 |
|
OSOYOOS – Osoyoos is the latest community to sign an agreement under the B.C. Resort Municipality Initiative with the Province, allowing it to share a portion of hotel room tax to invest in local resort-oriented projects that promote the local wine industry and support a greener, healthier environment, Community Services Minister Ida Chong announced.
“This agreement will give Osoyoos the tools it
needs to attract more visitors and entice them to stay longer,” said Chong.
“Through this program we’re helping create vibrant, sustainable resort-based
communities across B.C., which in turn, provide tourism options, jobs and
economic development opportunities.”
Under the agreement, it is estimated that Osoyoos and area will receive
$1 million over five years. The funding is expected to help in the preparation
and implementation of a five-year multi-use trail system plan to attract greater pedestrian traffic,
the implementation of a
strategy for affordable tourism employee housing, and the creation of
public art program to help attract foot traffic to tour art projects. The funding will also support an
energy efficient airport shuttle initiative and aid in the selection of a beach
cleaner based on green technology.
“The Town of Osoyoos has positioned itself as Canada’s Warmest Welcome,”
said Osoyoos Mayor John Slater. “The funds from this agreement will help us
develop our vision of a sustainable year round tourism industry and all season
resort. We’re also confident that we can make a notable contribution to meeting
the Premier’s goal of doubling tourism in this province.”
As a result of these investments and other tourism development projects underway in the community, Osoyoos expects direct tourism revenues will increase to $126 million by 2015, up from $72 million today, and visitation will climb to 500,000 from 350,000.
“This is a great investment and
opportunity for the Osoyoos community,” said Penticton-Okanagan Valley MLA Bill
Barisoff. “This new revenue will help to enhance the many positive
efforts of the Town of Osoyoos, Destination Osoyoos and Osoyoos Indian Band
working in partnership to help strengthen our local economies.”
“The new projects and community amenities planned will increase
our appeal as a four-season
destination and help us attract more shoulder and winter season
business, particularly for getaways and the small business meetings market,”
said Glenn Mandziuk, CEO of Destination Osoyoos, the community’s tourism and
economic development agency.
Under
the program, an eligible community receives a share of the provincial hotel
room tax, an amount based on a formula that takes into account the level of
tourist accommodation in the community, relative to other B.C. communities. To
be eligible, municipalities must have tourism based economies or be designated
as a “mountain resort municipality” under the Local Government Act.
Communities must be prepared to put in place an additional two per cent
hotel room tax, prepare a Resort Development Strategy that reflects the input
of stakeholders and enter into a five-year results-based tourism development
agreement that sets out what will be achieved through revenue sharing.
To date, Whistler, Golden, Rossland, Harrison
Hot Springs, Radium Hot Springs, Kimberley, and Valemount have reached similar
agreements with the Province; five other municipalities are currently eligible
to enter into agreements: Fernie, Invermere, Tofino, Revelstoke and Ucluelet.
The B.C. Resort Municipality Initiative is part of the Province’s ongoing
commitment to meeting the goal of doubling B.C. tourism by 2015.
-30-
|
contact: |
Ministry of Community Services 250 387-4089 |
|
|
|
||
|
For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
||
