Coca Cola, The Royal Bank, Canadian Tourism Commission, Vancouver 2010, Hello BC, all six tourism regions, Facebook, Google, Tourism 2010 and many more.
Among the top reasons for choosing these new social media tools are that it is very cost effective, measurable and allows us to penetrate markets previously unreachable any other way.
We have assembled a few links to help illustrate how we are using the Torch Relay as a marketing tool.
In the summer of 2009 TBC entered into a corporate sponsorship agreement so that a TBC could embed a “Torch Relay Reporter” that would be allowed “front row centre access” during the Torch Relay...
One of the overarching goals was to feature each of the six tourism regions and some of the people and products that make us an attractive travel destination.
To view some videos and blogs specific to the region click on the following links:

You Tube: Olympic Torch Relay Day 91: Lone Butte to 108 Mile House

torchrelay.net: Olympic Torch Relay Day 92: Barkerville to Prince George

vancouver2010.com: Olympic Torch Relay Day 100: Lillooet to Cache Creek

For a more provincial feel of the program click here

Donn Irwin educates Chris about the Chilcotin during an Interview on day 91 of the Torch relay	Day 91 of the Torch relay Chris enters Cariboo Country after we outfit him with a nice Hat
The Torch is the focal point of thousands in Quesnel	Chris and Paul in Barkerville early on Day 92
Chris Wheeler shoots editorial on location at the Cariboo Jade shop.	Patrotism abounds in Lillooet at the community Torch Celebration on Day 100

As of one week after the last day of shooting the Torch Relay, more than 271,000 viewers have tuned in worldwide to gain an appreciation of BC destinations and travel experiences throughout our BC regions, while an additional 57,000 viewers have taken in the videos shot in other parts of Canada. Beyond this current audience of 328,000 viewers, the video series has led to a feature in the LA Times online edition, and online travel viewer awards from 21 countries. Among the notable YouTube travel category viewer awards, our BC videos gained a No. 1 rank from the Canada, Russia and India markets, we gained a No. 2 travel video ranking from the Czech Republic market,  we gained a No. 3 ranking in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Japan markets, we gained a No. 4 in Netherlands and Sweden, and a No. 5 ranking award from France.