Tourism British Columbia (Tourism BC) has confirmed that Virgin Atlantic will operate a return service to Vancouver for Summer 2012. The flight will depart from Heathrow four times a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) from 24th May to 27th October 2012.

Christy Clark, Premier of British Columbia. "The United Kingdom is one of our key markets and also serves as a hub for other international travellers heading to our province. Virgin Atlantic is recognised around the world as a progressive airline and we look forward to welcoming their passengers to Super, Natural British Columbia when their service begins next summer."

Vancouver, British Columbia's Pacific gateway city, is consistently acknowledged as having the best quality of life in North America. Easily accessible from cosmopolitan Vancouver and the historic provincial capital of Victoria are some of the world's best wildlife experiences, including bear and whale watching, as well as over 25,000 kilometres of coastline offering deserted beaches, pristine islands and majestic fjords and inlets. Further inland, visitors can explore the alpine resort of Whistler, the wineries of the lush Okanagan region and the spectacular beauty of the national and provincial parks of the Canadian Rockies.

The new flight is expected to boost arrivals to BC, with more than 174,000 Brits predicted to explore the province between May and October 2012.  Currently, 70% of UK visitors to BC travel in these months.

Louise Petter, Tourism British Columbia's Manager - UK, Ireland and Scandinavia, commented: "We are delighted that Virgin have chosen Vancouver as their gateway to Canada. As a dynamic, innovative airline, Virgin aligns perfectly with British Columbia's spirit of adventure and exploration. The additional flights will offer more choice than ever when it comes to visiting British Columbia and we are looking forward to working with Virgin Holidays and our other tour operator partners on developing some exciting new products and packages to support the new route."

Rupert Peters, Regional Managing Director, Canadian Tourism Commission UK added: "Brits continue to view Canada not just as a beautiful place with incredible landscapes, but as a place that offers them the chance to create their own extraordinary stories and experiences. This new flight with Virgin will help an increasing number of British holidaymakers turn their dream into reality."