A new look for a new era of exploring northern B.C.’s unofficial capital.
Tourism Prince George rolled out the virtual red carpet this morning (Sept. 21) on its new rebrand, tuned to the sights of wilderness and the fondness for urbanization, even during an unprecedented time.
CEO Tracey McBride says she’s thrilled to showcase the ‘Basecamp of the North’ for years to come as the city’s gates remain open and welcome for provincial tourism.
“The city is a center for business, a basecamp for the adventurer, and a portal to the North,” she said.
“As the region’s central hub for railway, highways and airways, we offer any traveler a soft landing – to refuel, rejuvenate and reconnect.”
One of the main focuses of Tourism PG’s new approach is the surrounding environment, hoping to show that newcomers can experience the great outdoors and indoors in combining the simple life with the high life.
Having only been the CEO of the organization earlier this year in place of Erica Hummel, who departed for a related position in Edmonton, she says being a witness to the rebranding process pre-COVID helped her better understand the region’s features.
“When you’re looking at branding, branding is kind of the essence of a place. The personality, how you feel when you’re there and that’s your attributes and your characteristics of it, and for me, I’m brand new to Prince George,” she explained when asked by PrinceGeorgeMatters about the idea behind the rebrand.
“When I saw the brand being rolled out, I was like, ‘Hey, you’re right! Those elements do resonate.’ Yes, [Prince George] has always been this hub and juxtaposition of wilderness but with city elements, but what resonated to me, we’re a city that has all those amenities but we’re not uber-serious. We’re comfortable and warm [...] we also have this sophisticated, cultural vibe which I just love because that’s what makes it who you really are.”
Tourism Prince George's latest rebrand in enticing visitors to live, stay and play in the region. (via Tourism Prince George)McBride also noted there were some issues with budgeting for the rebrand due to COVID-19, but Tourism PG was able to secure funds from Destination BC to continue.
Tourism PG’s Marketing Manager Annie Dorian explains the next steps will be phased in as a result.
“We are going to be gathering more content because we have some asset gaps especially for seasonal things and also stakeholder features and vast business storytelling. We will also be looking at merchandise [...] so those are all in phases down the road.”
Budgeting for the campaign will also be evaluated by the end of 2020, McBride added, with more ideas to be rolled out in 2021.
A new website is up and running for Tourism PG that features:
- An interactive map for accommodations in Prince George, with filters for hotels, B&Bs, campgrounds, and motels
- A robust directory for culinary offerings, things to do, experiences, and venues
- New social media galleries featuring user-generated content – use the hashtag #takeonpg or
- #exploreprincegeorge on Instagram for a chance to be featured on the website
- The Basecamp Blog, which features contributions from locals/influencers, suggested itineraries, and activities that are unique to Prince George
Tourism Prince George's latest rebrand in enticing visitors to live, stay and play in the region. (via Tourism Prince George)
