Just a few years ago, more than 5,500 cars a day passed through Grand Forks on Highway 3 in Boundary Country Region. Travellers  stopped to buy gas or grab a snack before hitting the road again. Most were unaware that another side of Grand Forks awaited just a block from the highway—if only they stayed a little longer.

Feedback from Chamber members and local businesses indicated that the Chamber was doing a good job, but a greater focus on tourism would help grow the local economy.  In 2025, with the support of the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC), the Chamber rebuilt and relaunched its original Discover Grand Forks (DGF) tourism strategy created six years earlier.

ETSI-BC spoke to Andrew Zwicker, Executive Director of the Boundary Country Regional Chamber of Commerce, about the project.

ETSI-BC: What was involved in relaunching the Discover Grand Forks Strategy?

Andrew: Our main goal is to extend our tourism spending and hiring seasons with a focus on revenue-generating activities that support local businesses. The result is a new governing strategy for Discover Grand Forks, and the launch of the Grand Forks Gateway plan. The latter is a model for  governance and collaboration between businesses, economic development, and tourism organizations; it is used in communities that have a key entry and exit point that attracts significant tourism traffic.

In addition to my role as Chamber Director, I was temporarily contracted to perform the role of DGF Manager, coordinating the development of a new DGF with local partners. We also had help from a Summer Tourism Ambassador who provided visitor support, content creation for new marketing videos, and help with events.

Working closely with the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association which delivers tourism marketing in the region, we focused on three major tourism assets in and around Grand Forks:  one of the longest bike seasons in BC, a thriving local food and farming scene, and activities and events that promote genuine, affordable family fun.

What outcomes has the new DGF achieved to date?

We’re pleased to report that:

• Several tourism-related businesses were able to retain their summer staff longer into the fall, extending employment for students and seasonal workers and spending activity. More accommodation is planned, from Airbnbs, cabins and motels. A new hotel suited to accommodate sports groups is also in the works, which could be a major advantage in pursuing the tournament market.
• Our marketing efforts resulted in 31 tourism videos highlighting biking, running, Nordic skiing and other attractions which increased our social media views significantly. Recent data shows a greater number of attendees at our events are coming from outside of Grand Forks including Nelson, Castlegar, Rossland, Osoyoos and Kamloops, and occasionally the Lower Mainland and the United States. Four new businesses that moved to Grand Forks from other parts of the province said they were inspired by these videos.
• We have also purchased wireless timing equipment for use at major sporting events. This will support growth from seven events per year to 15 and is expected to generate $105,000 in new spending over the next two years.
• Strong collaboration is taking place between local farms, chefs, and event organizations to promote our agricultural producers, markets, cafes, and restaurants. We are working directly with the Kettle Valley Food Co-op, for example, to access local food producers to run marketing, promotion and a new video series focused on the thriving local food scene.
• We are seeing strong interest in family-oriented events and activities such as the Market Music Thursdays which add vibrancy to downtown along with other musical events throughout the year. We offer numerous outdoor recreation experiences from hiking and biking to fishing and golf. As we highlight local agriculture, you can visit a working farm, enjoy our weekly farmers market or our local lavender labyrinth, one of only two in Canada.

 What comes next for the DGF project?

We’re about to launch our new website and directional signage and are beginning to focus on specific tourism projects. We look forward to more exciting developments through continued evolution of the Grand Forks Gateway model. We’re excited for the future and grateful for ETSI-BC support.