The twenty-first annual GayWhistler WinterPRIDE - Gay &   Lesbian Ski/Snowboard week took place on February 3-10, 2013 and attracted   visitors from around the world. Approximately three thousand gay and lesbian   vacationers from 28 nations descended on the region with their friends over   the eight day, sixty five events at the award winning ski resort of Whistler,   BC, Canada.

  This year the Resort Municipality of Whistler commissioned an economic impact   study to better understand the overall value of the festival.  The   report found spending   made by participants, spectators and event organizers generated $9.0 million   in economic activity for the Province of British Columbia.

Economic Activity
  Total Industry Output representing direct and indirect expenditures generated   by the event.

  - Total to Province of British Columbia: $9.0 million
  - Total to Whistler: $4.8 million

Jobs
  Spending associated with the event supported $3.1 million in wages and   salaries in the Province through the support of 69 jobs, of which 52 jobs   were supported in Whistler.

Tax
  Considerable tax revenues were supported by the event totaling $2.1 million.
  $953,000 federal
  $772,000 for province of British Columbia
  $332,000 for municipality of Whistler

* The economic impact   assessment in 2013 was conducted by the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance   (CSTA), using the Sport Tourism Economic Assessment Model (STEAM).The 2013   study was funded by the Province of British Columbia's Resort Municipality   Initiative (RMI). The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) allocated RMI   funds to produce a series of economic impact analyses for events throughout   the community including GayWhistler's WinterPRIDE.

  The festival is Whistler's primary LGBT activation to welcome the gay and   lesbian traveler to experience the dynamic and welcoming nature of the   province and attracts tourism spending in British Columbia that goes beyond   the week-long event. In fact, according to survey research, 31% of   participants plan to visit Vancouver/Whistler two or more times outside of   the WinterPRIDE week, including 52% of the out-of-province participants.

" We   are very proud of the economic impact that our event has made to the province,"   said Dean   Nelson, CEO and Executive Producer of GayWhistler's WinterPRIDE. "It demonstrates the strong   buying power of the gay community and how loyal this segment is in supporting   a destination that embraces diversity and makes everyone feel welcome."

  Post-festival entertainment in Vancouver, encouraged participants and their   friends to extend their stay pre/post Whistler vacation.  Strategic   partnership with some of Vancouver's LGBT community groups and special events   help to entice guests to stay a bit longer in the Province.

" The   Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is committed to working with our   partners to create an environment conducive to events, "   Said Mayor Nancy   Wilhelm-Morden. "We   are delighted to work with third party event producers such as GayWhistler -   producers of WinerPRIDE Whistler - to attract incremental visits to the   resort."

  The event, which takes place annually on the first week of February, has   taken one of Whistler's historically slower winter weeks and made it one of   the busiest in the calendar year.  Next year, the festival will move a   week sooner to the last week of January to ease some of the added pressure   the new BC Family Day holiday as well as the Chinese New Years celebrations   has on the resort. The twenty second-annual WinterPRIDE festival will take   place on new dates of January 26th to February 2nd, 2014. For more   information, visit http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001CVw5bmQgPffT<i>kvTiJyzxajy5nGLtV9URnrcop-DOMmAObiMeF7Ovr</i>WSCNi8aG4bIpNhQ9EwO0L-2AKuAJ4NK7uqhEQ1pDWNXGdDqZsPZbNvyllyglHsyVtdJFlEFLgapNyRdnNh52R46qPA1mqBQDmzM3yNMxdEM7-APhKm5dcBM3HxOffQMyknxIkvjCG1AezebDmksBwEiO-jU1S2Q3Jt9lFl5GB

Whistler's   WinterPRIDE celebrates 22nd Annual Festival

WinterPRIDE 2014 runs from January 26 - February 2nd, 2014,   and continues to revolutionize the traditional gay lesbian ski week format   with its unique blend of four winter festival elements: Sports, Culinary,   Health and Wellness, and Entertainment.

  In addition to the world-class skiing and snowboarding being offered in   Whistler, many of WinterPRIDE's regular highlights will return for 2014, such   as an array of dance parties, culinary events, canopy tours with SuperFly   Zipline and dog sledding. WinterPRIDE 2014 also offers an expanded program of   on-and-off mountain events, including special events for lesbians and   bears as well as the annual Mr. Gay Canada competition.