Fernie, for charm and adventure

Fernie, B.C., has a resident population of 4,811—which increases substantially when outdoor enthusiasts arrive

Heritage brick and stone buildings and historical markers are part of the charm of Fernie, B.C. — Photo courtesy Tourism Fernie

Fernie, B.C., is known to the outside world mainly as a support community for Fernie Alpine Resort and Island Lake Catskiing, but it certainly didn’t spring into existence as a tourist destination. Fernie was founded in 1898 as a mining and forestry-based community, and it continues to have a resource-strong economy with a population of hard-working, down-to-earth people who deeply appreciate their environment.

“In the 1960s, after Fernie put in a bid for the 1968 Winter Olympics, there was a wave of development and media attention for Fernie as a ski destination,” said Jikke Gyorki, executive officer for Tourism Fernie. “And it grew from there.”

Jikke Gyorki is the executive officer for Tourism Fernie in Fernie, B.C. — Photo courtesy Jikke Gyorki

In 2009, Fernie adopted “Small town charm, big mountain adventure” as its brand. To arrive at a brand, community stakeholders came together to identify the essence of Fernie: what it stands for and what elements make it unique and special. Having been involved in the selection process, the community wholeheartedly supports the brand. In Gyorki’s opinion, the brand expresses the city’s identity very well and has already helped to shape that identity.

“The goal of the brand,” said Gyorki, “is to accurately portray Fernie as a unique destination for its target market and to help instill in people’s minds the image of what Fernie truly is: an authentic community with passionate locals and passionate adventure-goers who have developed this community into a world-class destination. Visitors are attracted to that authenticity and passion as much as to the terrain and the snow.

“Social media has been an amazing tool for communicating our brand and bringing together people who have a passion for those attributes. People want to be part of something that has a high level of confidence and truth."