Foodies have started making reservations for the largest-ever Dine Out Vancouver festival, which launches January 18 and runs until February 3.
The Tourism Vancouver-organized festival is slated to have a record 241 restaurants taking part by offering multi-course fixed-price menus. That’s up from 232 restaurants that took part last year.
Festivalgoers can also book discounts at the 16 hotels that are taking part in the 11-year-old event aimed at stimulating tourism during what is often a slow time of year.
“It’s hard to measure the economic impact but we know that the spend is happening,” Tourism Vancouver CEO Rick Antonson told Business in Vancouver.
“People are coming in from Abbotsford. They’re having one or two dinners on a weekend. Then they’re in and out of taxis and they’re in and out of retail stores so they are doing all these other things.”
The festival’s success has helped it snag new sponsors, such as Granville Island Brewing.
One of the more innovative events is Hawksworth @ Holt Renfrew, which costs attendees $199 to $249 and includes a cocktail reception, dinner and dessert served by high-end restaurant Hawksworth at the retail boutique Holt Renfrew.
Those who attend get a preview of new fashions and a $50 gift certificate from Holt Renfrew.
