Celebrating Tourism
By Patty Vadnais Executive Director Fernie Chamber of Commerce Fernie is well-aligned to take advantage of a provincial strength – tourism. The BC Chamber of Commerce surveyed B.C. businesses last fall and respondents overwhelmingly noted tourism, along with clean energy, as the future of the B.C. economy. The survey representing 1200 businesses of all sizes had representation from across the province. The B.C. Government in March announced an additional $50 million to the annual budget of Destination BC. Destination BC markets B.C. to the rest of Canada and the world. This investment shows the government’s commitment to tourism as an economic driver of B.C. Attracting visitors to B.C. appears to be working. In 2016, the province attracted a record 5,532,065 international visitors, an increase of 12.3 per cent. Locally, numbers at the highway
Special Feature
Visitor Information Centre were up 34 per cent in 2016 over 2015. As we welcome more and more guests, we are excited that our visitors will be getting a new experience as renovations were completed earlier this year giving the Visitor Information Centre a much needed update. Funding for the renovations came from the Resort Municipality Initiative, Columbia Basin Trust, and Accessibility Canada grants. The interior has been opened up to offer more space for showcasing Fernie’s diverse activities and attractions. The Chamber is working on creating an art wall featuring local artists including Angela Morgan, Eye of the Needle, Fernie Forge, Clawhammer, and Arts Co-op artists to name a few. Available on-site will be a walking tour map of galleries in the downtown core. A new digital kiosk has been set up with funds through the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust. This self-serve screen lists local activities, dining, shopping, history, weather, and road reports. Next steps for the Chamber include setting up displays on fishing, skiing, and biking. As an easy stop on Highway 3, we have noticed that a number of travelers enjoy stopping at the Visitor Information
Centre to stretch their legs, get off the road, and check their email or other websites. To address this need, the renovations included creating a welcoming sitting space for guests and locals. The space is equipped with plugs for recharging devices and free wifi. We are excited to see how this space will be used. Perhaps most interesting is what people come into the Visitor Information Centre to ask about. Nearly 50 per cent of guests asking for information ask about the trails. Kudos go out to the Fernie Trails Alliance for creating a beautiful and comprehensive trail map for locals and visitors alike. Products such as the Trail Map help our Information Counselors answer guest questions and give guests a great experience. The Chamber will continue to develop the displays and collect information for the Visitor Information Centre. We invite everyone to come out and see what is new. As the province continues to invite the world to B.C. and as Tourism Fernie invites them to our corner of paradise, the Visitor Information Centre will be ready to answer all their questions and direct them to Fernie’s thriving tourism businesses.
Beauty and Sleep…Guaranteed • Outdoor Hot Tub
• 100% Smoke-Free
• Indoor Pool & Hot Tub
• Free Wi-Fi
• Kitchenettes • Executive Suites
Hot Breakfast
• Banquet & Meeting Facility
• Complimentary • Fitness Room
• Liquor Store • Massage Studio • Pet Friendly
• Boston Pizza
Wherever Life Takes You, Best Western Is There.® Fernie Mountain Lodge 1622 7 Ave, Fernie, BC 250-423-5500 Toll Free: 1-866-423-5566 www.bestwesternfernie.com Each Best Western® branded hotel is independently owned and operated.