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Destination BC announced a three-year funding profram model for community visitors services centres in Elkford, Fernie, and Sparwood.
Destination BC is the province’s industry-led destination marketing organization. Their funding model will apply to 108 community visitor centres province-wide to support consultation with the visitor centres network.
The initiative includes a base funding of $10,000 a year for the next three years as well as an “innovation fund” to assist communities with specific projects that will help them adapt to the changing expectations of visitors. This fund will be available in 2016.
““Our government is committed to providing quality, world-class services for travellers and visitors to B.C.,” Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett said in a press release. “This new, stable base funding over the next three years will help ensure better long-term planning for East Kootenay communities.”
The province places a large focus on the tourism sector as it accounts for four per cent of the province’s total GDP. In 2013, the tourism industry generated $13.9 billion in revenue, and directly contributed to B.C.’s overall economy.
