After many years of operating the Summerland Visitor Centre on Highway 97 at Thompson Road, the Summerland Chamber of Commerce and District of Summerland have agreed it is time to bring tourism services to the heart of the community and modernize approaches to keep up with a changing tourism sector.
After many years of operating the Summerland Visitor Centre on Highway 97 at Thompson Road, the Summerland Chamber of Commerce and District of Summerland have agreed it is time to bring tourism services to the heart of the community and modernize approaches to keep up with a changing tourism sector.
The Chamber-owned building and District-owned land will be put up for sale together, with the Chamber using its portion of the sale to relocate into a new downtown location and the District earmarking its proceeds for tourism-related ventures.
In the 1990s, when the original arrangement between the Chamber and District was implemented, the travelling public was still reliant on roadside wayfinding services to plan and guide their services. In today’s visitor economy, smart phones, travel apps, user reviews and social media have grown in popularity with their ability to offer 24-hour access to real-time travel information.
In response, an exciting new vision has emerged where visitor services will be provided in Summerland’s vibrant downtown arts and business district in order to draw motorists into the community and expose visitors to unique business offerings and events, as well as the arts, culture and history of the area. The Chamber is branding its new approach “Destination Summerland”, which will accompany future marketing and communications.
REMAX Real Estate is facilitating the sale of the highway land and building, which will be advertised in the local newspapers according to regulatory requirements. Until the sale is completed, residents and the travelling public can continue to enjoy the services offered on location today.
Quotes
“We are excited to work with the Summerland Chamber of Commerce as we step into this bright future together. We all know Summerland has much to offer and we will continue to grow our local tourism market to profile the community as a destination of choice for the travelling public.”
-Summerland Mayor, Doug Holmes
“On behalf of the team at Destination Summerland, I am delighted with the direction the Summerland Chamber of Commerce is taking with this relocation to our downtown core. I wish to thank District of Summerland Mayor, Council, and Staff for their ongoing support as we adapt to the future needs of our businesses, residents, and visitors.”
-Summerland Chamber of Commerce President, Mike Hildebrand
“Congratulations to the District of Summerland, the Summerland Chamber, and the newly announced 'Destination Summerland' on these exciting and progressive changes. We look forward to continuing to work with Summerland on building the visitor economy, supporting both residents and guests in connecting with tourism businesses and experiences."
-Ellen Walker-Mathews, TOTA