About backyardbc

What we do

We persuade hotels and resorts in British Columbia to offer special rates that are exclusively available to BC residents – rates that are lower than the best available rates advertised anywhere else. Then we tell you, our members, about them. When you select one of the participating properties on backyardbc.com, we provide you with a unique booking code and all of the necessary booking instructions. Then, you book directly with the property of your choice. All that is required to take advantage of our exclusive discounts is that you enter the code we provide you with into the property’s online booking engine (or, for toll-free reservations, by mentioning it over the phone to the reservation agent). Then, when checking-in, show the receptionist a piece of ID or mail that proves you live in BC. Since our members book directly with participating hotels and resorts, we do not collect your credit card information, process payments or manage changes to your reservations – all of this is done directly by the hotel or resort you chose to stay with. This allows us to focus on our sole objective: securing the best deals for BC residents so that backyardbc.com is the only website you’ll ever have to look at to find the lowest rates on hotels and resorts in your province. The word is out. Our members are enjoying amazing getaways in their own backyard (so to speak) for less than they ever thought possible. We are growing, and therefore new properties and better deals are being offered on backyardbc all of the time. So [join us] for free, visit backyardbc.com regularly, and spread the word.

Why we do it

We live in a beautiful and diverse province that holds many lifetimes worth of adventures within its borders. Nevertheless, many of us who are fortunate enough to call BC home spend our precious vacation time in destinations outside of the province. Or, we decline to enjoy a spontaneous weekend holiday in British Columbia because, let’s face it, it costs enough to have a home here in the first place. We want to change this by providing financial incentives to motivate you to discover your own backyard. The social and economic reasons for eating locally-grown food and supporting local businesses are well known to most British Columbians. The same rationale applies to supporting our tourism sector. Tourism is a major part of our economy, and although it is showing signs of rebounding in the coming years, times are still tough. Despite being a highly desirable destination, it is incredibly difficult to attract international visitors to BC due to a combination of external market forces which are beyond our control. The bottom line is this: domestic travel is critical to maintaining and creating jobs within this vital sector. But that isn’t the end of the story. British Columbians are the province’s best salespeople. The more you travel locally, the more you'll have to brag about to friends and family living in other provinces and abroad. As you become more knowledgeable about your own backyard, you will transfer that knowledge to others and encourage more visitors to experience BC. In short, we do this because backyardbc creates a win-win-win scenario. By travelling local, you’ll save big and have a great time exploring your backyard. Our partners will attract more visitors and enjoy increased revenues. And all of this will translate into healthier economies for BC communities that rely on tourism sector.