In her role in promoting the value of tourism in Castlegar and the surrounding region, Andrea has found that many local businesses don’t always understand the role they play in the tourism industry. Restaurants, for example, don’t necessarily see themselves as being involved in the industry. One of the main objectives in Andrea’s work, therefore, has been in showing businesses in her community what value they offer to tourists – and how this translates into rewards for everybody living in the region. Destination Castlegar supports local businesses and encourages them to showcase themselves, really to come forward with the best they have to offer, not only to get repeat visits from locals, but to draw visitors into the area as well. Making local businesses aware of their role in this regard and securing their buy-in is central to growing tourism.

It is obvious then, that promoting tourism is not simply about marketing its attractions to outsiders, but also about helping locals to understand the value that tourism brings and making them conscious of the role they play in creating that value.

Listen to more of Andrea’s insights about the value of tourism in episode 5 of our latest podcast series. For more information on public relations, digital marketing and related topics, go back and explore the previous five podcast series, read our blog, or contact us for more information.