Zipline used to help promote B.C.

The zipline that was a hugely popular attraction during the Olympics in Vancouver will be the centrepiece of a British Columbia tourism promotion in San Francisco.

The 183-metre zipline will be set up in Embarcadero Square in the California city as part of the BC Experience showcase from April 8 to 18, said B.C. Tourism Minister Kevin Krueger.

The device uses gravity to allow riders to roll on a wheeled support along a wire strung between two points, often high above the ground.

The promotion will also include free public performances by a First Nations dance troupe, an interactive display featuring videos of B.C. and a 3-D art installation.

"San Francisco … is one of our key markets for attracting new travellers, to show people the diverse range of travel experiences they can find in B.C. and invite them to visit," said Krueger.

Marketing campaign

Two gold-medal winning Olympians — Canadian skicross racer Ashleigh McIvor and U.S. speedskater Shani Davis — will be among the first to try the zipline.

The BC Experience is part of a post-Olympic North American consumer marketing campaign that will use online advertising, social media and search marketing to reach potential visitors, the B.C. Tourism Ministry said in a release.

As a result of the campaign, the number of Americans in the target demographic considering a leisure trip to B.C. has nearly doubled, the ministry said. The increase represents nearly nine million more potential U.S. visitors.

Approximately 14 per cent of U.S. visitors to B.C. come from California.