Cariboo-Chilcotin areas are eligible to receive funding towards marketing and development projects due to a provincial government effort to help grow and promote local tourism.
Eligible communities include:
• Williams Lake $9,200
• 100 Mile $23,000
• West Chilcotin $9,200
• CRD $23,000
• Xeni Gwet’in $9,200
The funding assists communities that are in a position to implement their own tourism building initiatives. These initiatives will support advertising, tourist-related signage, audio walking tours, online activities, tourism brochures, and research.
“The smaller towns in the Cariboo have many outdoor tourist attractions, but they are often overshadowed by the lure of bigger cities,” says Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett. “I’m pleased that our region is eligible for funding to support our great local tourism industry.”
The funding comes from the provincial government’s Community Tourism Opportunities (CTO) program administered by regional destination marketing organizations.
Both marketing and development projects are eligible under the program which reimburses communities following successful completion of their approved projects.
The province is providing $1 million shared among 300 grassroots projects. More than 180 communities in all parts of the province have projects that are eligible for funding.
This is the third year the CTO program has been in operation and it has grown in popularity each year. This year there has been a 13 per cent increase in participation. Successful applicants must have matching funds for their projects and will receive funding after successful completion of their projects.