The BC Film Commission and Screen BC have joined forces to launch Cineventure, an AR platform that transforms the province’s iconic filming locations into immersive tourism experiences.

The collaboration between the government agency and the non-profit involves six municipal Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) from Burnaby, Langley, New Westminster, Richmond, Squamish and Surrey.

The platform, which launched officially on March 6, provides guided-tour experiences to the filming locations of popular titles such as Twilight, Riverdale and Virgin River. ReelView, an intuitive map interface enhanced by an AR feature, brings the experience to life by allowing visitors to hold their phones at key locations to view stills of scenes shot in that exact spot.

Ryan McKee, project and creative director at Cineventure, tells strategy that the project fosters a connection between visitors, residents and the province’s film industry while bringing greater appreciation to B.C.’s natural and cultural heritage.

“We have three big-picture goals with Cineventure: generate economic growth by promoting regional and seasonal dispersion, cultivate civic and regional pride among residents and strengthen BC’s global reputation in both film and tourism,” McKee says.

Cineventure also features itineraries with multi-day planning instructions and recommendations for activities, travel destinations and eateries in the region. Each route and itinerary includes instructional content about local culture, Indigenous land awareness and environmental care. The platform debuted with 25 free interactive self-guided tours around Greater Vancouver.

Attractions like Hobbiton in New Zealand, which parlayed Lord of the Rings filming locations into tourist hot spots, served as inspiration for the partners. McKee says Cineventure’s collaborators wanted create something similar in Canada to tap into a film-tourism sector that has largely gone unexplored. Data from the founding DMOs revealed an increased appetite for immersive-tourism experiences in the province, McKee says, but a lack of infrastructure was a barrier to business.

In terms of promotion, McKee says social media and digital marketing will play an important role, along with the tourism sector’s marketing channels at information booths, hotels and cruise and airport terminals. Cineventure also plans to leverage influencer marketing, partner with content creators and industry enthusiasts and explore collaborations with studios for future releases and events.

“Looking ahead, we have a pretty ambitious roadmap. We’re planning to add discoverable ‘easter eggs’ and exclusive content that you can only unlock when you’re physically at specific locations,” McKee says. “We’re developing digital collectibles and achievements, gamification features that reward exploration and deeper AR experiences that really bring favourite scenes to life.”

The platform will unveil additional DMOs throughout 2025 as it expands into new regions in B.C.