FISHING BECOMING A GROWING ATTRACTION IN OSOYOOS
Destination Osoyoos’ CIRO Radio Technician Keith Calder displays one of the two fishing rod, reel and tackle sets that were recently awarded to contest winners who listened to Community Information Radio Osoyoos – FM-106.5.
Osoyoos is quickly becoming a ‘must-stop’ destination for everyone who loves bass fishing! In the recent past, Osoyoos Lake has hosted episodes of the TV shows Fish’n Canada and Get Reel With Shelley & Courtney – and word has spread that Canada’s warmest lake is home to some of the best bass fishing in British Columbia.
The latest evidence is the successful Second Annual Okanagan Bass Classic Tournament held Sept. 12 in Osoyoos. Under the hot desert-country sunshine, 13 teams hit the lake, with a number of them catching their five-fish limit during the competition. One of the teams even reeled-in a 5-lb 15-oz smallmouth bass as part of their winning total catch.
As part of the fun surrounding the Bass Classic, Destination Osoyoos Director of Tourism Jo Knight and Community Information Radio Osoyoos (CIRO 106.5 FM) Technician Keith Calder organized a CIRO contest where listeners phoned-in their entry to win two sets of a fishing rod, reel and tackle. Knight notes there were a lot of entries, and both winners were visitors to Osoyoos – Liz Bundun, of Vancouver, and Jaclyn Li, of Richmond Hill, Ontario. “They were thrilled to have won,” Knight says.
Knight adds that yet another sign of fishing’s growing role on the Osoyoos tourism scene is CIRO Radio’s addition of a regular monthly Osoyoos fishing show – called the Avid Angler – hosted by renowned South Okanagan fishing expert Jesse Martin. The show provides a number of fishing tips – about topics like bait, lures, and best locations – for fishing in Osoyoos Lake and other nearby lakes and streams. Martin is an authority on B.C. bass and has fished all over B.C. for a wide variety of species. He has worked with the province's Learn 2 Fish program and he is a columnist on the World Fishing Network’s website.
TOWN WANTS D.O. TO LEAD TOURISM MARKETING & VISITOR SERVICES
Destination Osoyoos, based in the gateway BC Visitor Centre @ Osoyoos, will continue to steer tourism marketing and visitor services for Osoyoos for at least the next three years.
Destination Osoyoos and the Town of Osoyoos have reached an agreement that will see DO continue to develop and implement tourism marketing and visitor services for the Town for at least the next three years. The two organizations announced Sept. 29 that the Town will award a three-year contract to DO for the provision of these services from 2010 through 2012.
Destination Osoyoos leaders say the $120,000-per-year contract will allow DO to continue to be a leading-edge tourism organization which promotes Osoyoos as a major destination for visitors from across Canada and around the world. DO operates from its offices in the British Columbia Visitor Centre @ Osoyoos, at the junction of Highways 3 and 97.
DO Board Chair Derek Noske says, “We are looking forward to this new era in our working relationship with the Town of Osoyoos. We are proud of the role we have played in putting Osoyoos on the tourism map.” He adds, “We will continue to work with the Town and local businesses to provide first-class, professional services that will present Osoyoos as a premier centre for visitors looking for all types of experiences – including golf, wine, skiing, eco-tourism, agricultural and culinary tourism, heritage tourism, and more.”
Beginning in 2010, the Town of Osoyoos will directly administer economic development from Town Hall. Destination Osoyoos will continue to work with the local tourism industry to co-ordinate spending of the approximately $200,000 raised each year in Osoyoos by the two-per-cent Additional Hotel Room Tax (AHRT) for tourism promotion. DO also retains its long-term contract with Tourism BC to operate the BC Visitor Centre @ Osoyoos.
‘GIANT-FM’ BROADCASTS FROM THE B.C. VISITOR CENTRE @ OSOYOOS
The biggest radio station in the Southern Interior was on location at Destination Osoyoos on October 8 to showcase this South Okanagan resort town and to help raise money for a new CT scanner for the Penticton Regional Hospital.
