Prince George, B.C. – Cariboo Coast Chilcotin  Tourism  Association   says while  the  wildfires are impacting  some  communities, there are still  opportunities for visitors as the  Cariboo Coast Chilcotin region is  large and there are still  areas that are  safely accessible  and open.But  make  no mistake,  the wildfires are having an economic impact  says  Amy Thacker, CEO of the Cariboo Chilcotin Tourism Society “”We do not have any  business  loss  or revenue loss estimates it is too early to know.”   She says   so far,  it is known that 147  tourism businesses have been closed as a result  of the  fires,  but  that number  may not be  complete.

“Tourism  in BC is an economic driver in British Columbia and  unfortunately, some of our regions, that are hundreds of kilometers away  from these impacted  areas  have reported  cancellations” says Maya Lange VP of Global Marketing at Destination BC.   She says  there have been  numerous  cancellations of plans  from tourists  in other parts of Canada and overseas  “Because the information they are receiving leads them to believe that BC is burning, which is  absolutely not the case.”

She urges  communities to  post  images of the current  conditions  on facebook  and social media, so that word gets out that  there  are  many areas  with clear skies and  no fires.  Lange says  tourism businesses in non impacted areas have been  encouraged to contact   their  customers to  ensure they have  accurate information on the situation.

Amy Thacker says once the emergency  is over,  and the areas  move into recovery stage ” We will be working  closely with our government partners and Destination BC to ensure that travellers know these communities and businesses are open.  We are not  yet there in many areas, but hope this will happen soon.”