OSOYOOS – Six local communities are eligible to receive a total of $71,600 for projects that help grow tourism. The funding comes from our government’s Community Tourism Opportunities (CTO) program administered by regional destination marketing organizations. In all six communities it is administered by the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association.
The local communities and programs receiving CTO funding are:
· Boundary Alliance
o Regional map ($3,000)
o Image bank ($2,000)
o Signage designs ($8,000)
o Website enhancements ($2,000)
o Travel shows ($2,000)
o Total: $17,000
· Okanagan Falls
o Visitor Guide/Map ($1,000)
o Interpretive Map/Guide ($1,000)
o Website enhancements ($1,000)
o Image bank ($1,000)
o Total: $4,000
· Oliver
o Branding implementation ($2,000)
o Web marketing ($2,000)
o Visitor Guide ($3,200)
o Image bank ($2,000)
o Total: $9,200
· Osoyoos
o Dimestore Fisherman TV show ($5,000)
o Website Enhancements ($3,000)
o Image bank ($1,200)
o Total: $9,200
· Similkameen Valley
o Branding ($23,000)
o Total: $23,000
· Summerland
o Video Story of locals ($2,000)
o Website enhancements ($2,000)
o Visitor Guide ($4,000)
o Image bank ($1,200)
o Total: $9,200
Why this matters:
· Tourism is one of the key economic sectors identified in Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan.
· The Province’s new tourism strategy builds on the Jobs Plan, providing a framework for government and industry to work together to attract more visitors and create jobs for British Columbians.
· The strategy focuses on increasing the number of visitors by building on the global awareness generated by the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Quote:
“These six communities all have great attractions and are great places to spend a vacation. This funding is intended to help them get the word out, attract tourism traffic, and have the opportunity to share and experience the Boundary Similkameen.”
– Boundary-Similkameen MLA John Slater
Additional Information:
· The CTO program is administered by the province’s six regional destination marketing organizations which receive the funding from the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation. Successful applicants must have matching funds for their projects and they receive their funding after successful completion of their projects.
· This is the fifth year the CTO program has been in operation, and it has grown in popularity each year.
· Both marketing and development projects are eligible under the program which reimburses communities following successful completion of their approved projects. Some examples of initiatives supported include print and broadcast advertising, event promotion, interpretative maps, tourist-related signage, online activities, tourism brochures and research.
· Our government is providing over one million dollars shared among 307 grassroots projects. More than 100 communities in all parts of the province