Destination Development
Destination Development takes a leadership role in preserving and improving the Whistler experience, which impacts visitors, Members and local residents. Using visitor research and customer feedback on the destination, the team works with member businesses to facilitate the creation of new experiences or improvement of existing products and experiences, and promotes meaningful and memorable interactions between visitors and members in line with the Whistler brand.
Signature initiatives include the Whistler 'Out on the Town' series, sector spotlights and ecotourism-driven experiences. Scroll through the list below for current and upcoming Destination Development initiatives
Click on the below tabs to read more about ongoing Destination Development projects, including the new Go Whistler Tours App, insights related to visitor pain points, how your business can get involved with local experiences and how to be a part of the voucher programs.
Free Go Whistler Tours App
Go Whistler Tours is a free, downloadable app that helps visitors discover a new side of Whistler and form a deeper, more meaningful connection with the resort while also exploring areas outside of the resort’s Village core. It features a rotating list of self-guided tours designed in partnership with the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the Whistler Museum & Archives, Arts Whistler and members of Whistler’s business community.
Current tours include:
- Spring Biking: Half Day Loop – Spring is here, it’s time to swap skis for bikes and get out on the trails on this 12km biking tour
- Lost Lake Nature Walk – The Whistler Museum’s Nature Walking Tour takes place in Lost Lake Park on the Nature Trail that starts at the Lost Lake PassivHaus and follows Blackcomb Creek
- Legacies of the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games – explore Whistler’s Olympic legacies and discover how the Games were experienced through ther people who made them possible
- Craft Beer – get your suds on with a 'tour de beer' around Whistler
- Sweet Treats – a tour of some of Whistler’s best places to pick up a treat. Happy sugar rush!
- Whistler’s Cultural Connector – follow a pathway between six cultural institutions and uncover the stories that enrich Whistler’s culture
- Fitzsimmons Creek Accessible Nature Trail – a short exploration of biodiversity on Whistler’s first accessible nature trail
- Natural Wonders via Bike – explore Whistler’s natural history, biodiversity and unique geology on this 11km interpretive panel tour that is best enjoyed by bike or E-bike
- History & Heritage: Whistler from 1914 – 1965 – learn about the early non-indigenous settlers and visitors who arrived in Whistler after 1914 via this interpretive panel tour adjacent to Whistler Village
- Fall Biking: Half Day Loop – take in the changing fall colours on this bike route, which guides you along the Whistler Valley Trail from the Village to Creekside
- Whistler Festive Lights – experience some of the most illuminated places in Whistler from December to April, with warm-up suggestions along the way
Additional tours are in development and will continue to be added regularly through app updates, including new seasonal-specific tours, food and drink content and arts and culture tours.
The Go Whistler Tours app is available now and free to download on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Go Whistler Tours can also be viewed in a web browser at Go Whistler Tours. Download a Go Whistler Tours poster here.
Special Research Projects:
Winter Dining Study — designed to get a better understanding of the customer dining journey during peak winter months, when many of Whistler’s restaurants regularly book out. This research project includes suggestions for educating guests on the best way to make holiday dining plans, using insights from our restaurant community.
Shoulder Season Visitors — this research project focuses on spring and fall months in Whistler and explores ways to elevate the shoulder season experience, better inform guests on what to expect, and highlight the many wonderful bonuses to visiting Whistler in the off-season.
Night-Time Entertainment Study — this report explores the visitor experience "after dark," and how we can better connect our guests with the variety of night-time enteratinment options that exist in Whistler, as well as suggestions for new products or experiences to set Whistler apart from the crowd.
Promoting Responsible Tourism
As Tourism Whistler continues to support Destination Management responsibilities, there will be increased focus on creating and highlighting opportunities for tourism businesses and visitors to make meaningful contributions to Whistler’s community and reduce their impact on the natural environment. Working with Resort partners and business community, the team will identify areas of collaboration around climate action, diversity, equity and inclusion and Indigenous Tourism, including:
- Partner with local organizations to host business workshops that increase visitor-facing, sustainable tourism programs
- Work with local climate and conservation partners to identify new opportunities for visitors to engage with “volun-tourism” and/or decrease their carbon footprint while in-Resort
- Explore and adopt a globally-recognized sustainability framework to support and guide resort-wide responsible travel initiatives
Stay tuned for further updates!
Tourism Whistler Voucher Programs
In partnership with Whistler.com, Member businesses can sign up to participate in a variety of voucher programs throughout the year, including dining, après, shopping and wellness vouchers. We use a digital voucher program called CouponTools, which is a paperless way for our visitors to access their unique voucher via e-mail. This ‘How To’ instructional video shows the step-by-step process for redemption!
In order to participate in a voucher program, locations must agree to the following terms:
- Be a current member in good standing of Tourism Whistler
- Accept all vouchers at the agreed-upon value for the duration of the program
- Create a POS system for processing vouchers at your location, and train staff on program requirements
- Limited restrictions may apply and additional offers, promotions or experiences are encouraged
In most cases the voucher value is $25 - $50 per voucher, however there is no cash value and no change will be given; as such, vouchers can only be redeemed at (and reimbursed for) one location. Regular reporting will be provided to assist in tracking redemptions, with full reimbursement taking place on a monthly basis.
To expedite payment, businesses are encouraged to sign up for electronic funds transfer. Click here to complete your EFT form, otherwise payment will be issued via cheque.
Member Callouts will take place 30-60 days prior to a program start date via our Member Relations department.
Contact Destination Development
If you have any questions or have a new idea to explore, please contact Rachel Hughes, Coordinator of Destination Development, at rhughes@tourismwhistler.com or (604) 938-2748.
To learn more about available funding for new or enhanced tourism experiences, please review our Experiences Fund Application Criteria.