Major 'Ski Osoyoos' campaign boosts area as a Winter destination 

With its beautiful weather, landscape and attractions, Osoyoos has long been 'on the map' as a busy summer tourism hot-spot. Winter has been a slow season - but that's about to change. On Jan. 14 Destination Osoyoos (DO), together with Mt. Baldy Ski Area and Osoyoos hotels and resorts, launched a major, first-ever awareness campaign promoting Osoyoos as a great destination for visitors in the winter.

Destination Osoyoos CEO Glenn Mandziuk announced at a launch ceremony that the community is starting an aggressive $60,000 "Ski Osoyoos" advertising campaign in three locations for the next three months with newspaper flyers, radio spots, TV commercials, and internet ads promoting value-priced "ski-and-stay" packages. They include lift tickets at nearby Mt. Baldy Ski Area paired with accommodation at 11 Osoyoos hotels, motels and resorts. The campaign includes an informative website that includes online booking.

The campaign is aimed at three key markets - B.C.'s Langley-Abbotsford-Chilliwack area, Kelowna, and Wenatchee in Washington State.

"We are working hard to create a four-season tourism industry for Osoyoos," Mandziuk said. "Osoyoos offers an incredible experience for visitors not only in the summer, but also in the fall, winter and spring. This is one of the few places where from February to April you can ski, golf and visit a winery all on the same day - and we have to let more people know what a wonderful destination we have here," he said.

Mandziuk said this is the first winter tourism campaign Osoyoos has ever undertaken. He said the Mt. Baldy Ski Area - a scenic, powder-snow mountain 45-minutes from Osoyoos - is a major Osoyoos winter attraction, and Osoyoos has the large number of hotel beds that will help Mt. Baldy attract more skiers. The program offers two-day, two-night stay-and-ski rates ranging from $55 to $105 per-person per-day. There are also five-day, five-night packages from $52 to $91 per-person per-day with online booking capabilities at www.skiosoyoos.ca.

The campaign includes four page inserts once a month for the next three months in a number of Fraser Valley newspapers. There will also be a radio ad campaign in the area, and ads placed on Vancouver's Global TV station. In the Kelowna market, Destination Osoyoos will run ads on the Castanet news website and on CHBC-TV, around the ski report. Radio ads will also be placed in Wenatchee. The campaign will broaden in March to include Osoyoos golf packages.

He added that the "Ski Osoyoos" winter advertising campaign will be conducted again next year and beyond. "We know this isn't going to change the world in one year, but it will begin to let people know that there is a lot to see and do here in the winter. It's all part of promoting our friendly people, our welcoming businesses, and our great attractions - and it reflects our Osoyoos brand as Canada's Warmest Welcome."

'Bigger, better' Osoyoos Visitor's Guide Unveiled

At a Jan. 14 ceremony at the BC Visitor Centre @
Osoyoos, representatives of Destination Osoyoos, the Town of Osoyoos and the local accommodation sector unveiled the new "bigger and better" 2009 Osoyoos Visitor's Guide.

The glossy full-colour booklet includes features on Osoyoos' history, desert ecosystem, golf courses, spas, wineries, tours, shopping, agri-tourism, First Nations culture,and
accommodations.

At 72 pages, the Guide is the biggest ever, and the print-run of 100,000 is the largest ever. It will be placed in all BC Visitor Centres and some Visitor Centres in Alberta and northern Washington State; at the Vancouver, Kelowna and Penticton Airports; at the Vancouver Visitor & Convention Centre; on the BC Ferry on Kootenay Lake; at BCAA offices; at Osoyoos-area businesses; at the region's wineries; in most Osoyoos hotel rooms; and it will be mailed to every mailbox in the Osoyoos area.

Water forum money will boost Lake Quality projects

The benefits continue to flow from the landmark Osoyoos Lake Water Science Forum held in late 2007. At a Jan. 7 ceremony at the BC Visitor Centre @ Osoyoos, Forum organizers turned over the event's remaining funds to the Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society - and the money will boost important new lake water quality projects.

Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells, one of the Forum's key organizers, presented a cheque for $6,960 to Mark McKenney, President of the Society. Wells said he is pleased that the money left over from hosting of the Forum will move Osoyoos Lake water quality protection and awareness forward.

The Osoyoos Lake Water Science Forum brought together 190 scientists, government officials, business representatives, and residents to tackle growing concern about the lake's water quality, quantity, and sustainability. Osoyoos Lake is key to local health and the tourism-based economy - and residents are concerned about the effects from agricultural fertilizers, pesticides, septic systems, urban water runoff, and gas-powered watercraft. The Forum concluded that water issues require leadership, more inter-agency co-operation, a regional approach, and science-based decision-making.

McKenney thanked Wells for the funds and said the Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society plans a number of initiatives over the coming months. "With these funds we are planning a couple of very interesting projects, including an algae-nutrient study of the lake next summer, plans for a second lake water science forum this fall, and continued lake water monitoring beginning again in the spring."

Destination Osoyoos, the area's economic development and tourism marketing agency, managed the financing and all logistics for the Osoyoos Lake Water Science Forum. CEO Glenn Mandziuk said Destination Osoyoos "is proud to have assisted with organizing, hosting and administering this conference that was so important for our community."

Nk'Mip Resort featured in 'Fish Out of Water' TV series

The Osoyoos Indian Band's NK'MIP Resort area on the east side of Osoyoos is hitting it big on the small screen. It will be featured Jan. 27 on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network's weekly hit comedy show " Fish Out of Water,"
starring Don Kelly.

Kelly is an Ojibway living in Ottawa who works as an executive with a national aboriginal organization during the day and performs stand-up comedy at night. In each half-hour episode of Fish Out of Water, Kelly journeys to First Nations across the country where, through a series of funny misadventures, he pushes his limits to re-connect with his ancestral roots and spiritual values.

The Jan. 27 episode was shot in high-definition at the NK'MIP Resort last August. Much of it takes place at the NK'MIP Desert Cultural Centre, where Kelly learns traditional survival skills. This episode of Fish Out of Water will air in Osoyoos Jan. 27 at 6 p.m. on APTN on Personal Cable. It will air in Penticton and area Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. on APTN on Shaw Cable. Check your local listings and catch this great show featuring NK'MIP!

Fridge Magnet promotes Osoyoos Events

Along with the distribution in the near future of the new 2009 Osoyoos Visitor's Guide to all households in Osoyoos, Destination Osoyoos will send a fridge magnet to give all residents a handy reminder about the 20 major events which take place throughout the year in town.

The magnet promotes events including Showcase Osoyoos, Easter Eggstravaganza, Arts & Culture Week, the Relay for Life, July 1st Cherry Fiesta, the Home Hardware Street Dances, Oktoberfest, the Dessert Festival, and Christmas Lite-Up.

It also promotes Community Information Radio
Osoyoos - the information and emergency radio
station operated at FM-106.5 by Destination
Osoyoos. And it gives people the phone number
for the BC Visitor Centre @ Osoyoos and the
website for Destination Osoyoos - two places to
contact for further information about local
activities.

Tourism Trends

  Community Futures Okanagan Similkameen is offering a series of free Human Resources Seminars at its Penticton office, to give valuable HR information to small business people in the region - including how to attract and retain good employees. Each seminar is delivered by a highly qualified resource person and is held from 7:30-9:00 a.m. to fit into people's busy schedules. The four remaining seminars are: "Employment Law," presented Jan. 22 by well-known lawyer and author Robert Smithson; "Engaging Employees: Interactions That Are Effective," presented Feb. 11 by business veteran and columnist John Singleton; "Innovative Advertising: Targeting Employees," presented Feb. 26 by Community Futures Central Kootenay counsellor Pamela Clausen; and "Competency-Based Interviewing," presented March 12 by senior executive and human resources specialist Susan Alley. For more information, contact Community Development Manager Alexis Welsh at - Toll-free: 1-877-493-5566; Tel: 250-493-2566 (ext 232); or Email: alexis@cfokanagan.com.

  BC Stats produces a detailed monthly research report called the BC Tourism Sector Monitor, and it is available free online at: www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/pubs/pr_tour.asp.

