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RVwest readers give TDC their Gold Award

The Williams Lake Tourism Discovery Centre has been voted as one of the top four favourite visitor information centres for 2016.
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The Tourism Discovery Centre will celebrate National Tourism Day

The Williams Lake Tourism Discovery Centre has been voted as one of the top four favourite visitor information centres for 2016 by RVwest magazine readers.

The Williams Lake TDC won the Gold Award or second place award.

“Congratulations,” said Amanda McQuarrie of Koocanusa Publications Inc. Distribution in notifying the Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce about the award this week.

“Your business has been selected by our readers as one of the best in the 10th annual RVwest Magazine – Reader’s Choice Awards.”

“I was just thrilled,” says chamber executive director Claudia Blair.

“Our staff and board of directors are very proud to receive this recognition.”

With a nice wide parking lot and a beautiful log building housing the chamber and  BC Visitor Centre, the TDC stands out on the Highway 97 route as a welcoming rest stop for travellers.

Blair says that on average 30,000 visitors a year stop at the centre which has a small coffee shop, gift shop, and Internet service and all kinds of information on local, regional, and provincial accommodation, restaurants, lodges, interesting activities, special attractions, events, and community contacts.

But just as important, she says the staff enjoy helping visitors plan their vacations.

If people only have a few hours to spend here they may point them in the direction of Scout Island Nature Centre, the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin, and the Station House Gallery.

If they are looking for more adventure they will suggest gold panning in Likely, river rafting, grizzly bear viewing, horseback riding, biking in the Williams Lake River Valley as well as point them to services in the community.

Then there are all of those incredible fishing lakes in the region to tell people about.

Blair says visitors can buy their fishing licences at the TDC.

The TDC also has a collection of fishing rods, and augers for ice fishing available on loan for visitors.

This fall people will also be able to buy their hunting licences at the TDC.

Blair says the TDC only makes a dollar on each licence sold, but the service makes it convenient and helps to keep people enjoying and coming back to the Williams Lake area for holidays.

Helping people with little details of their holiday is also part of the service they provide such as options for having a vehicle serviced or where to park their boat if they want to take a side trip.

This week Blair says the staff was able to help a couple from Germany who were involved in a car accident and didn’t know what procedures to follow to report the incident.

“We enjoy being able to offer services for visitors when they come in. It is fun to help people and just awesome when they say thank-you,” Blair said.

The TDC is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This Monday, May 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the TDC will celebrate National Tourism Day with complementary refreshments and information displays by local tourism operators.

The RVwest readers gave the Platinum or first place award to the Revelstoke tourist information centre. The Fernie centre won the Silver Award and the Dawson Creek centre won the Bronze Award.

For more information about the Williams Lake Tourism Discovery Centre located at 1660 South Broadway go to www.williamslakechamber.com or www.tourismwilliamslake.com

Or call 250-392-5025 or toll free at 877-967-5253