Tourism Fernie

What Tourism Fernie does

Tourism Fernie Society is a non-profit Destination Marketing & Management Organization (DMO) incorporated in British Columbia in November 2007 and headquartered at 102 Commerce Road, Fernie, BC. The organization serves as the collective marketing and destination management entity for the Fernie tourism community, pooling resources from 100+ member businesses — including accommodators, restaurants, activity operators, and retailers — to jointly promote Fernie as a four-season mountain destination under a unified brand. Its legal designation as a DMO grants it authority over the 3% Municipal & Regional District Tax (MRDT/Hotel Tax) collected on local accommodations, which is its primary funding mechanism, supplemented by $200+GST annual membership fees and partner marketing initiatives.

The organization operates a destination marketing platform centered on tourismfernie.com, supported by social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest) and an email newsletter program. It runs the AmbassadorWILD Sustainable Tourism Program — focused on stewardship of priority locations such as Elk River access points, Heiko's Trail, and Silver Springs — and curates a calendar of destination-driving events including Wapiti Music Festival, Fernie Singletrack, Griz Days, Ride & Roast, and the Fernie Gravel Grind. The society is governed by a 9-member board (with City of Fernie and Fernie Chamber of Commerce liaisons) and currently operates with approximately 6 full-time staff: Executive Officer (Jikke Gyorki), Marketing Manager (Broňa Kekeňáková), Media/Travel Trade & Projects Manager (Christine Grimble), Destination Management & Development Manager (Corien Sieders), Admin & Marketing Coordinator (Rebecca Hall), and Social Media/Content Coordinator (Kate Wienburg).

Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) the 3% MRDT/Hotel Tax on accommodations (transactional), (2) annual membership fees of $200+GST per member business (subscription/recurring), and (3) partner marketing and destination development collaborations with regional and provincial bodies including Tourism BC, Kootenay Rockies Tourism, the Regional District of East Kootenay, the Columbia Basin Trust, and TECK Resources. The go-to-market is hybrid: sales-led and community-led, with event-driven visitation as a primary demand catalyst. Recent external grant funding includes a $87,863 contribution from Pacific Economic Development Canada in March 2025. The organization earned the BCEDA Community Project Award (2023) for AmbassadorWILD and GreenStep Bronze Certification (2025), and is currently advancing a Tourism Facility Needs Assessment and Elk Valley & Fernie Regional Trails Strategy to support future capacity expansion.

Name

Tourism Fernie

Legal name

Tourism Fernie Society

Website

https://tourismfernie.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tourism Fernie Society is a non-profit Destination Marketing & Management Organization (DMO) in British Columbia that collectively markets Fernie as a four-season mountain destination on behalf of 100+ member tourism businesses, funded primarily through the 3% MRDT/Hotel Tax, annual membership fees, and partner marketing initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing & Management Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Experiential & Cultural Programming (Tours, Activities, CSR/Voluntourism) (THAHADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community-Based & Indigenous Tourism Enablement (Local Ownership, Benefit-Sharing) (THAAANAI), Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations) (THAHADAA)

Keywords

• Destination marketing organization
• Tourism marketing services
• Sustainable tourism programs
• Travel trade development
• Destination management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fernie

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees of $200+GST from tourism businesses and professionals who partner with Tourism Fernie and are promoted under the Fernie brand. The membership year runs January to December, with new members starting late in the year receiving the remainder of the current year as part of the coming year's fee.
2. Municipal & Regional District Tax (MRDT/Hotel Tax): 3% Municipal & Regional District Tax collected on accommodations, commonly known as the Hotel Tax, which supports tourism marketing and destination management initiatives.
3. Partner Marketing & Destination Management: Revenue generated from partner marketing initiatives and destination development programs, including collaborative campaigns with member businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Tourism Fernie is a non-profit Destination Marketing & Management Organization (DMO) that promotes Fernie, British Columbia as a four-season mountain destination through collective marketing campaigns, travel trade support, visitor information services, and the AmbassadorWILD Sustainable Tourism Program. The organization pools resources from member tourism businesses and MRDT (Hotel Tax) revenue to deliver unified destination marketing, product development assistance, and sustainable tourism programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AmbassadorWILD: An innovative sustainable tourism program that supports sustainable tourism and recreation by helping to take care of important nature-based locations, collect data for quality decision-making, and promote safe and responsible front and backcountry recreation.

