Worried about FIFA crowds? Tourism Nanaimo wants you

With the FIFA World Cup just around the corner, excitement is growing in B.C. for Vancouver to play host to seven of the matches.

But not everyone is looking forward to the festivities.

And if you’re one of those people, Tourism Nanaimo wants to offer you a backup plan.

“There's going to be some really good energy in Vancouver during that time, but if you need a little bit of setback, some time on Island time, that's when people come to Nanaimo,” said Karly Upshall, communications manager with Tourism Nanaimo.

Upshall said market research shows that the biggest opportunity for Nanaimo to benefit from the upcoming events is to lean away from the World Cup chaos — and market itself as a quiet "safe haven" just across the water for Vancouverites looking for an escape.

Based on that research, Upshall said Tourism Nanaimo isn’t pivoting too much from their usual summer marketing strategy, which already focuses on attracting that Lower Mainland crowd. But she said they’ll be expanding on it slightly with a “Kick The Crowd” campaign to encourage visits to Nanaimo during the tournament.

According to 4TVI, a tourism group that promotes Vancouver Island as a destination, the World Cup being so close provides an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the area.

4TVI president Brian Cant said in an email that his group will be focused on capitalizing on that visibility to bring in more visits to the Island over the next five years.

Upshall said regardless of the World Cup, Tourism Nanaimo was expecting a strong summer of tourism, and has been pushing a rebranded message the last few summers, leaning into what makes Nanaimo unique.

“It’s all about being authentically Nanaimo and welcoming everyone to come as they are — we're a little bit rough around the edges, we've got some weirdos and we're quirky, and we love that about us,” she said.

Islanders excited for World Cup matches

And while some may be dreading the crowds in Vancouver, many in Nanaimo are still excited for the games to begin.

The City of Nanaimo will be bringing some of the festivities to the Harbour City, supporting an application for an extended liquor license for the Old City Station Pub on game days, and hosting a watch party for the Belgium vs. New Zealand match at Maffeo Sutton Park on June 26.

Hullo Ferries spokesperson Xander France said they're expecting an uptick in ferry demand, whether people are looking to get into Vancouver or escape it.

He said they're seeing bookings six weeks out, when people typically only book a week or two in advance. They're adding extra sailings, including new late-night ones.

“I think there's a huge buzz across our office and across the community,” he said.

“There's a million residents on the Island, and I think it's really important that they have access to the festivities and the games.”

Vancouver is set to host matches on June 13, 18, 21, 24 and 26, and July 2 and 7.