Canada’s “garden city” – Victoria, BC – is the setting for this week’s International Garden Tourism Conference, with more than 80 delegates from around the world on hand for the event, which is being held in this country for the first time. Public gardens are among the most frequented attractions for international travellers and were amongst the first to recover from the pandemic.

Hosted by the Canadian Garden Council, the Nov. 1-4 event was originally intended to take place in 2021, but postponed due to COVID-19. This year, 12 countries representing 40 public gardens will be on hand.

“(Victoria) is a unique place that not only hosts some of the world’s most beautiful gardens but is also a hub for international tourism…” says Ibo Gülsen, Chair of the International Garden Tourism Network.

Alexander Reford, President of the Canadian Garden Council and Director of the Reford Gardens, added, “Canada is exceptionally well-positioned to seize the moment and further develop garden tourism, given its abundant world-class public gardens that are fully prepared to welcome both domestic and international visitors.”

Throughout 2022, public gardens quickly rebounded, becoming the first attractions to return to pre-pandemic crowd levels, and they have maintained their status as the most frequented destinations by international travellers – a trend that has persisted into 2023.

The International Garden Tourism Conference is a cornerstone of the industry, offering a platform for delegates to explore topics related to serving visitors, collaborating with the tourism sector, and harnessing the advantages of tourism visits. Additionally, the conference will feature the presentation of the Canadian, North American, and International Garden Tourism awards.

“This conference comes at a crucial juncture, as it’s increasingly clear that garden tourism has achieved remarkable numbers in 2023, possibly making it the most sought-after tourism activity in North America,” says Dr. Richard Benfield, author of the forthcoming book titled, ‘Critical Issues in Garden Tourism.’ “The conference is poised to not only affirm this remarkable success, but also lay the groundwork for addressing the novel and demanding challenges that garden tourism currently confronts.”

Among those endorsing the conference are the American Public Garden Association, Mexican Association of Botanical Gardens, Australian Garden Council, International Association of Horticultural Producers, North American Japanese Garden Association, Communities in Bloom, Gardens BC, Destination BC Destination Greater Victoria, The Butchart Gardens, and Air Canada.

For more information, visit https://gardentourism.org.