Giant FM 100.7 morning host and news director Dennis Walker set up shop in the main area of the BC Visitor Centre @ Osoyoos and did a live remote broadcast of his 6-10 a.m. show. Giant FM plays ‘new country’ and adult contemporary music and is very involved in promoting community events and charity fundraising in the region.
It has the largest coverage of any radio station in the British Columbia Interior – being heard in cars, homes and businesses from Salmon Arm in the Shuswap region to Omak in Washington state, and from Big White to Princeton. It has a potential total audience of more than 330,000 listeners. Giant FM is an independently owned station based in Penticton.
TOURISM STUDENTS TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THE VISITOR CENTRE
Millie Jarrett, Assistant Manager of the British Columbia Visitor Centre @ Osoyoos, far right, recently welcomed an instructor and group of students from Capilano University’s Tourism & Outdoor Recreation program, who recently visited to learn more about the tourism industry in Osoyoos and area. Capilano University is based in North Vancouver and has satellite campuses in Squamish and Sechelt. Its Tourism & Outdoor Recreation program prepares people for a variety of careers, ranging from mountain bike operations and professional scuba diving instruction to tourism and resort management.
CANADA BORDER SERVICES REMINDS TRAVELLERS ABOUT CURRENCY RULES
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has issues a reminder to everyone that Canada has strict regulations governing the movement of large sums of money into or out of the country.
CBSA notes that it is not against the law to bring currency into or out of Canada, and currency is not taxed. However, the law states that all currency or monetary instruments worth more than $10,000 Canadian per person – or the equivalent in any foreign currency – brought into or out of Canada must be reported to CBSA.
The Agency reminds people that any unreported currency or monetary instruments of any combination, equal to or exceeding $10,000 Canadian per person, may be seized. Penalties for failure to report range from $250 to forfeiture of the entire amount of undeclared currency.
For more details or to download the reporting forms, visit: www.cbsa.gc.ca.
TRAVEL MEDIA FROM GERMANY MAKE A POINT OF STOPPING IN OSOYOOS
German travel media writers and photographers visited Osoyoos on Oct. 7-8. Here they pose in front of the NK’MIP Desert Cultural Centre with Bob Etienne, the Centre’s facility manager and interpretive guide (fifth from left), and Jo Knight, Destination Osoyoos’ Director of Tourism (second from right).
Osoyoos was a key stop on the itinerary of a major travel media familiarization tour for 11 media visiting British Columbia from Germany Oct. 6-13.
The tour for German journalists, photographers and bloggers was part of “Kanadaria” – a joint project of the Canadian Tourism Commission and Germany Tourism that focuses on water preservation. The project builds upon Canada’s evocative power as a travel destination and the rising importance of water sustainability to the German consumer. Kanadaria’s objective is to raise awareness of Canada as a world-class tourist destination rich in water resources and activities, while at the same time raising funds for groups that focus on protecting water.
The seven-day FAM tour itinerary included stops in Vancouver, Cawston, Osoyoos, Vaseux Lake, Penticton, West Kelowna, Sicamous, Kamloops, Clearwater, and Wells Gray Provincial Park. In Osoyoos, Oct. 7 and 8, the German group visited Spotted Lake, NK’MIP Cellars winery, and the NK’MIP Desert Cultural Centre, and stayed overnight at Walnut Beach Resort.
Destination Osoyoos’ Director of Tourism, Jo Knight, joined the group for portions of its Osoyoos visit. She says Bob Etienne, NK’MIP Desert Cultural Centre’s facility manager and interpretive guide, gave the group a walking tour around Spotted Lake, which for centuries has been revered by the Okanagan’s First Nation people for the spiritual and healing powers of its water. Knight adds, “Destination Osoyoos, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, and Passa Tempo Restaurant also co-hosted a spectacular winemaker’s dinner for the visitors from Germany.” She notes that this latest FAM tour is the latest in DO’s ongoing work to promote Osoyoos to potential visitors from around the world.
