COMMUNITY PROSPERITY
4VI STRIVES TO MAKE TOURISM GOOD 4YOU AND 4ME
VANCOUVER ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
The ads you see about enticing vacation destinations can hide the reality of tourism on the ground, where crowds, disrespect and economic inequity can make tourism a nightmare for locals. When you plan a trip, check if the place is managing tourism with the good of the community in mind, like Vancouver Island and its adoption of a social enterprise to handle destination marketing.
What's
changing
A traditional tourism promotional agency, which may be called a destination marketing organization (DMO), tourism board or visitors bureau, is responsible for advertising a place to attract tourists. The money to buy ads and pay staff can come from accommodation taxes collected from travelers or fees collected from tourism industry members. With growing concerns about overtourism, climate change and equity, many DMOs are deemphasizing promotions aimed to draw high volumes of visitors and scaling up sustainable management and development of destinations. The goal is to reap the positive economic impact of tourism while minimizing its negative effects. While this evolution is generally welcomed within the tourism industry, success is limited until new values displace outdated goals.
What's already
possible
One Canadian tourism board took a bold step by completely overhauling the traditional destination management model, setting a new standard for how tourism can directly benefit communities. In 2022, Tourism Vancouver Island transformed from a destination management organization to a social enterprise known as 4VI. The shift enabled the organization to act like a business and earn profits that are invested back into the island’s communities.
Seizing
the opportunity
During a period in August 2021, Vancouver Island had more visitors than ever before. That influx catalyzed change, including the creation of 4VI. The social enterprise operates around four pillars: communities, businesses, culture and environment. After paying staff and overhead, 4VI donates its revenue, earned from three products and services, to projects focused on stewardship and community. 4VI has developed a climate action plan and leads projects with community partners, including a guide for sourcing low emissions food and the Indigenous “Voices of Vancouver Island” podcast.
Standout
tactic
In 2024, the social enterprise further expanded into the 4VI group that has a non-profit tourism arm, a charitable initiative and a for-profit corporation. This change helps to simplify the operating model and make it easier for the community to understand and support its mission.
How
it helps
In 2022, 4VI became one of the 907 signatories of the Glasgow Declaration for climate action in tourism. The organization is working toward its goal of contributing 10 million Canadian dollars to aligned causes. One of the first goals is to invest in the Life Below Water Sustainable Development Goal. The organization’s marketing focuses less on traditional advertising and more on meaningful storytelling that teaches visitors about the ethos of the destination.
Diving
deeper
How can social enterprises ensure that the money they distribute is fairly benefitting different regions, stakeholders and income groups?
Increasing
impact
To make a bigger impact, 4VI is calling on more destinations, regional organizations and businesses to start thinking differently about tourism and to stop using revenue and volume as measures of success. A collective shift in actions within tourism can ensure that it provides a positive benefit to people, places and nature.
Traveling
better
Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.
