About the
Vancouver Specialist Program

This program has been created by Destination Vancouver to give you a taste of life in our city, so that you can share it with your clients and customers. Over the course of this program we encourage you to see life from a fresh perspective. To discover the magical medley of art, culture and outdoor adventure that leaves a lasting impression on the millions of visitors who come to Vancouver every year.

Like a leisurely walk along the Stanley Park seawall, this program has been designed to be completed at your own pace. So take your time. Start and stop as often as you need to - the interactive platform will save your progress so that you can easily pick up wherever you left off.

Along your journey, you’ll learn about everything from our cultural history to our cutting-edge food scene, via local attractions, incredible experiences and world-renowned outdoor adventures. Once you know your Granville Islands from your Grouse Mountains, you’ll become a Certified Vancouver Specialist, ready to give your clients an expert view on what a trip to Vancouver is really like.

A Destination Vancouver Project © 2022

How it works

  • Courses 1-4 must be completed in order
  • Following that, all remaining courses can be completed in any order you choose
  • Once you’ve completed all of the courses you’ll become an accredited Vancouver Specialist

Why you should become a
Vancouver Specialist

  • Increased sales with enhanced destination and product knowledge of Vancouver.
  • An exclusive Vancouver Specialist Certificate.
  • An exclusive Vancouver Destination Experience Pass (incl. complimentary admission to Vancouver attractions and sightseeing activities).*
  • The right to use the VSP logo on your corporate communication (incl. brochures, business cards and website).
  • Invitations to take part in live webinars, to help further expand your knowledge of Vancouver.
  • An opportunity to be selected to participate in a Destination Familiarization tour.**

*COVID-19 Update: Many Vancouver attractions and activity companies are open - please refer to individual business websites for current operations status. Destination Vancouver’s annual Destination Experience Pass program is available, however we do require two weeks advance notice to prepare and arrange the pass for visiting Specialists. Please plan ahead. **Due to the current travel restrictions, Destination Vancouver is not currently operating any familiarization tours. 

Did you know?

The Lion’s Gate Bridge was originally built by the Guinness family to link their West Vancouver landholdings to downtown Vancouver.

Vancouver has five sister cities: Los Angeles (USA), Edinburgh (Scotland), Yokohama (Japan), Odessa (Ukraine), and Guangzhou (China).

Vancouver boasts more than 1,500 yoga classes a week - not bad for a city of only 600,000 people!

In the 1950’s, Vancouver was second only to Shanghai in the number of neon signs per capita. Some examples from the era still exist along the Granville Strip.