Building a Destination Brand for Long-Term Tourism Growth
CLIENT: Tourism Kitimat
PROJECT: Boundless Begins Here Tourism Campaign
/ Services Provided
Branding + Design
Advertising + Ad Buying
/ Tourism Kitimat
Kitimat is home to some of British Columbia’s most spectacular outdoor experiences, from world-class fishing and backcountry adventure to breathtaking mountain and coastal landscapes. Yet for many years, the community remained relatively undiscovered as a tourism destination, with limited awareness beyond regional audiences.
In 2020, Tourism Kitimat partnered with Munro/Thompson to help strengthen destination awareness and encourage safe regional travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. What began as a targeted tourism marketing initiative quickly evolved into a long-term partnership focused on destination development, brand positioning, visitor attraction, and sustainable tourism growth.
/ The Challenge
Like many communities across British Columbia, Kitimat faced the challenge of competing for attention in an increasingly crowded tourism marketplace.
The organization needed a clear strategy to raise awareness, attract visitors, support local tourism operators, and establish a stronger destination identity. At the same time, tourism marketing efforts needed to align with changing provincial travel guidance, evolving visitor expectations, and broader Destination BC priorities.
The goal was to build the foundation for long-term tourism growth and position Kitimat as a destination worthy of exploration year-round.
/ Our Approach
Working closely with Tourism Kitimat, local businesses, tourism partners, and community stakeholders, we helped develop and implement a comprehensive tourism marketing plan designed to grow along with Tourism Kitimat.
Rather than focusing solely on advertising, the strategy combined destination storytelling, digital engagement, partnership marketing, and authentic community voices to create a stronger and more recognizable tourism presence.
Our work included:
- Strategic tourism marketing planning
- Destination brand development
- Campaign strategy and management
- Content creation and storytelling
- Photography and video production
- Digital advertising and media buying
- Tourism website strategy and content development
- Social media support
- Partnership development
- Performance measurement and reporting
Campaigns highlighted the experiences that make Kitimat unique, including fishing, hiking, winter recreation, wildlife viewing, road-trip experiences, and wilderness adventure. Tourism content was distributed through digital channels, social media, tourism publications, destination partnerships, and co-operative marketing initiatives across Western Canada and key U.S. markets.
/ Creating a Distinct Tourism Identity
As the tourism program matured, a key priority became creating a stronger and more distinct tourism brand.
In 2025, Tourism Kitimat launched Boundless Begins Here, a tourism-focused sub-brand developed to better differentiate visitor marketing from workforce attraction and resident recruitment initiatives. The brand positioned Kitimat as a place of discovery, adventure, and authentic connection to nature while aligning more closely with Destination BC’s tourism positioning strategies.
To further strengthen authenticity, Tourism Kitimat introduced a Local Content Creators Program that engaged local photographers and storytellers to help showcase the community through the eyes of the people who know it best. Their work became a central part of advertising campaigns, social media content, website storytelling, and destination promotion.
/ The Impact
Over the course of the partnership, Tourism Kitimat evolved from a localized awareness campaign into a sophisticated, multi-channel destination marketing program supported by long-term strategy, strong partnerships, and measurable results.
Key outcomes included:
- Expanded tourism awareness across British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, Alaska, and Washington State
- Millions of annual advertising impressions and engagements
- Significant year-over-year growth in digital tourism performance
- Record traffic and engagement on tourism-focused website content
- Stronger destination recognition and brand identity
- Increased alignment with provincial tourism strategies
- Enhanced collaboration with tourism partners and local businesses
- A scalable tourism marketing framework designed to support future growth
By 2025, the Kitimat Bound website recorded its strongest tourism performance to date, attracting nearly 150,000 users and generating more than 215,000 page views. Tourism-focused content consistently ranked among the site’s highest-performing destinations, demonstrating growing interest in Kitimat as a place to visit, explore, and experience.
/ Looking Ahead
Today, Tourism Kitimat has a clear tourism vision, a recognizable destination brand, and a strategic roadmap for continued growth.
Through ongoing collaboration, the focus remains on strengthening year-round visitation, enhancing visitor experiences, expanding destination storytelling, and building partnerships that support both tourism development and broader community prosperity.
Together, we are helping position Kitimat not only as a destination people discover, but as one they remember and return to.
