BMO Vancouver Marathon continues to have international appeal
Runners from over 45 countries have already signed up to run the 45th Vancouver Marathon on May 1, 2016, proving the event continues to have international appeal.
Canada, the United States, Japan, China, Mexico and the UK have registered the most runners thus far for the 2016 BMO Vancouver Marathon. Also represented are runners from Australia, Bermuda, Costa Rica, France, Ireland, Latvia, Russia and Sweden. The event hopes to match or better the 50 countries that comprised 2015 registrations.
“Vancouver is home to one of the best destination marathons in the world with the BMO Vancouver Marathon,” agrees Ty Speer, President & CEO of Tourism Vancouver, noting sport tourism is an important part of Vancouver’s local economy, and the city recognizes the economic and social benefits it brings to residents.
The BMO Vancouver Marathon has received high-acclaim from leading publications, including USA Today, CNN Travel and Forbes Magazine.
“The half and the marathon take in the most spectacular of Vancouver’s running routes.. and, perhaps the most stunning final 10KM of any marathon, along Stanley Park’s Seawall,” Canada Running Magazine writes in its latest December Destination Issue. The national publication ranked the BMO Vancouver Marathon as one Canada’s ‘Gold Label Races’ and a ‘perfect destination race vacation’.
“While Vancouver will welcome exciting new sporting events in 2016 with the World Rugby Seven Series, Americas Masters Games and Ironman 5150 Triathlon, Vancouver’s only marathon event has consistently been a highlight event in the city and we are thrilled to be celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Vancouver Marathon this May,” says Speer.
To help attract destination runners, the BMO Vancouver Marathon has partnered with beVancouver for a fourth consecutive year. Spectators can enjoy great hotel deals, and runners can save 50% off their race registration when they first book their downtown Vancouver hotel through the website Marathon.beVancouver.com.
Also attracting destination runners this year is the strong US currency in comparison to the Canadian dollar. International travelers can save big on the exchange rate when visiting beautiful British Columbia, Canada.
“We get about 50 per cent of our runners coming from outside the Lower Mainland,” adds Charlene Krepiakevich, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Marathon Society. “They stay in our hotels, they go to our restaurants, generating somewhere between 40 and 50 million dollars in economic impact.”
“Our vision is to be the world’s best running experience, celebrating all that is Vancouver,” concludes Krepiakevich, noting to accomplish that vision the non-profit Society relies heavily on 4,000 volunteers, raving fans, stakeholders, sponsors, community and those destination runners.
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