Hospitality and tourism services in British Columbia offer entertainment and recreation, food and beverages, accommodation, and plenty more.
Accommodation
There are different types of hotels and hostels in British Columbia, depending on level, function, location, and size. Visitors can choose from condominium and timeshare hotels, suite, resort, and extended-stay hotels, boutique and business hotels, and convention and conference centres. Bed and breakfast places also offer accommodation. Hotels offer different amenities, including tennis, spa, golf, childcare, shuttle service, and others.
Founded back in 1917, The BC Hotel Association has close to 200 associate members and 600 hotel members. The association works with the regulatory authorities, provincial governments, and federal government to support members. Focus areas include consumer services, employment, marketing, tourism, and taxation.
Food and Beverages
A host of food and beverage services operate in British Columbia, including quick-service restaurants, catering and drinking establishments, casual and fine dining restaurants, and others. Quick-service restaurants, for example, offer fast food and are often found in high-traffic locations. Fast-food restaurants include places such as Tim Hortons, Five Guys, Hungry Guys Kitchen, Meat & Bread, and many others. Chain operators are represented by names such as The Old Spaghetti Company, Boston Pizza, Ricky’s All Day Grill, and White Spot. There are also ethnic restaurants, including French, Middle Eastern, Danish, Mediterranean, and many others. Some offer modified food while others feature authentic food and cuisine.
The catering sector is well-developed in British Columbia and includes festival food coordinators, conference hotels and centres, catering companies, and others. Drinking establishments also abound, including pubs, nightclubs, cabarets, wine bars, and bars. Establishments that sell alcohol are required to obtain a license, including places such as theatres, stadiums, and bars. The BC Liquor Control and Licensing Act was enacted to minimize health hazards and ensure public safety.
Entertainment and Recreation
The entertainment and recreation sector encompasses businesses that offer boat tours, scuba diving, wildlife viewing, sea kayaking, river rafting, and more. Different associations operate in British Columbia, including the BC River Outfitters Association, Dive Industry Association, Commercial Bear Viewing Association, and others.
Entertainment services focus on special and major events, conventions and meetings, festivals, and local events such as barbeques, celebrations, and fundraising events. They operate in different locations and venues, including non-traditional and traditional. Venues include galleries, museums, aquariums, beach locations, resorts and hotels, and others. Tourism operators cater to domestic and international travelers and offer trips and tours to different places of interest and attractions. Amusement attractions, for example, include places such as water, theme, and amusement parks. Many operators offer trips to heritage attractions, including conservation areas, nature parks, botanical gardens, natural wonders, and others. The performing arts sector is also well-developed in British Columbia and encompasses musical groups, dance companies, theatres, etc. The majority of performing arts companies in BC are companies with up to 3 – 4 employees. Other operators specialize in wine tourism, culinary tourism, sports events, agri-tourism, adventure tours, etc.
The travel industry encompasses players such as tour operators, online travel agencies, and travel agencies. They specialize in different types of travel – cruise, rail, outdoor adventures, and others. Sightseeing tours are offered by different operators in British Columbia, among which Whistler Adventure Passport, Revelstoke Horse Backyard Adventures, Canadian Craft Tours, and many others. Operators offer flightseeing adventures, cruise vacations and packages, motorcoach tours, wildlife tours, whale watching, and plenty more.
HelloBC
HelloBC is British Columbia’s official travel service and website to find information on transportation, entertainment, tours and sightseeing, and culture, history, and arts. Visitors are offered information about BC’s geography, weather and climate, history, and culture.