  The provincial government has provided $830,000 for renovations and operation of a new 10-bed shelter for the homeless in Surrey. The property has a two-storey wood-frame building with five bedrooms, a den, three bathrooms, a living and dining area, and a laundry room. The City of Surrey will lease the property to the facility's managers for $1 for five years, with a further five-year option. The property value is $331,400. The provincial budget for its Emergency Shelter Program is approximately $50 million. There are more than 1,500 emergency shelter beds in B.C. funded through the Program. The government has committed to create more than 4,000 new housing units under its Provincial Homelessness Initiative. Its budget for shelters and affordable housing is $400 million.

  Mt. Baldy Ski Area, just 45 minutes from Osoyoos, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this season. The Eagle Double Chair, Sugar Lump Quad Chair, and Magic Carpet are up and running, and the cross-country, frisbee-golf and toboggan areas are open. The ski area is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but is open every day during school closure periods. The lifts will operate from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm daily. As of Jan. 15 the ski area had an alpine base of 105 cm, with a total accumulation this season of 215 cm. Every Friday up to March 27, Mt. Baldy will offer its "2 Can Ski for $42" special - two lift tickets for $42 plus GST. And every Sunday afternoon a lift ticket costs just $12.

The "Baldy Bus" runs from Penticton, Oliver and Osoyoos every ski day. Check the website www.skibaldy.com for more information.

  As part of its operation, the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership conducts research on tourism and travel, and regularly posts the results as well as research from some other organizations to its website. For instance, ACTP has recently posted the final report of "Global Tourism Watch Reports: Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and the United States," which gives in-depth information about the knowledge of people in those countries about Canada and their possible plans to travel to Canada. ACTP has also recently posted "U.S. Travel Market Behavioural Study". For more information see the ACTP website at: www.actp-ptca.ca.

  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports results for November 2008 showing a 4.6% drop in international air passenger traffic. The November international passenger load factors stood at 72.7%, which is a decline of approximately three percentage points over the same month in 2007. IATA said, the industry is now shrinking, with a one-per-cent drop in international capacity. The November "demand decline" of a total of 4.6% followed a 1.3% demand contraction in October and a 2.9% fall in September. Asia-Pacific carriers face the most difficult operating environment with a 9.7% decline in November. North American carriers saw international traffic decline by 4.8%. IATA predicts the situation will continue in 2009.

  On Jan. 9, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon issued a statement marking the 100th anniversary of the Boundary Waters Treaty on Jan. 11. His statement included: "This treaty created the International Joint Commission (IJC), an independent regulatory and advisory body that has worked for the last century to prevent and resolve boundary waters disputes between Canada and the United States ... (it guides) the joint stewardship of their boundary waters ... (ranging) from the St. Croix River in the east through the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River system to Osoyoos Lake in the west ... (T)he Commission conducts fact-finding missions, organizes public hearings and develops consensus-seeking solutions for the responsible management of the largest collection of freshwater systems on earth."

Events around Osoyoos

• Jan. 17-31, the Osoyoos Art Gallery presents is annual " People's Choice" Art Show - open 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays.
• Jan. 21, the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce (Osoyoos, Oliver & Okanagan Falls) will hold its monthly "Business Promoting Business" reception at Alberto's Decorating Centre in Oliver, from 6-8 p.m. Enjoy goodies, refreshments, prizes, and networking.
• Jan. 24, Desert Sun Counselling & Resource Centre presents its "Safe House Dinner, Dance, & Silent Auction" at the Osoyoos Elks Hall.
  
• Jan. 25, the 7th annual "Showcase Osoyoos" - a free tradeshow featuring dozens of booths displaying all the services, activities and groups in lively Osoyoos - will be held from 1-4 p.m. at the Sonora Community Centre. Snowbirds, Osoyoos residents, and visitors are all welcome to attend.
  
• Feb. 4, the Quebec Viennese Society Orchestra will present a show at the Osoyoos Mini-Theatre at 8 p.m. It features the waltz music of Johann Strauss and other Viennese composers and a slide show of Austria and Vienna as they entertain. Tickets are available at Imperial Office Pro.