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VOL. 25, NO. 44
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Nanaimo businesses preparing for influx of Chinese tourists
I
LANguAgE, CuLTuRE shared prior to hotel attracting visitors. By Tamara CuNNiNGham THe NewS BULLeTiN
CHRIS BUSH/THe NewS BUlleTIN
Navigation hazard
A Ladysmith RCMP officer and bystander discuss the aftermath of a rollover crash that happened shortly before 8 a.m. on a sharp curve of Cedar Road near North Oyster Elementary School Wednesday. Wet road conditions were a likely factor in the crash. The woman driving the car was taken to hospital with unknown injuries. The curve is one of the Nanaimo region’s frequent crash spots that become more dangerous when rains lift a slippery mix of oil and rubber from road surfaces after a long dry spell.
Sanctuary lake drained to fix broken pipe By Chris Bush THe NewS BULLeTiN
Morrell Lake in Morrell Nature Sanctuary is about to be drained to repair a bent shaft on an emergency release valve. The valve, positioned about 20 metres from the dam that forms
the lake and about seven metres under water, can be opened to decrease the lake’s water volume in case of severe flooding or an earthquake. Patrick Ansell, Morrell Sanctuary Society director, said the problem first came to light during a recent test when the valve
cock proved really difficult to open. A team of divers was sent down to investigate the problem and found the 15-metre long shaft that opens the valve is bent about 2.5 metres above the valve body. u See ‘SANCTUARY’ /3
Businesses in the Harbour City are preparing for a Chinese tourist boom – beginning with language lessons. Downtown Nanaimo is banking on construction of a new $50-million conference centre hotel to drive up Chinese tourism with an estimated 70,000 visitors each year. It’s a major market, according to businesses and tourism organizations now taking steps to roll out the welcome mat. The Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association and Literacy Central Vancouver Island plan to boost cultural sensitivity by teaching shop owners and front-line staff Mandarin and Chinese business customs. Businesses are seeking new products to appeal to Chinese visitors and translated signs for tourists could be placed downtown. The first tour group will be brought to Nanaimo by hotel owner SSS Manhao this fall in anticipation of the company building its new hotel. It will be a test run for downtown shops, according to Cory
Hostetter, general manager of the DNBIA. “This will definitely be a learning experience to find out what we can do to make the visitor experience a little more pleasant,” she said. “If we think of [70,000] tourists coming throughout city ... that number is huge. Obviously we want to be as best prepared [as possible] to have them.” The City of Nanaimo unanimously approved selling its Gordon Street property to SSS Manhao International Tourism Group in July under the condition the new build is completed within three years. The company has already started to advertise Nanaimo as a destination for tourists and plans to eventually bring tens of thousands of Chinese visitors into the city for overnight stays. Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation CEO Sasha Angus said the market will be a “real asset” for the city but there is a lot of work ahead to make sure Nanaimo is ready for the visitor influx. Businesses are interested in the growing tourism market, but still have questions about how they can take advantage of the opportunity, he said, adding workshops in rudimentary Mandarin and business customs will help. u See ‘BUSINESSES’ /5
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