Our Organization

Proud ambassadors for Vancouver

The economic impact of tourism in Vancouver

2026 Business Sprint

About us

Our organization

Supporting our tourism sector

We support tourism by developing experiences and promoting Vancouver in target domestic and international markets.

800+

members and partners

$8.5B

2026 visitor economy goal

We’re a non-profit, member-based destination management organization, transforming our communities and visitors through the power of travel. Our guiding star is to build a sustainable, resilient visitor economy.

Partners shaping 
a spectacular city

Our destination development partners are instrumental in contributing to a desirable visitor economy in Vancouver, helping us to best support key tourism industry groups.

See destination development

Our values are our foundation

Innovation

We always ask if there is a better way.

Transforming ideas into creative solutions and obstacles into opportunities is what we do best. Being curious, courageous. and anticipating change is what drives us forward.

Accountability

We proudly exceed expectations.

Our commitments are intentional and transparent. We are thoughtful leaders, advocates, and ambassadors for Vancouver. The responsibility to build a sustainable and resilient visitor economy is the foundation of everything we do.

Collaboration

Our success has many partners.

We build bridges and long-standing relationships. More is achieved when we share our successes as well as our challenges.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing is our starting place.

Being exceptional at what we do starts with creating a culture where every team member can thrive. When wellbeing is a priority, we are more motivated, engaged, and productive.

Senior Leadership Team

Driven by purpose and focused on our mission, the senior leadership team aligns partnerships, priorities and people to shape Vancouver’s tourism strategy and advance our visitor economy.

Royce Chwin

President & CEO

Stefan Hawes

Vice President, Global Marketing

Michael Drake

Vice President, Meetings, Conventions & Events

Sandra Sharples

Director, People & Culture

Farnaz Riahi

Vice President, Finance & Corporate Operations

Karen Soyka

Vice President, Strategy & Business Development

Meet our
Board of Directors

Destination Vancouver is governed by our 15 board members who volunteer their time to provide strong leadership and guidance to keep the organization accountable and performance-driven.