Thursday, September 26, 2024 – The District is Sooke is sharing this exciting announcement from Destination Canada:
Destination Canada has announced the launch of the Juan de Fuca Corridor for 2024, building on the success of last year’s pilot Tourism Corridor Strategy Program.
The Tourism Corridor Strategy Program aims to contribute to a more resilient tourism industry through accelerated destination development of multiple corridors across Canada. This program is a key initiative of Destination Canada’s 2030 Tourism Strategy, with its bold goal to propel Canada back into the Top 7 global tourism destinations.
The corridor program will invigorate the tourism landscape in the Capital Region District (CRD), Juan de Fuca Electoral areas, and First Nations communities between Beecher Bay and Port Renfrew on South Vancouver Island, as well as those between Port Angeles to Neah Bay, including Olympic National Park with connections to Seattle, enticing visitors to discover the area’s diverse regions and contributing to a more dynamic and competitive tourism industry.
The Juan de Fuca Corridor is the first corridor to cross into the United States, offering new opportunities to engage with Canada’s largest international market. This corridor builds upon existing strategies while identifying investment opportunities for future attraction. There is an important need for this investment to continue to engage US travellers:
- In 2025, 16.2 million travellers from the US are expected to visit Canada and spend $13.7 billion, according to Destination Canada’s 2024 USA Market Highlights.
This corridor area is a partnership with the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER), which focuses on increasing economic well-being and quality of life for residents while maintaining and enhancing the natural environment.
The Juan de Fuca Corridor is a key component of the expanded Tourism Corridor Strategy Program, representing one of four strategic corridors being developed nationwide to enhance the tourism experience in Canada. Other corridors include:
- Cycle Ontario and Quebec
- Field to Fork: Saskatchewan Manitoba Agritourism
- Northern Sky Corridor (Alberta, Northwest Territories)
The Tourism Corridor Strategy Program will enhance Canada’s appeal by providing visitors with compelling reasons to explore new regions, thereby strengthening Canada’s tourism sector.
The selected corridors are defined as high-potential and align with criteria such as:
- Identifying potential job opportunities
- Potential for Indigenous inclusion or partnerships
- Employing a regenerative approach
- Engaging local communities
- Supporting economic growth
- Catalyzing investment attraction
Strategies for last year’s pilot corridors, UNESCO Atlantic Canada Corridor, Sustainable Journeys from Prairies to Pacific, and the Northern Indigenous Lodge Network, are complete and are starting to come to life through implementation. Positive outcomes are already beginning to emerge.
Quotes
“The potential of the Juan de Fuca Strait Corridor as a premier tourism destination is immense. Early discussions have highlighted the benefits of this cross-border collaboration, and with support from Destination Canada, we can elevate this initiative to new heights. Our recent development of the Juan de Fuca Corridor Tourism Plan underscores our commitment to regional economic development through tourism.” – Mayor Maja Tait, District of Sooke
“At the South Island Prosperity Partnership, Greater Victoria’s regional economic development alliance, we believe wholeheartedly in the power of collaboration across jurisdictions and sectors. The Juan de Fuca Tourism Corridor initiative is a tangible example of such an approach because it engages those with a real stake in the initiative’s success — defined by economic, environmental and socio-cultural metrics — in driving the fate of their local economies. We congratulate those who championed this initiative for making it happen, and we offer them our full support on the hard work still ahead in realizing the vision.” – Dallas Gislason, Interim CEO, SouthIslandProsperity.ca
“Our region has a well-developed and managed tourism industry, and the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce has promoted the benefits of the visitor economy for generations,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said, “The proposed Juan de Fuca Partnership is an exciting initiative for the coastal corridor between Canada and the United States and will benefit regions that have deep cultural and ecological connections. We owe it to future generations to work together in an open and transparent way to build an economy that works for everyone.” Bruce Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
“The Sooke Region Tourism Association is excited to be aligned with the Juan de Fuca Tourism Corridor initiative. For us, this project represents a valuable opportunity to showcase Sooke’s unique natural beauty and vibrant cultural heritage while ensuring that tourism growth aligns with the values of our community. We are committed to working closely with our cross-border partners to create sustainable, meaningful experiences that will benefit both residents and visitors alike.” – Sooke Region Tourism Association, Steven Eckart, President
“As a proud contributor to the Juan de Fuca Tourism Corridor Plan for Destination Canada’s Tourism Corridor Strategy Program, the Sooke Fine Arts Society is excited to hear the news that the Juan de Fuca Corridor has been selected to participate in the program. We look forward to collaborating on this strategy that honours the rich cultural heritage of our area and encourages a thriving regional visitor economy that will bring real benefits to our communities”. – Terrie Moore, Executive Director, Sooke Fine Arts Society
“The Juan de Fuca Partnership builds on the historic and cultural ties that have long bound our cross-border region and will continue to strengthen the relationships and active collaboration between us. We look forward to working with our partners on both sides of the border, particularly our Indigenous and Tribal communities, to ensure that we maintain the integrity of our abundant yet fragile natural ecosystems and showcase the rich history and culture of our region. We are excited to explore the opportunities for responsible, sustainable, and resilient tourism growth in our region.” – Representative Cindy Ryu, Washington State Legislature, and PNWER President
To book interviews or for more information, please contact:
Gail Scott, Community Economic Development Officer, District of Sooke by email at gscott@sooke.ca or by phone at 1-250-642-1634 ex 622; Cell 250-526-0036.
Tara Edens, Program Manager, Pacific NorthWest Economic Region at tara.edens@pnwer.org.
About Destination Canada
At Destination Canada, we believe that tourism enhances the wealth and wellbeing of Canadians and enriches the lives of visitors. Our mission is to influence supply and build demand for the benefit of locals, communities and visitors through leading research, alignment with public and private sectors, and marketing Canada nationally and abroad.
Knowing that diversity is our greatest asset, we promote Canada as a premier four-season leisure and business tourism destination around the country and world in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, United Kingdom and the United States. In addition, our Business Events team leverage in-depth global market analysis to target international clusters aligned with Canada’s priority economic sectors.
Destination Canada is a Crown corporation wholly owned by the Government of Canada.
Media Centre for ideas, assets and contacts. Visit: https://media.canada.travel/en-CA
To book interviews regarding Destination Canada or for more information, please contact: Nicole Clark or Anita Berthier mediarelations@DestinationCanada.com