BURSTLast month’s news of the Slocan Valley making the BBC’s list of top global travel destinations surprised many Canadians.
The reason behind the region’s selection, however, was as much because of its Japanese-Canadian legacy as it was about its natural beauty.
The British public service broadcaster unveiled its “20 best places to travel in 2026” on Dec. 11, encouraging globetrotters to seek out destinations as far-ranging as Algeria, Cambodia, the Cook Islands and Oregon coast.
As the sole mention for Canada, the Slocan Valley was featured not merely for its “rugged beauty,” but equally for its new Japanese Canadian Legacy Trail, which will officially open this year along an initial 60-kilometre route from south Slocan to Sandon — with the goal of eventually running throughout the province.
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Commemorating some 22,000 Japanese-Canadians displaced from B.C.’s coast during the Second World War and “sent inland to hastily built internment sites in farmers’ fields and abandoned mining towns,” the self-guided trail will link museums, memorial gardens, former work camps and other sites rich with cultural heritage from these people’s lives, BBC contributor Diane Selkirk writes.
“The trail offers a reflective, place-based way to understand a dark and pivotal chapter in Canadian history at a moment when questions of belonging feel especially urgent,” Selkirk adds. “For valley communities, the new initiative honours the past while sustaining the region’s future.”
Lynn Shortt, executive director for the Arrow Slocan Tourism Association that leads the Japanese Canadian Legacy Trail project, told Black Press Media the route will next be extended down to Kaslo, and was the main reason behind the BBC’s selection of the Slocan Valley.
“We are over the moon about being named by the BBC,” she said. “Being the only Canadian mention is really something.”
Despite some concerns among Slocan Valley residents that such spotlights could cause an overwhelming influx of tourism, Shortt assured the region will retain its rural charm by nature of being hard to access, having limited transportation and accommodation options, and diversifying its economy beyond just tourism.
“Tourism can be and often is a beneficial and valuable asset for a community and region,” Shortt continued. “If we remain thoughtful, respectful and forward thinking, the Arrow Slocan region can benefit from it, while not losing the very things that make our region so special.”
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She doesn’t expect the BBC spotlight to attract tourists “by the bus load,” but added it would be great to see local accommodations filled to 80 per cent capacity and restaurants, shops and other services receiving enough traffic to generate sufficient revenue.
“Visiting the Slocan Valley will not only allow a traveler to immerse themselves in our natural environment and all the region has to offer, it will also allow them to experience and learn about a somewhat dark time in Canadian history,” Shortt explained. “It’s a fantastic example of ‘tourism for good.’”
For the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society, which began funding the trail project in February 2025, the fact that the Japanese Canadian Legacy Trail drove the BBC’s feature “brought tears,” according to CEO Susanne Tabata.
“As Japanese Canadians we see landscape as a place of home, or a place of incarceration, or a place of resettlement or displacement,” she said. “The pristine Slocan Valley is a gem for tourists and is now further enriched by the acknowledgement that the BBC has given to this history of social injustice.”
The aim with the trail, Tabata said, is educating visitors about this chapter in Canadian history, to ensure it doesn’t repeat itself and can instead help inform the future.
“The type of tourist attracted to the natural beauty of the Slocan Valley is likely the type of tourist who would be interested in cultural history,” Tabata noted, but as well, “we hope to provide more opportunities for descendants of families who were impacted by the uprooting and forced relocation.”
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For communities in the wider Slocan and Arrow lakes region, such as Nakusp, the recognition from the BBC also signals promise for future tourism growth.
“No longer a well-kept secret of the Kootenays, our community is embracing this growth with enthusiasm, working toward rural resilience while maintaining the charm and spirit of our town,” said Kristina Mogensen, Nakusp and District Chamber of Commerce president.
”As a key stopover for travellers exploring the region, we are committed to enhancing the visitor experience through possible future projects, including improved highway signage, expanded activities, and additional support during our busy tourism season,” she added.
To learn more about the Japanese Canadian Legacy Trail, visit jclegacytrail.com.