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Ripe for tourism

Given the right conditions and some planning, the group sales tourism market is poised to take off in this former logging town.

Given the right conditions and some planning, the group sales tourism market is poised to take off in this former logging town.

One of the engines driving group sales is the traditional bus tour, an undertaking for which a distinctly Squamish itinerary would not be too difficult to cobble together.

The excursion starts in the parking lot at the base of the Stawamus Chief with a short presentation by a tour guide about the geological history of the renowned rock and its place in the life of the community.

Totem Hall would be the next logical destination, where representatives from the Squamish Nation would present an overview of their community's heritage and traditions.

Then it's over to the Howe Sound Brew Pub for lunch, the view and the brew. The on-line travel accommodation and service appraisal group, TripAdvisor, gave the Brew Pub a five out of six rating, so that establishment would be a fitting host.

After lunch a short downtown walkabout and mini shopping tour would be followed by a trip over to the Adventure Centre for a looky-look and souvenir purchases.

In the early afternoon our visitors converge on Quest University where they will be awed by the view and then taken on a guided tour of the facility. And with the addition of the state-of-the-art CN Roundhouse, a trip around the West Coast Railway Heritage Park is also a must.

Between mid-November and mid-February a stop at the eagle viewing area followed by a tour of the Brackendale Art Gallery would bring the group up to speed on our local feathered icons and the artists who depict them.

Weather permitting, an Alice Lake walkabout and interpretative presentation in the park would give tour participants a better understanding of our natural endowment.

For a grand finale, our visitors can stop in at the casino for dinner and a few games of chance, or other entertainment, if they are so inclined.

Let's not forget that we have a lot to offer but we need to position ourselves as an alternative niche venue between Whistler and Lower Mainland destinations like Grouse Mountain.

At the moment there appears to be no concerted attempt to get all the potential local players in the budding group tourism market on the same page. As well, it looks like only a limited effort has been put into working with tour companies, Tourism B.C. and the Canadian Tourism Commission.

It's time to promote what is uniquely Squamish in the emerging markets of China, Brazil and India where the Canadian Tourism Commission is vigorously laying the groundwork for destinations like ours.

Although Tourism Squamish has showcased our natural assets with the release of a series of high-definition videos, increased visibility in the marketplace, especially the Internet based social media, will be vital.

The recently reconstituted Squamish Sustainability Corporation, the Squamish Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Squamish need to do some serious brainstorming to get our ducks in a row before a new wave of tour buses bypass us on their way to the four seasons Mecca up the road.

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