Last week was a remarkable one for Tourism Nicola Valley. The independent destination marketing society was recognized twice for its innovative digital tourism marketing program, “Experience Nicola Valley”.

United Kingdom based magazine Corporate Live Wire announced on March 10^th that out of the thousands of nominations received, Tourism Nicola Valley won the 2021 Canada Prestige Award for the ‘Marketing Program of the Year. With a global audience numbering in the millions, Corporate Live Wire provides business professionals with in-depth content on business trends in industries such as Technology, Healthcare, Energy and Tourism. The annual Prestige Awards recognize small and medium-sized businesses from around the world that have proven the best in their market over the last 12 months.

Corporate Live Wire Project Manager, Tom Avon explained the reason Tourism Nicola Valley received the award this year was because “[i]n a relatively short space of time [Tourism Nicola Valley] has clearly created something unique in the market that is making a big difference to people in the community. The program is both informative and educational and really helps put a focus on local businesses and what they do well. There is no question [that] the program will encourage more to visit the region. We are very pleased to recognize [this] hard work.”

Shortly afterwards on March 11^th Tourism Nicola Valley received the news that it won the annual BC Economic Development Association Community Project Award for the “Experience Nicola Valley” program. The British Columbia Economic Development Association (BCEDA) and FortisBC teamed up this year to announce the winners of the 2021 BC Economic Development Awards. This BCEDA Community Project Award recognizes an organization that has implemented various economic development initiatives that provide economic benefits to a community or region.

According to Dale Wheeldon, BCEDA President and CEO, “the BCEDA has given these awards to individuals and groups who have dedicated their time to community-based economic development. These awards recognize BCEDA members’ outstanding work in supporting their local economies, and making a meaningful difference in their communities.”

Launched in 2018, the Experience Nicola Valley project is part of a larger tourism marketing initiative developed by Greg and Colin Girard of eh Canada Marketing Group. The “Experience Community Marketing Revitalization Program” is a community driven authentic content marketing program specifically designed for rural and small communities. The program consists of three interactive “real time” content marketing platforms and an extensive ongoing training program including: an interactive community website on a national platform; a blogsite created by the community; and a live weekly Talk Show that features local businesses and organizations.

While the program has been a huge asset for Merritt, British Columbia, Canada and the Nicola Valley since it launched, it has proven to be an even bigger one over the past year as the community deals with the negative effects of COVID-19.

“Tourism has been basically shut down for the past year”, says Melvina White, Vice President of Tourism Nicola Valley. “The Experience Nicola Valley program has kept the community alive by providing a platform for locals to share their stories about the region with people from around the world’.

Learn more @: Experience Nicola Valley: www.experiencenicolavalley.com