Products and services

• Tourism Fernie Website

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Province of British ColumbiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment funding partner supporting Tourism Fernie's marketing initiatives and sustainable tourism programs. Provides provincial tourism development support and strategic alignment with BC's tourism objectives.
• Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional government partner co-funding tourism initiatives and representing local community interests in tourism development planning.
• Freshwater Fisheries Society of BCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting fish handling and conservation programs, supporting sustainable fishing tourism experiences in Fernie.
• Wildlife Biologist Clayton LambminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWildlife biologist collaborating on the AmbassadorWILD program's wildlife camera program on Heiko's Trail for monitoring and conservation.
• City of FerniecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner supporting Tourism Fernie since the organization's establishment in 2007. Appoints a liaison to the Board of Directors. Provides venue support for events including AGM.
• Fernie Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness association partner collaborating on tourism industry advocacy and member services. Appoints a liaison to the Tourism Fernie Board of Directors.
• Kootenay Rockies TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional destination marketing organization providing industry updates and coordinating broader tourism promotion across the Kootenay Rockies region.
• Tourism BCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial tourism marketing organization providing strategic support and resources for BC destination marketing organizations.
• Basecamp ResortscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Canadian hospitality platform developing Everwild Fernie Nordic Spa & Hotel project. Growing presence in Fernie through adventure accommodations and new wellness development.
• Orange Crow LeadershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting firm providing Tourism Facility Needs Assessment Report presentation at Tourism Fernie AGM, supporting strategic planning for future tourism infrastructure.
• GGA ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm collaborating on Tourism Facility Needs Assessment Report, presenting opportunities and challenges for Fernie's tourism future.
• All Mountain Consulting & Project ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting firm led by Ted Morton providing consultation work for the Elk Valley & Fernie Regional Trails Strategy & Framework.
• Perez McKenzie ImmigrationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImmigration consulting firm providing complimentary consultation sessions for Tourism Fernie members to support foreign staff with work permits and permanent resident pathways.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tourism Kelowna: Regional DMO for Kelowna and the Central Okanagan — comparable four-season destination marketing organization with MRDT-equivalent funding, event programming, and member business network in a BC tourism market.
• Tourism Whistler: Destination marketing organization for Whistler, BC — a four-season mountain resort with similar year-round positioning, MRDT-funded DMO structure, event programming (Crankworx, skiing), and member-based governance model directly comparable to Tourism Fernie.
• Tourism Sun Peaks: Resort DMO for Sun Peaks, BC — comparable small-mountain-resort destination marketing, MRDT-funded, event-driven visitation, and member-based governance for a four-season BC ski resort.
• Tourism Jasper: Destination marketing organization for Jasper National Park, Alberta — directly comparable Canadian Rockies DMO promoting four-season mountain tourism, dark sky experiences, and outdoor adventure with similar MRDT-style funding and member business network.
• Tourism Squamish: DMO for Squamish, BC — directly comparable small-scale BC adventure destination marketing organization promoting outdoor recreation (mountain biking, climbing, hiking) with member-based structure and similar target audiences.
• Kootenay Rockies Tourism: Regional DMO that is both a Tourism Fernie partner and a directly comparable organization — operates the same DMO function (destination marketing, member services, travel trade) at a broader Kootenay region scale with shared member-business pool.
• Tourism Tofino: DMO for Tofino, BC — comparable BC destination marketing organization promoting outdoor adventure, sustainability values, and Indigenous cultural tourism with similar member-based structure and MRDT-style funding.
• Banff & Lake Louise Tourism: DMO for Banff & Lake Louise, Alberta — comparable mountain destination marketing function, MRDT-equivalent funding, four-season positioning, and event-driven visitation strategy targeting outdoor and experiential travelers.

Broad incumbents

• Destination Canada: National Canadian tourism marketing organization — broader-incumbent peer that coordinates international destination promotion that Tourism Fernie plugs into via trade partnerships and regional DMOs.
• Tourism Vancouver: Larger, urban DMO operating in the same province with overlapping four-season destination marketing mandate — relevant broader-incumbent comparator for Tourism Fernie's destination marketing function and funding model at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@tourismfernie
• Facebookfacebook.com/tourismfernie
• Instagraminstagram.com/tourismfernie
• Pinterestca.pinterest.com/ferniebc
• Xx.com/TourismFernie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tourism-fernie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tourism Fernie