Founded in Powell River, B.C., in 2008, Seekers Media has spent nearly two decades helping people discover Western Canada through storytelling. Through digital publications including SnowSeekers, FestivalSeekers, and ZenSeekers, the company highlights travel, outdoor adventure, cultural events, and wellness experiences across British Columbia and Alberta.
What began as a collection of niche publications soon revealed a larger purpose. “We realized that we were building a digital media network, no different than a series of radio stations, catering to seekers of winter, festival, and transformative travel experiences,” says founder Jim Barr. That idea evolved into Seekers Media’s guiding philosophy: “turning seekers into finders.”
Travel, Storytelling and Human Connection
While wellness retreats, ski trips, and music festivals may seem worlds apart, Barr says they’re connected by a common goal: “The thread that connects all three communities between ZenSeekers, SnowSeekers, and FestivalSeekers is that we ask they use our periodicals as a means to get off the screen and go outside more.”
For Seekers Media, the goal is to inspire readers to turn digital inspiration into real-world experiences. In an age of constant content and AI-driven feeds, Barr believes travel offers something increasingly rare.
“Travel is the biggest experience that influences change,” he says. “Those who make travel an important piece of their existence are more connected with community.” He adds: “In the age of AI, travel keeps us connected to other humans doing human things.”
That focus on human connection extends to the stories Seekers Media chooses to tell.
“We need to keep the human in humanity,” says Barr. “Storytelling produced by humans, about humans, for humans is a critical piece of doing that.”
It’s also why he believes supporting Canadian media remains important. As digital advertising increasingly flows to global technology companies, investing in Canadian publishers helps ensure local stories, communities, and perspectives continue to be represented.
One of the company’s most impactful initiatives is ZenSeekers, which Barr describes as a “reconciliACTION” platform. Through the publication, Seekers Media has worked with First Nations across B.C. and Alberta that are leveraging tourism to support community development and economic growth.
Among the projects he highlights is the company’s work with the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation in Tofino, which helped support the restoration of a traditional place name, the development of a tourism strategy, and knowledge-sharing opportunities with Māori tourism leaders in New Zealand.
Still Seeking
After three decades as a travel and adventure writer, Barr remains motivated by the search for the next great story. “As a travel writer, the constant chase of the next great story is a trait I think I will go to my grave with.”
For him, the reward comes from meeting interesting people and helping share their stories. “There is something about sharing time with dynamic people, and then being able to put pen to paper and see their story go live that really stokes my soul.”
Nearly 20 years after launching Seekers Media, Barr says the mission remains unchanged.
“I am happy to say that almost 20 years later, our mission hasn’t changed, and if anything it’s more important than ever to get out there and explore.”
