Sicamous Mayor Terry Rysz had a great deal for federal Tourism Minister M茅lanie Joly in Armstrong Thursday.
The Armstrong to Sicamous rail trail corridor project needs money, said Rysz. The feds have announced a new marketing strategy 香蕉视频直播� which is what brought Joly to the North Okanagan and Fairways Bistro at the Royal York Golf Course 香蕉视频直播� which includes money, said Joly.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 (rail trail) a great project, worth being studied,香蕉视频直播� said Joly to a sold-out crowd at the event hosted by the Armstrong Spallumcheen and Greater Vernon chambers of commerce. She was presented with a concept design report of the rail trail corridor by Armstrong Spallumcheen chamber board president Peter Rotzetter.
See:
香蕉视频直播淚t shows the power of tourism. By adding tourism, now, to our key infrastructure priorities, we can now fund these projects and these can drive local economies.香蕉视频直播�
Joly, whose portfolio includes official languages and La Francophonie, announced the government香蕉视频直播檚 new marketing strategy, which includes creating 54,000 new jobs by 2025 across the country; increasing revenues by 25 per cent, or $128 billion in the economy by 2025; increasing, by one million, the number of visitors that come to Canada during winter and shoulder season; and getting international visitors out of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 three biggest cities 香蕉视频直播� Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver 香蕉视频直播� and into regions like the North Okanagan-Shuswap.
香蕉视频直播淭his is a very ambitious strategy but we香蕉视频直播檙e confident we can do that,香蕉视频直播� said Joly.
Ottawa has launched a new federal Canadian Experiences Fund, where $60 million is available over two years. The idea is to support five types of products or experiences that businesses and not-for-profit groups can develop in the North Okanagan-Shuswap.
See:
That includes any products or experiences aligned with winter and shoulder season; what can be done during that time of year to drive visitors to the area.
The Armstrong to Sicamous rail trail corridor would fit under remote and rural tourism, another of the products/experiences eligible for federal funding.
香蕉视频直播淩emote and rural tourism is obviously relevant to this region,香蕉视频直播� said Joly. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e seen what tourism has done here, and by supporting more of these beautiful local gems, we香蕉视频直播檒l help grow the tourism sector.香蕉视频直播�
Everything in line with Indigenous tourism is available for funding, and Joly announced $2.5 million in funding for the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada to help Indigenous people and groups develop products and experiences to help with tourism.
香蕉视频直播淲e know there香蕉视频直播檚 fantastic growth, 17 per cent growth, in Indigenous tourism,香蕉视频直播� said Joly. 香蕉视频直播淥ne-third of Chinese people coming to Canada seek an Indigenous tourism experience. Fifty per cent of German people want an Indigenous tourism experience, and so do two-thirds of visitors from France.香蕉视频直播�
Also eligible for funding is LGBTQ tourism, a community, said Joly, that travels 香蕉视频直播渇our-to-six-times per year,香蕉视频直播� and, 香蕉视频直播渋f there香蕉视频直播檚 a place the LGBTQ community can feel safe, it香蕉视频直播檚 obviously here (Canada).香蕉视频直播�
Saving the best for last, said Joly, was funding available for culinary tourism, or farm to table tourism, something totally relevant to the North Okanagan-Shuswap.
香蕉视频直播淲e can support our farmers香蕉视频直播� markets and want to get international visitors to go see them,香蕉视频直播� said Joly. 香蕉视频直播淲e can support food festivals that become an event where people can discover the great local food and products. What are we doing for wineries and cideries that people can go and discover.香蕉视频直播�
Joly also said in order for Ottawa to help create destinations in Canada, they need to attract more private investments, and said the Liberals have finally added tourism to the top of government priorities.
香蕉视频直播淭ourism is not at the children香蕉视频直播檚 table anymore, we香蕉视频直播檙e finally at the adult table,香蕉视频直播� said Joly. 香蕉视频直播淎ll the departments within government will look at not only the issues within the tourism sector but opportunities as well.香蕉视频直播�
The infusion of federal funding and renewed national focus on tourism is welcome news to the Armstrong Spallumcheen and Greater Vernon chambers of commerce.
香蕉视频直播淲e thank Minister Joly for taking the time to stop in our region and it was exciting to learn more about the recently announced federal tourism strategy,香蕉视频直播� said Rotzetter.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on and follow us on .
