While the number of British Columbians travelling to the United States continues to hit precipitous lows, many Americans are choosing to travel north of the border for their getaways. And Vancouver is working hard to attract the tourism dollars.
Destination Vancouver and creative agency WILL recently unveiled their latest campaign, The Three-Day Fling, targeting Californian visitors.
The campaign is described as flirtatious, with Vancouver’s official destination marketing and management organization telling potential visitors that “we’re not exclusive” and that they can “play the field” while “keeping things casual.”
Destination Vancouver
“A quick getaway. Sometimes that’s all you need,” said Stefan Hawes, Vice President of Global Marketing at Destination Vancouver, in a release. “With Vancouver being only three hours away, Californians get to have the vacation they’re looking for, without all the hassle of actually getting to it.”
The Three-Day Fling campaign launched with several online videos, each with a playful voice-over and a sultry soundtrack.
Destination Vancouver also wants visitors to know that the city is filled with must-visit spots, including MICHELIN-recognized dining options just minutes away from iconic attractions such as the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Granville Island, and the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden.
The 18-week campaign in Los Angeles and San Francisco includes billboards, META stories, Pinterest placement, and even a Tinder profile created for Vancouver, all inviting California visitors to come visit, “no strings attached.” Another visual cheekily reads, “Hey Cali, wanna cozy up?”
“What better way to destress than to have a cheeky fling with another city?” added Hawes. “No stress. No long-term commitments. Just a good time.”
For the first time in at least five years, American travel to Canada has outnumbered Canadian visits to the United States, according to data released in August.
Statistics Canada’s international arrivals numbers found that 1.8 million Americans travelled north by car in July, while only 1.7 million Canadian residents returned by car from a visit to the U.S.
David Buzzard/Shutterstock
Closer to home, recent B.C. border data indicates that British Columbians are continuing to choose destinations other than Washington state.
The Whatcom Council of Governments’ 2025 Changes in Border Volume data shows that in August 2025, the volume of southbound vehicles from B.C. to Washington state dropped by 39 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.
It’s the seventh consecutive month of decline, with an even further dip in southbound crossings from July 2025.
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