MARKING MEMORIES WITH A SCENIC BENCH ON THE OSOYOOS TRAIL
Eileen Taylor relaxes and enjoys the beautiful view from the Memory Bench along the Osoyoos Canal Trail which she recently purchased in memory of her husband Colin. Destination Osoyoos managed the project which built the major seven-kilometre extension to the Canal Trail in 2008, stretching through Osoyoos’ famous desert habitat. The original two-kilometre trail section runs from Osoyoos Secondary School north to Highway 3, on the western edge of Osoyoos. The 2008 trail extension runs northward along the east side of Highway 3, past the Osoyoos Airport, then through native desert habitat to the Osoyoos Desert Centre. The path features viewing platforms, interpretive signs, benches, and small bridges over creeks. It offers firsthand views of antelope brush, the desert ecology, orchards, vineyards and the scenic South Okanagan valley. The extension was built with town, regional district, provincial and federal funding. People interested in buying Memory Benches along the Trail can contact Destination Osoyoos at 250-495-3366.
IN MEMORIAM – JOHN BRUGMAN
A longtime pillar of Destination Osoyoos and the cause of economic development in Osoyoos is being remembered this month. John Brugman, a former member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer of Destination Osoyoos, passed away in early October. In 2006, Brugman was named an honorary lifetime member of the Destination Osoyoos Development Society. He was one of Destination Osoyoos’ longest-serving members. For a number of years before his retirement he had been Plant Manager at the SIR (Sterile Insect Release) Program facility in Osoyoos. He was also a past member of the Board of the Okanagan Science & Technology Council (OSTEC).
Former Destination Osoyoos Chief Executive Officer Glenn Mandziuk remembers: “I had the privilege to work with John Brugman as he was an active member of Osoyoos’ Economic Development Program from 1993 to 2007, filling a variety of key roles including the organization’s Treasurer position. Simply put, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. And the journey never becomes a reality without the hard work of visionary people like John, who also had the commitment to prepare for the journey, plan the route, and take those first steps. During John’s time with the Economic Development Program our organization’s name changed, our mandate broadened, and our function expanded. We collectively went through some rocky spots – and if it wasn’t for the determination of dedicated volunteers like John Brugman, our organization would not have been able to achieve the significant successes it did.”
Destination Osoyoos Board Chair Derek Noske notes that the DO Board’s heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with Brugman’s wife Corry and family at this time.
DATE CORRECTION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FORUM AT NK’MIP
An incorrect date for a major First Nations economic development forum being held at the new NK’MIP Conference Centre was published in the September edition of eNews. The forum – ‘Building a Stronger Canada Through First Nations Economies’ – will be held on Oct. 22, not Oct. 11 as previously published. eNews apologizes for the error.
Speakers at the forum will include Shawn Atleo (newly elected Assembly of First Nations National Chief), Dr. Stephen Cornell (co-founder of the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development), David Hallman (Director-General of Indian & Northern Affairs Canada), Clarence Louie (Chief of the Osoyoos Indian Band and Chair of the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board), and Tewanee Joseph (Executive Director of Four Host Nations).
The day-long program will include a ribbon-cutting to officially open the NK’MIP Conference Centre (located in the new Phase 2 of Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort, in the NK’MIP Resort on the east side of Osoyoos), a luncheon, the four-hour Economic Development Forum, a wine-and-cheese reception, and a celebration banquet dinner. For information about the Forum, or to register, contact Sammy Jo Louie, Tel: 250-498-3444 ext.111; Email: sjlouie@oib.ca; or see www.oib.ca or www.nkmip.com.
TOURISM & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRENDS
• Tourism Kelowna has joined the online social marketing wave with a new blog, at www.KelownasJuicyTips.com. It aims to strengthen marketing and reach a broad marketplace of tourists, inspiring them to plan a trip to Kelowna. Nancy Cameron, CEO of Tourism Kelowna, says, “The recommendations that come from blogs are attractive to consumers who ultimately place high levels of faith in the experiences of other people.” She adds this valuable word-of-mouth advertising is borderless, extending around the world.
• The BC government recently announced 2010 Olympic Torch Relay Community Grants totalling more than $2.86 million, for the 50 Celebration Communities and 218 Route Communities or Places of Interest along the Torch Relay (which includes 50 Aboriginal Communities). The funding will support approved cultural celebrations and performances featuring local and regional talent, when the Torch passes through the communities. Among the grants are one of $22,000 for Osoyoos (a Celebration Community) reportedly to host a mini-Olympics, community breakfast, entertainment and fireworks, and one of $7,000 for the Osoyoos Indian Band (an aboriginal Community). The Torch will arrive in Osoyoos on Jan. 24, 2010 from Grand Forks, and will leave for Okanagan Falls and Penticton the next day. The 2010 Olympic Flame will visit every province and territory in Canada and will be carried by approximately 12,000 torchbearers.
