Osoyoos, B.C. — Destination Osoyoos and MJO Tours have unveiled a bigger and better program of guided tours in the Osoyoos area for 2008 with a focus on affordable, fun and educational family visits to sites that display the unique cultural, historical, environmental and culinary features of the region.

Destination Osoyoos CEO Glenn Mandziuk and MJO Tours President Mary Jo O’Keefe announced the expanded tour program at the Destination Osoyoos Annual General Meeting, held today. The new set of tours will begin operating on May 23.

“This is an exciting expansion of our ability to show the unique features that Osoyoos offers to the many thousands of visitors who come to our area each year,” Mandziuk says. He adds that the MJO Tours van will operate from the new B.C. Visitor Centre @ Osoyoos.

O’Keefe says MJO Tours began offering winery tours in the Osoyoos area last year, but the new program now offers a wide range of interpretive escorted tours designed to be experiential, educational and fun. She says while the program will continue to include wine tours, it now adds tours to organic farms, the Mascot gold mine, the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, the Osoyoos Desert Centre, and historic sites such as the Haynes Ranch and the local cemetery.

“We are offering both scheduled and customized tours, all with exclusive content tailored for our tours,” O’Keefe says. Each MJO Tours group will include up to 10 people.

“We’re also including much more emphasis on things for families to do in the area,” O’Keefe adds.

Activities will include guided walking tours with explanations of the landscape and wildlife, a traditional First Nations salmon bake and experience of aboriginal culture in a re-created Okanagan village, on-site talks about the region’s pioneer settlers, ‘full moon’ tours of the desert and the historic graveyard, and extensive educational tours through many of the area’s popular wineries.

Mandziuk notes that instead of just being a summer activity, he now expects the tour program to operate year-round. While the main set of tours will run from May 23–Oct. 31, talks are underway with Mt. Baldy Ski Resort to include tours to that facility in winter, and other tours will operate in the spring, summer and fall.

For more information about the tours, people can go to website www.destinationosoyoos.com and click the ‘Tourism’ link and its pop-up link: ‘Escorted Wine & Culinary Tours’, or call 250-495-3366 or toll-free 1-888-676-9667.

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For more Information, Contact:

Glenn Mandziuk, CEO, Destination Osoyoos
Tel: 250-495-3366 or 1-888-676-9667
Email: glenn@osoyoos.ca
Website: www.destinationosoyoos.com

The Destination Osoyoos Development Society is a non-profit grassroots organization committed to strengthening economic, physical, social and cultural conditions in the Osoyoos area. The goal of its Community Economic Development Strategy is to promote enhanced quality of life and a sustainable, diversified economy. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors representing diverse interests in the community.