Black Meetings and Tourism

AWAITING OLYMPIC GLORY BY STANLEY BRANCH Set between the Pacific Ocean in the west and the magnificent Rocky Mountains in the east, British Columbia is Canada's westernmost province. Blessed with breathtaking landscapes, BC is home to a geographical diversity that lends itself to a vast array of activi- ties and adventures. There are moun- tains to climb, rivers to run, beaches to comb, forests to hike, parks to stroll and warm summer lakes to laze about on. The province generally enjoys a temper- ate climate but where there are moun- tains, there is snow. Renowned for the steep and the deep of its world-class ski terrain, BC is bustling with energy and opportunity as it prepares for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Always a gold medal destination for savvy travel- ers, BC offers not just outdoor adven- ture but cosmopolitan culture, world class exhibitions, uptown shopping and fabulous dining. From sophisticated cities to breathtaking scenery, there is something for everyone in BC. Vancouver, one of the world's great cities, is getting ready for its close-up in 2010. While this sea-level port city is known for its temperate climate, the sur- rounding snow-covered slopes are the venues for winter sports and breathtak- ing views of the city twinkling below. Vancouver is one of the few places in the world where you can ski in the morning and sail in the afternoon. If you only do one thing in the city, cycle or stroll along the Stanley Park seawall, a paved 10km loop with every moment of it privy to magnificent mountain, ocean, forest and city views. While you're in the park, pay a visit to the internationally acclaimed Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, one of North America's five largest aquariums. Since its inception in 1987, the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre has been British Columbia's flagship convention facility – hosting delegates from all over the world. A win- ner of numerous awards, the VCEC received the prestigious and highly com- petitive Apex Award for "World's Best Convention Centre" in 2002 and was named a finalist in 2004. An extraordinary expansion project is well underway that will more than triple the size of the existing centre. Once complete, close to 500,000 sq. ft. (45,690 square meters) of meeting, exhibit and function space will be avail- able in the heart of downtown Vancouver, one of the most spectacular cities in the world. The capital city of British Columbia, Victoria boasts many historic buildings and some of the most fascinating muse- ums in Western Canada. The city bene- fits from one of Canada's mildest cli- mates, which allows its residents to pur- sue outdoor pleasures all year round. Victoria also enjoys some of the coun- try's most exhilarating scenery: there's an ocean or mountain vista around every corner, while the city's flower gar- dens are famous the world over. Whether your taste runs to golfing, hik- ing, biking and fishing or you're more the shopping, dining and theatre type, there are no end of delights for you and your family in Victoria. Savor the sights of Victoria's down- town Inner Harbour, which includes the historic Legislative Buildings, home of the provincial government; the Royal BC Museum; and Thunderbird Park, with an amazing display of 15 impressive totem poles. End your journey at the imposing, yet elegant, Fairmont Empress Hotel with a traditional high tea. In the heart of downtown Victoria, British Columbia, by the spectacular Inner Harbour is the Victoria Conference Centre; a bright, modern and technically advanced meeting place that is most inviting. Here, you can defy convention within the environs of a his- toric city and one of the world's top trav- el destinations. It's business, in the most pleasurable surroundings possible. Having hosted delegates from all over the world, The Victoria Conference Centre recently underwent a large expansion increasing the meeting capac- ity to 73,000 sq. ft. The addition is called Crystal Garden and is a perfect venue for exhibitors and social functions. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Tourism BC - (800) 435-5622 Black Meetings & Tourism February/March 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 107 British Columbia Photo Credit: Tourism BC AREA GUIDES BRITISH COLUMBIA

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