• BC Stats reports in the Sept. 11 edition of its ‘Infoline’ newsletter that British Columbia’s tourism sector continues to play an important role in the provincial economy, accounting for more than $6.6 billion (about 4%) of the province’s real gross domestic product (GDP) in 2008. Employment in the sector totalled 131,000 people – roughly one out of every 18 jobs in the province. The province’s tourism sector grew 1.7% in 2008, outpacing the rest of the economy for a fifth straight year. Although it outperformed the provincial economy (which shrank for the first time since 1982), the effects of a weakening global economy were felt in the tourism sector. All of the tourism-related industries posted gains, but the increases were well below the levels seen in recent years. From 2004 to 2007, the tourism sector as a whole grew at an average annual rate of 5.5%, more than three times the 1.7% increase posted in 2008.
• The Resort Municipality of Whistler hosted a two-day “Resort Collaborative workshop” in September, the second of its kind bringing together the 13 resort-based municipalities in the province that receive BC’s Resort Municipality Transfer Tax. The group discussed measurements of success in resort communities as well as a common monitoring and reporting process for the Resort Municipality Transfer Tax Program. The tax is a percentage of the provincial hotel-room tax generated within a resort area that is transferred to the resort community by the provincial government for the development of the tourism economy. Its goal is to finance resort infrastructure and services to increase the number of visitors. The purpose of the new Resort Collaborative is for resort municipalities to share best practices in tourism development, sustainability planning and implementation and represent collective needs and interests to the government.
• Mt. Baldy Ski Area, near Osoyoos, has announced that new financial arrangements will allow it to continue operation into the future. It announced Sept. 25, “Management is pleased to announce that new financing has made it possible to move Mt. Baldy into the foreseeable future, with continued development of exciting new real estate opportunities as well as ski hill amenities.” The ski area also announced that this year’s season ski passes are now on sale, with Early Bird prices in effect until Nov. 13. Returning passholders will receive an additional bonus of up to $50 toward other Mt. Baldy services. Complete information is available at www.skibaldy.com.
• News media in the region reported in late September that TripAdvisor, a major online travel website, has named the Okanagan Valley one of the Top-10 wine destinations in North America. The Valley was the only Canadian wine region which made the list, based on a survey of more than 1,000 Americans, 48 per cent of whom indicated they plan to visit a vineyard this year. In the survey, the Okanagan Valley ranks sixth. The Napa Valley and Sonoma wine regions of California topped the list.
• The Watermark Beach Resort, in Osoyoos – set to open on Oct. 31 – has announced the appointment of three senior staff. Ingrid Jarrett, Paul Scanlon and Joseph Dubois will be General Manager, Hotel Manager and Director of Sales, respectively. Jarrett more than 20 years of experience working in renowned hotels including The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, The Fairmont Palliser (Calgary), The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald (Edmonton) and The Fairmont Empress (Victoria). Most recently she was General Manager of The Cove Lakeside Resort, and she sits on numerous boards including the BC Hotel Association, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, and Tourism Kelowna. Scanlon, born and raised in BC, brings experience and knowledge about the marketplace and hospitality industry, coming from the Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler, where he was Hotel Manager. Dubois has been president of a consulting firm specializing in sales and marketing for a number of well-known Canadian hotels and resorts, and before that he was National Director of Internet and Tours for Accent Inns, National Director of Tour and Travel for Coast Hotels and Resorts, and Canadian Regional Director for JetSet Tours and Holidays. Located on the lakeshore in downtown Osoyoos, the Watermark Beach Resort will offer services and amenities for a luxurious getaway, wedding, or meeting destination. The four-story, 153-suite resort’s amenities includes a spa, fitness facility, steam room, hot tubs, seasonal pool with waterslide, wine bar and wine bar patio.
Send to a friend
