Turn Dine Out Vancouver into a tasty local getaway by taking advantage of value-added hotel packages and a smorgasbord of edible events that are new to this year’s promotion.

Presented by Visa, Dine Out Vancouver is Tourism Vancouver’s highly anticipated annual restaurant event offering three-course dinner menus at over 200 restaurants at the amazing price points of $18, $28 or $38 (exclusive of taxes, alcohol and gratuity).

“Relax and enjoy a decadent three-course dinner with a bottle of wine and no concerns about the drive home. Your bed for the night is right upstairs,” said Jean Luc Barone, chair of the Hotel Association of Vancouver. “That’s the experience we hope more people will take up during Dine Out Vancouver 2010. And with the new culinary tours and events that are part of this year’s promotion, there is even more reason to build a mini-vacation around Dine Out.”

Dine Out Vancouver Hotel Packages
Accommodation and dining packages are being offered at over a dozen hotels from April 26 to May 6. Packages start at $169 per night and include a one-night stay plus a three-course Dine Out Vancouver dinner for two at the hotel restaurant or a partner restaurant. Booking one of these packages is the only way to make a Dine Out Vancouver dinner reservation in advance of April 19 when the full list of participating restaurants is released.

Dine Out Vancouver accommodation and dining packages are available at the following hotels:
Plaza 500 Hotel (FigMint Restaurant and Lounge) – from $169 per night
Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre (EBO Restaurant) – from $189 per night
Delta Vancouver Airport (Elephant & Castle Pub and Restaurant) – from $198 per night
Executive Hotel Vintage Park (La Vallee Restaurant) – from $199 per night
Delta Vancouver Suites (Manhattan Restaurant) – from $199 per night
Quality Hotel – The Inn at False Creek (A Kettle of Fish) – from $199 per night
The Georgian Court Hotel (The William Tell Restaurant) – from $229 per night
The Listel Hotel (O’Doul’s Restaurant & Bar) – from $259 per night
Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver (Diva at the Met) – from $267 per night
Hyatt Regency Vancouver (Mosaic Bar and Grille) – from $279 per night
The Westin Grand Vancouver (Hidden restaurant) – from $309 per night
The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (Griffins Restaurant) – from $309 per night
The Fairmont Waterfront (Herons Restaurant) – from $339/$379 per night
The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver (Seawall Bar & Grill) – from $348.80 per night
Wedgewood Hotel & Spa (Bacchus Restaurant & Lounge) – from $368.81 per night
Fairmont Pacific Rim (Oru) – from $439 per night

Click here for full Dine Out Vancouver hotel package descriptions, or visit tourismvancouver.com.

NEW! Tasty Tours and Edible Events
New for Dine Out Vancouver 2010 are a variety of culinary classes, tasty tours and edible events. Starting in advance of Dine Out Vancouver on April 22 and running until May 6 there are some 40 different daytime culinary events being offered, starting at just $20.

“Dine Out Vancouver has become more than just dinner,” said Tourism Vancouver’s Lucas Pavan who coordinates Dine Out Vancouver. “It’s a city-wide celebration of BC food and wine. The Tasty Tours and Edible Events component we’ve introduced gives food enthusiasts another way to enjoy the city’s culinary scene, outside of restaurants. It adds to the festival atmosphere of the event and will undoubtedly be an extra draw for out-of-town visitors.”

Dine Out Vancouver Tasty Tours and Edible Events include:
A Wok Around Chinatown: Culinary and Cultural Tour with Lunch (4 hrs, $75)
Dirty Apron Cooking School: Learn a Dish, Cook a Dish – French (1.5 hrs, $48)*
Dirty Apron Cooking School: Learn a Dish, Cook a Dish – Italian (1.5 hrs, $48)*
* Guests who book receive 10% off future classes with Dirty Apron Cooking School.
Edible British Columbia: Chef-Guided Granville Island Market Tour (2 hrs, $49)**
Edible British Columbia: Chef-Guided Chinatown Tour (2/3 hrs, $60/$90 with lunch)**
** Guests also receive a $20 gift card for use in the Edible BC retail store, or on future tours.
Oru at Fairmont Pacific Rim: Reasons for Riesling (2 hrs, $30)
Oru at Fairmont Pacific Rim: Sake & Sushi Sampler (2 hrs, $30)
Quince: Cocktails and Hors d’Oeuvres Demonstration Class (1 hr, $30)
Quince: Sangria and Tapas Demonstration Class (1 hr, $30)
Quince: Appies and Artisan Ale Demonstration Class (1 hr, $30)
Quince: Madeleines, Lemon Cream & Lemonade Demonstration Class (1 hr, $20)
Quince: Introduction to Food & Wine Pairing (2 hrs, $60)

Click here for full Dine Out Vancouver tour and event details, or visit tourismvancouver.com.

Tourism Vancouver’s eighth annual Dine Out Vancouver promotion, presented by Visa, runs for 11 days, from Monday, April 26 to Thursday, May 6. Participating restaurants and their menus will be revealed by Tourism Vancouver on Monday, April 19, at which point consumers can start making reservations online through tourismvancouver.com.

Along with presenting sponsor Visa, other sponsors of this much anticipated event include the British Columbia Wine Institute, Rocky Mountaineer, Satsports, myCITYsmart, 96.9 Jack FM, KVOS TV, News 1130, Tourism Vancouver Television, WHERE Vancouver magazine, and Vancouver Magazine.

Tourism Vancouver’s focus is on building exceptional customer relationships with meeting planners, travel influencers, travel media and independent tourists. The organization’s brand essence is about “exceeding expectations”.