Name
What is it known for? Explorations of Tumbler Ridge via a visitor survey conducted in 2022
Date & Time
Friday, May 23, 2025, 1:45 PM - 2:00 PM
Description

Tumbler Ridge, located in northern British Columbia, was established as a coal mining town in the 1980s. In recent years, local decision-makers have focused on diversifying the economy, with the Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark emerging as a key tourism asset. The region’s striking landscapes—mountains, meadows, glaciers, canyons, waterfalls, caves, and karst formations—offer significant visitor appeal, complemented by the Tumbler Ridge Museum’s rich paleontological and geological exhibits. Despite these attractions, Tumbler Ridge faces challenges in attracting and retaining visitors due to its remote location and the rugged nature of its trails and sites. To better understand visitor engagement, we conducted a face-to-face, self-administered survey (n=384) in collaboration with the Tumbler Ridge Museum Foundation and the Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark (July–August 2022). Our research explores key questions: Who visits Tumbler Ridge? What are their demographics, motivations, and activities? How do they experience and perceive the destination? This presentation will share survey findings and discuss their implications for tourism development in Tumbler Ridge. Additionally, we will consider how digital tools, such as virtual experiences, could support visitor engagement and accessibility in this remote yet geologically significant destination.

Location Name
Canal (CB) 2400
Session Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract ID
261
Speaker Name
Yihang Zhang
Speaker Organization
University of Northern British Columbia
Session Name
CS121 Exploring Rural Geography in Canada