Image Credit: Tourism Kamloops
Two & Out

PETERS: Tourism Kamloops trading visitor centre for Jeep a real head-scratcher

Jun 26, 2020 | 12:08 PM

TOURISM KAMLOOPS has done a lot of great marketing for this city over the years, but a decision it made this week should raise some serious concerns from the local tourist-dependant sector.

The visitor centre located off the Trans Canada Highway will be closed to the public this summer, in favour of a Jeep and trailer rig.

The Jeep will roam the community, park in strategic locations and offer information and promotional opportunities to those who can find it.

This is a classic case of fixing something that is not broken — or finding a problem that does not exist.

A tourist ambling into our fair city and looking for information is very likely going to do everything possible to find a visitor centre.

That means looking up the location of a visitor centre on their phone or following the well-established signage on the highway – both of which point to the location opposite Aberdeen Mall on Hillside Way.

Now, when they get there, they will find a former visitor centre, likely with some sort of signage directing them to where the Jeep will be that day.

This plan might make a bit more sense if there were going to be actual events for the Jeep to show up at this summer, like Canada Day or Ribfest.

But events have been cancelled in 2020. There will be no gatherings of people.

Tourism Kamloops should be entirely up front with the businesses that rely on its work.

The Jeep is available via a corporate tie-in, contributing to this move being a significant money-saving opportunity.

And that’s about the only positive.

Our hotels and restaurants are open for business and will be more reliant than ever on effective marketing to help them get heads on pillows and butts in seats.

Not only that, this is a year when British Columbians are being encouraged to travel around their own province, meaning they will be coming through on the Trans Canada Highway.

If they see a shuttered visitor centre, they’re liable to just keep on driving.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.

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