Destination BC Proudly Supports the Canada Winter Games in Prince George

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - February 12, 2015) - It's Games time! Excitement is high in Prince George as the city is poised to welcome an estimated 15,000 visitors for the 2015 Canada Winter Games. Destination BC is proud to support the Games with funding and in-kind contributions, including tailored customer service training.

Building superior customer service
Destination BC's WorldHost® Training Services has committed $200,000 of in-kind support in training so businesses and volunteers in Prince George will be primed to welcome visitors. The WorldHost team has collaborated with partners in Northern BC to ensure that hosts of the Games provide remarkable service, compelling visitors to share their experiences through social media and word-of-mouth. WorldHost has been active in the area since last November, with more than 3,700 individuals trained in customer service programs to date.

Two free training programs, WorldHost Customer Service Training for Volunteers and the Remarkable-YOU! Workshop for frontline tourism professionals, were created to help Northern hospitality shine during the Games. To learn more about WorldHost customer service training workshops, visit: http://www.worldhosttraining.com/workshops/index.html#R-YOU!

Capturing the attention of the national audience
In addition to the WorldHost training programs, Destination BC is contributing to the success of the Games with additional financial support totalling $250,000. As an event sponsor, a 30-second version of Destination BC's brand story video, The Wild Within, will air in 34 spots during TSN's national broadcasts and online during the Canada Games TV TODAY broadcasts. Destination BC also receives a full-page advertisement in the official Canada Winter Games guide, sponsor signage at the event and a mention in Games newspaper advertising.

Tourism Plaza highlights regions
Supported by Destination BC, The Northern BC Tourism Association and Tourism Prince George have created The Northern BC Tourism Plaza -- an interactive space designed to showcase travel experiences from around the region and the Super, Natural British Columbia® brand. Throughout the Games the plaza, complete with cedar-facade portables and a custom-built log entranceway, will showcase the region through local artists, storytellers and demonstrations. Key partnerships with the Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC and The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association have further enhanced the experience at the plaza. The Tourism Plaza will be open from noon to 9:30 p.m. daily during the Games. More information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/NorthernBC.

The Canada Winter Games is Canada's largest multi-sport event and will run from February 13th to March 1st, 2015. The event is forecasted to generate an economic impact of up to $90 million. Marking the first time the Canada Winter Games have been held in BC, the event promises to leave a lasting social, cultural, and economic legacy for the North.

Tourism is a critical sector within BC's economy. In 2013, the tourism industry generated $13.9 billion in revenue, an increase of 3.6 per cent from 2012 and a 44 per cent increase since 2003. The industry contributed $7.3 billion in GDP and employed over 132,000 people in 2013. In addition, the tourism industry generates social, cultural and environmental benefits for all British Columbians.

Quotes:
Marsha Walden, CEO, Destination British Columbia:
"We are proud to support this historic national sporting event, which will have both immediate and long-term economic benefits for our scenic Northern communities. The combination of media exposure, customer-service skills development, and economic collaboration will support tourism in Prince George and the surrounding areas for years to come."

Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour:
"We're ready to give a warm welcome to athletes and their families from across Canada as they arrive for the 2015 Winter Games. Government funding for training programs like WorldHost have helped northern communities prepare for the Games and ensure we can give all of our guests a truly memorable experience that will motivate them to return."

Clint Fraser, CEO, Northern BC Tourism Association:
"In addition to days of thrilling sports events, we are proud to show the nation all there is to see and do in Northern British Columbia. We'll feature everything from Aboriginal artists, to performers from Barkerville and Wells, to a photo booth in which you can immerse yourself in a rustic trapper's cabin. We think visitors will want to return once they get a taste of what the North has to offer: outdoor fun, exploration, arts and culture."

Amy Thacker, CEO, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association:
"Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism is delighted to be working with our regional partner Northern BC Tourism, Destination BC and the Cariboo Regional District as we champion the businesses and rural communities of the interior and north at the 2015 Canada Winter Games. When Canada's media attention focuses on our nation's athletes as they gather here, it will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase the North and inspire people to visit and invest in these regions of British Columbia."

Christine Nicholls, Manager, Volunteer Workforce, 2015 Canada Winter Games 
"We are proud to be partnering with WorldHost, to deliver exceptional customer service training for the 2015 Canada Winter Games volunteer hosts. Seeing all our hard work and collaboration come to life, and witnessing our hosts use their customer services skills is pure magic. Prince George is ready to welcome participants and guests, and we thank the WorldHost training team for delivering interactive training that produced immediate results."

Learn More:
Destination British Columbia is an industry-led Crown corporation that works collaboratively with tourism stakeholders across the province to coordinate marketing at the international, provincial, regional and local levels. For more information about Destination British Columbia's programs and services, please visit: http://www.DestinationBC.ca/

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2015/2/12/11G033079/Images/Tourism_Plaza_side_wall-1035910537346.JPG
Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2015/2/12/11G033079/Images/Tourism_Plaza_side_wall_2-271301613254.JPG
Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2015/2/12/11G033079/Images/Tourism_Plaza_Excitement-527815226978.JPG
Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2015/2/12/11G033079/Images/WorldHost_Volunteers-535763300285.jpg