PAUL NURSEY

VICTORIA – 2023 has been a remarkable year for Destination Greater Victoria (DGV) and our region’s visitor economy. Among our many achievements are being voted the No. 1 city in the world by Conde Nast Readers and 42 DGV member businesses earning or on their way to receiving Biosphere certification, tourism’s most respected sustainability designation.

Throughout the year, we’ve worked tirelessly to promote our region with initiatives like our Western Washington campaign that achieved an impressive 71 per cent recall, way ahead of industry norms. And our fall “Every Visitor Counts” campaign to support local businesses adjusting to many in the public sector now working from home. A recent survey showed our efforts have increased our net promoter score from 40 in 2019 to 75 in 2023, with almost all past visitors saying they are very likely to recommend Victoria to others.

Despite our successes, the pandemic years showed us how quickly our visitor economy can be affected by world events and the importance of planning ahead to ensure our sector’s resiliency. To that end, this month, we’re putting the finishing touches on a Business Plan for 2024 that will provide the commercial direction for DGV in the coming year. Our theme for 2024 is “Taking Stock and Moving the Needle”.

The upcoming year will see us plan for sustainable growth, further prioritize equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives to create a more equitable workplace and destination, accelerate efforts to minimize our environmental impact, and continue to advocate for responsible tourism practices. We’ll also update foundational research, launch a ten-year tourism master plan, unveil a new website, and invest in air route development.

Recognizing the challenges of potential economic headwinds and global conflicts, we’re building flexibility into all aspects of our planning and are working to enhance and diversify our regions tourism offerings.

There’s no question the visitor economy will be more crucial than ever for Greater Victoria in 2024. Thankfully, we are confident that, with this Business Plan to guide our actions, we will be inspired to reach new heights, amplify our impact, and uphold the exceptional standards of excellence for which DGV has become known worldwide.

I want to thank our members, government officials, key stakeholders, and dozens of committee members for their invaluable input into our plan. We look forward to sharing our plan, strategies, initiatives and goals for 2024 early in the new year.

Paul Nursey is the President and CEO of Destination Greater Victoria