New Osoyoos Visitor Ctr

Release

Premier Gordon Campbell announced Thursday that the Thompson Okanagan region is poised to receive $4 million in direct benefits under the
third component of the Province's tourism marketing strategy, which includes a new gateway signage program and $14 million in proposed funding to support regional tourism and construct a new Gateway Visitor Information Centre in Osoyoos.

"Osoyoos is a primary gateway not just to the Okanagan but to our entire
province, and it's the perfect location for a world-class visitors centre to
welcome travellers to the best place on Earth," said Campbell, speaking to
the 12th annual B.C. Tourism Industry Conference in Vancouver. "Combined
with a proposed $2 million increase in support for tourism promotion in the
Thompson Okanagan, the Osoyoos visitor centre is one more way we can help
tourism operators prepare for the benefits of hosting the world in 2010 and
new opportunities like Canada's move toward approved destination status with
China."

Premier Campbell said the Province will:

• Seek legislative approval for $12 million in one-time funding for regional tourism promotion, providing $2 million the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) and each of B.C.'s five other regional destination marketing organizations in addition to the annual funding they receive through Tourism BC.
• Seek legislative approval for a $2 million grant to Tourism BC for construction of a new Gateway Visitor Information Centre in partnership with Destination Osoyoos and the Town of Osoyoos. The centre will focus on the unique desert landscape of the South Okanagan and local First Nations culture.
• Launch a new gateway sign program to install new signs at all major highway entry points into the province, welcoming visitors to the "Best Place on Earth" with a consistent image and message.

Beginning in March, the new gateway signs will be installed at 13 entry
points into the province including:

• Highway 97 at Osoyoos.
• Highway 16 in Mount Robson Provincial Park, which falls within the Thompson Okanagan tourism region.
• 
  Additional signs will be placed on secondary routes and at ports and
  airports.
• Last year, the Province also introduced new sign programs to
  promote wine tourism and nine new circle routes guiding travellers around
  each region of B.C.

"Currently, there is no consistent identity to welcome visitors arriving in
B.C. and some gateways are not marked at all," Campbell said. "When people
arrive in B.C. we want them to know they've come to best place on Earth and
we want to share our sense of pride and excitement about all that we have to
offer."