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Tourism figures up in Kitimat

Innovative measures implemented by the Chamber of Commerce.
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Tourism figures are up in Kitimat, thanks in part to circumstance, but also as a result of innovative measures implemented by the Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber executive director Trish Parsons said businesses were reporting an increase in the number of tourists in town this year, especially during the Canada 150 birthday celebrations, which saw every hotel room in town booked for the event.

Parsons said the numbers were also up as a result of other events, like the ban on salmon fishing along the Skeena River that lasted until mid-July, and the closure of the Terrace Aquatic Centre, which is currently undergoing major renovations and is due to reopen in 2018.

Parsons added, however, that the Chamber had also been focussing on working together with stakeholders to increase the number of tourists coming to Kitimat, including discussions between the Chamber, the District’s Economic Development department and the Grow Kitimat committee.

DoK Economic Development’s director Mike Dewar said while the growth of tourism in Kitimat had partly come as a result of external factors, it was nevertheless a good opportunity to look at further developing tourism in the town.

“Either way, we look at that as a positive, that we’re getting more people coming through and people getting exposed to Kitimat,” said Dewar. “Local businesses are seeing a few extra dollars coming through the door.”

One of the ideas discussed by the stakeholders was to revive the Book of Deals concept, a booklet of coupons issued to tourists by the Chamber and the District, which contains not only discounts offered by 12 local businesses, but also information about Kitimat and its history.

“The booklet has turned out to be a valuable marketing tool. The response has been good from both the businesses who provided coupons, and from the people who received the booklet,” said Parsons.

The booklet was a regular feature for tourists up until five years ago, and 2017 saw it being revived and distributed through the visitors’ centre, the aquatic centre and hotels in Kitimat.

“We started distributing the booklet at the end of June and we’re having to get more printed,” said Parsons.

The Chamber has also been conducting tourism surveys at Radley Park, MK Bay Marina and Hirsch Creek, which staff have been using as an opportunity to hand out more booklets, and Kitimat-branded hacky sacks for the youngsters.

She said the Chamber would compile the data collected from the 200 surveys and present it to the DoK’s council by the end of August.

Parsons said there was a lot interest expressed by visitors in the recently resumed Rio Tinto smelter tours.

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