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May 14, 2008

2007 Achievements Pave the Way for Major Progress for Osoyoos

The Destination Osoyoos economic development organization used its annual general meeting Wednesday to celebrate a year of key achievements paving the way for major progress for local tourism, community economic development, local services, and quality of life.

Destination Osoyoos Chairman Chris Bower told business and community representatives gathered at the AGM, “The amazing work undertaken this past year has laid the foundation for this community to literally go to the next level as an all-season economic generator in the months and years to come.”

Bower said a number of actions and projects undertaken over the past year make Destination Osoyoos stronger and boost Osoyoos’ prospects for the future. He said all the activity is bearing fruit throughout the area, including growing investment, visible construction, busy businesses, an improving local quality of life, and increasing interest in Osoyoos by outside news media, tour operators and visitors.

Destination Osoyoos CEO Glenn Mandziuk gave the AGM a review of many of the projects that made 2007 such a successful year. He said all of Destination Osoyoos’ activities fell into five categories – Investment Attraction, Business Retention & Expansion, Visitor Information, Tourism Market Development, and Community Development – all focused on supporting the key central goal: Economic Development.

Mandziuk listed a number of important developments in the community in the past year, including:

Opening of the new BC Visitor Centre @ Osoyoos
Implementation of the additional two-per-cent hotel-room tax with revenue going for better tourism marketing initiatives
Designation of Osoyoos as a resort municipality leading to additional funding for local improvements
Launch of the town’s new brand – ‘Osoyoos: Canada’s Warmest Welcome’
Successful recruitment of new doctors to the area
Fostering an agreement with the Town and the provincial government to develop industrial land at the Osoyoos Airport
• The start of efforts to recruit skilled foreign workers for local businesses
Supporting local events like business training and the Osoyoos Lake Water Science Forum
Start-up and operation of Community Information Radio Osoyoos (CIRO 106.5 FM)
Expanding the area’s guided tour program.

“All this activity is the groundwork for Osoyoos to jump to the next level,” Mandziuk said. He told the AGM that the tourism and economic development activity is proving to be a great investment in the future of Osoyoos: “This past year we attracted more than $4 million in new tourism and economic development program dollars for the community from both the private and public sectors – and for every one dollar invested in local programs, 19 new dollars were leveraged,” Mandziuk said.

At the same time, he said, Destination Osoyoos took a number of steps in 2007 to invest in bringing its own human-resources and financial-management processes up to first-class standards. He presented an audited financial statement to the AGM laying out revenues and program costs.

A highlight of the AGM was the premiere screening of a new High-Definition five-minute promotional video, created by Ace Film Company, which will showcase Osoyoos to many external audiences.

Also, an expanded new area guided tour program, operated by MJO Tours, was announced, with the goal of providing educational heritage, cultural, and culinary tours in addition to winery tours.

And speakers from Citizenship & Immigration Canada, Service Canada, and the B.C. Provincial Nominee Program gave a presentation on how businesses can recruit skilled foreign workers.

In his remarks, Mandziuk emphasized that Destination Osoyoos’ efforts are proving successful because of the positive partnership approach the organization takes with governments and businesses, and because of the “passion and dedication” of the organization’s Board of Directors and staff. “Our staff is very professional and is dedicated to excellence. They are the key to everything we do,” Mandziuk said.

The 2008 Board of Directors was announced at the AGM. Directors will select their chair and other executive members at their organizational meeting. The Board includes: