PLAYERS PRACTICE
HIGHWAY HEADS UP
Cawston group ready to “play” See page 9
RDOS gets latest on Highway 97 upgrade See page 3
TOUGH TALK Heart wrenching tale gets student’s attention See page 4
E H T HIGHLIGHTED LABEL MEANS SUBSCRIPTION EXPIRED
www.keremeosreview.com
Vol.15 Number 12
Thursday, March 22, 2012
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Serving the communities of Keremeos, Cawston, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden
Similkameen valley tourism strategy in the works Group would like to make Similkameen a tourist region of its own By Dave Cursons Tourism Planning Workshop Getting them to come and getting them to stay awhile - even spend some money was the focus of a March 14 Tourism Planning Council workshop funded through BC Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation. The Similkameen Valley Planning Society through its Tourism Advisory Committee assembled 40 stakeholders at the Snaza’ist Discovery Centre in Hedley on Wednesday, March 14. Steve Nicol of Lions Gate Consulting facilitated the day long event. Discussion went to the distribution of a whole valley tourism charicature map of the type published with area artist , Larry Hunter. One group went into the matter of co-
operative scheduling and mutual promotion of separate events in all valley communities. The technique called SEO or “search engine optimization” came up . SEO would make current Similkameen Tourism information top of the list whenever the valley is “googled” anywhere. The term “highway corridor aesthetic” came up in discussion. HCA is about communities affected by things like derelict vehicles and a hodge-podge of road signage. On point to develop a Community Tourism Foundation in the Similkameen is The Similkameen Valley Planning Society. SVPS is a not-forprofit organization composed of seven governing bodies
from Keremeos and Princeton: Municipalities of Keremeos and Princeton, Regional District OkanaganSimilkameen Electoral Areas of “B,” “G,” and “H,” and the Indian Bands of Lower Similkameen and Upper Similkameen. Although not a lawmaking body, SVPS offers a continuing organizational hub for cooperative efforts in the Similkameen Valley. The workshop was funded by BC Tourism. Pat Bell, MLA for Prince GeorgeMcKenzie heads The BC Ministy of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation. T h e m i n i s t r y ’s Community Tourism Foundations Program helps develop a full and long-range tourism plan with a range of tools, proven resources and advanced
Photo contributed
In the foreground attending a Tourism Planning Council Workshop in Hedley are Joe Dennis,Community Economic Development Coordinator for the Lower Similkameen Indian Band, Area B Director, George Bush, Elef Christensen, a director of The Grist Mill Foundation, Brad Hope, SVPOS Chair and Tim Cottrill of Robin Ridge Winery in Keremeos. marketing techniques. The program endeavors to meet the needs of communities, like The Similkameen, in various stages of tourism development. Community Tourism Foundations have
already sprung up in Vancouver Island, Lower Mainland. The North and in The Interior. Last Wednesdays workshop in Hedley is seen as an early and major step forward
for the SVPS Tourism Planning Council, established this past January. “The economic benefit of tourism dollars to the valley is substantial”, says SVPS Chair, Brad Hope.
“The longer term strategy would attract more visitors to the valley. Branding our existing attractions, lifestyle and the beauty of the valley is a key objective”, said Hope.