The summer tourism season began early for Bella Coola Valley resorts, and certain events will be returning to some tourist spots.
Bobby Sherlock, one of the owners of Firvale Wilderness Camp, says some activities that weren’t available are making a comeback.
“This is the first year people are returning for weddings at the resort,” said Sherlock. “Pre-bookings are fully booked.”
Camp visitors will usually book in groups, one-to-six months in advance, to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and now weddings again. The resort hosts roughly 250 guests throughout the summer season.
Sherlock is the president of the Bella Coola Valley Tourism board. Along with his wife and part-owner, Jen, after moving from Tofino to Bella Coola the couple opened up Firvale Campground in 2020 with hopes to further develop the tourism industry.
With its secluded location, nestled between the mountains, the village is less likely to become such a commercial hot spot online than other parts of the province, like Tofino.
The local forests in the Bella Coola Valley attract people internationally for the magnificent wildlife and guided tours. Although it promotes business, popularity online doesn’t appear to be something Sherlock is interested in.
“We’re going for that niche resort,” said Sherlock. “The limited access helps the slow growth of tourism in the valley because there is still only really one flight a day.”
BC Ferries vessels travel from Port Hardy to Bella Coola in the summer season, with five vessels making the trip each week. On average, a boat can hold up to 35 vehicles and 150 passengers in the season from July 9 to September 31.
“Currently, about 50 per cent of the deck space has been booked already,” said BC Ferries public affairs officer Deborah Marshall.
There are three ways to get to Bella Coola: plane, vehicle or boat; the latter is the most common, according to the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association.
According to the Bella Coola Airport, one to two scheduled fly in daily in the warm seasons, and the village sees around 138,000 visitors in the peak season of July.