April Cuffy
Castlegar News
Local tourism is hoped to see a boost by the upcoming addition of a travel feature on Expedia.com.
Specifically, the City of Castlegar will be one of only three other British Columbia cities to have a full-length article on the internationally-recognized site, which reports upwards of $3 billion (US) annual revenue.
“My understanding is that we are only one of three cities from B.C. to be featured on the site and the other ones are all larger centres,” said City of Castlegar Councillor Kevin Chernoff.
While the editorial exposure is considered “free” in contrast to paid advertising, there were associated costs to the publicity in the name of using a helicopter to take aerial photographs of Castlegar.
“The Chamber of Commerce was the lead on this project and the City helped facilitate some of it, such as the helicopter tour and recommending sites for the photo shoots around town,” said Councillor Chernoff.
The cost is relatively minor however, when compared to the global reach of the Expedia website and the potential revenue it could generate for Castlegar and surrounding communities.
Taking the better part of a year to organize, the photo shoot took place in mid-August with the coverage and photos expected to be up on Expedia by November, just in time for the winter tourism rush and early summer booking season.
“It’ll be a great tool for skiing and tourism for next summer,” added Councillor Chernoff.
The article is expected to highlight and promote the four-season outdoor activity and recreation opportunities available in the Castlegar area.
Visit www.expedia.com in the coming months to see the full coverage or contact the Castlegar Chamber of Commerce at www.castlegar.com for more information.