N E W S R E L E A S E Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts

Transcription

1 For Immediate Release 2010TCA Aug. 31, 2010 N E W S R E L E A S E YOU GOTTA BE HERE CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED VICTORIA The winners of the You Gotta Be Here summer contest were announced today by Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Kevin Krueger. We were impressed by the volume and range of the entries for this contest, said Krueger. The entries and photos reflect the genuine pride of British Columbians and their desire to share their favourite places to visit in B.C. with locals and tourists alike. The contest, open to all adult residents of B.C., was sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Global BC and Overwaitea Food Group. Six regional trip prizes, with one grand prize, were available for the winner of one of the trip prizes. The winners, selected randomly by a third party, are as follows: Culinary Delights: A six-day culinary adventure through the rolling valleys, majestic peaks and breathtaking ocean views of the Vancouver, Coast and Mountains Region. Won by Ian Trombley of Hazelton. Island Getaway: A seven-day Gulf Islands adventure that includes kayaking, and pampering at indulgent spas, in the Vancouver Island Region. Won by Robert Young of Nelson. Wines and Vistas: A six-day tour of the Thompson Okanagan Region s resorts and lodges, as well as a sampling of wines and outdoor experiences. Won by Judy Jolliffe of Campbell River. Mountain of Adventure: A five-day discovery of glaciers, hot springs and adventures in the Kootenay Rockies Region. Won by Lisa Faulds of Williams Lake. Fly-Fishing Escape: A three-day experience including flight-seeing and fly-fishing in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Region. Won by Kathleen Hair of Vancouver. Great Northern Rail Ride: A four-day train journey across the diverse and magical Northern BC Region. Won by Donna Garbelya of Kelowna. The grand prize was won by Lisa Faulds from Williams Lake, who will receive a barbeque for her community on Sept. 12, sponsored by Overwaitea Food Group. I know that Kathleen Hair will enjoy some of the best hospitality B.C. has to offer when she comes to the Cariboo-Chilcotin, says Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett. I encourage everyone to come out to the barbeque at Save-On-Foods, won on behalf of Williams Lake by Lisa. It will be a great time to get to know your community better.

2 - 2 - The contest was part of a B.C. summer tourism campaign designed to encourage B.C. residents to travel within the province this summer. Residents make up the single-largest group of travellers in the province and represent approximately 47 per cent of all visitor volume in B.C. Over 6,500 unique entries were received, and many of the photos submitted have been posted on the HelloBC.com Facebook page at HelloBC.com is a one-stop website for all your B.C. travel planning. To learn more about accommodations and activities for this weekend and throughout the summer, visit A backgrounder follows Media Contact: Gordon Keast Public Affairs Officer For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province s website at

3 - 3 - For Immediate Release 2010TCA Aug. 31, 2010 B A C K G R O U N D E R PRIZES AND APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUES Trip Prizes 1. Culinary Delights Vancouver, Coast and Mountains Round-trip economy airfare to Vancouver from the commercial airport in B.C. nearest One night s accommodation at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa, including dinner and breakfast. Admission for two to Minter Gardens and Hell s Gate. Tour of Fort Berens Winery. Admission to the Xwstixen cultural experience. One night s accommodation and dinner at Reynolds Hotel in Lillooet. Tour of the Pemberton Distillery. One night s accommodation and breakfast at the Executive Suites Garibaldi Spring Golf Resort. Sea to Sky experience including day passes to the BC Mining Museum, lunch at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre, and a ride on the Peak2Peak gondola in Whistler. BC Ferries passes for two to the Sunshine Coast. One night s accommodation and breakfast at the Painted Boat Resort & Marina, including breakfast. An outdoor adventure tour with TerraCentric Adventures. One night s accommodation at The Historic Lund Hotel. $500 spending money and a six-day economy car rental. Approximate Retail Value: $4, Island Getaway - Vancouver Island Round-trip economy airfare to Vancouver from the commercial airport in B.C. nearest BC Ferries passes for two to Pender Island, Galiano Island and Salt Spring Island. Two nights accommodation at Poet s Cove Resort and Spa on Pender Island, including a guided kayak tour for two. Two nights accommodation at Galiano Inn and Spa on Galiano Island, including a couple s massage and day use of a Smart car. Two nights accommodation at Hastings House Country House Hotel on Salt Spring Island, including one dinner as well as breakfast and afternoon tea each day. Flight-seeing tour with Salt Spring Air. $500 spending money and a seven-day economy car rental. Approximate retail value: $6,595

4 Wines and Vistas - Thompson Okanagan Round-trip economy airfare to Kelowna from the commercial airport in B.C. nearest the winner s residence. One night s accommodation at the Sun Peaks Lodge, including biking, hiking or golf, compliments of Sun Peaks Resort. One night s accommodation and dinner at the Quilchena Hotel in Nicola Lake. One night s accommodation and a chef s wine-paired dinner at Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos. One night s accommodation at Summerland Waterfront Resort, including a watercraft rental and spa visit to Beyond Wrapture Day Spa. One night s accommodation in a deluxe room at Manteo Resort in Kelowna. $500 spending money and a six-day economy car rental. Approximate retail value: $4, Mountains of Adventure - Kootenay Rockies Round-trip economy airfare to Trail by Pacific Coastal Air from Vancouver. Four night s accommodation at winner s choice of two prestige resorts. Visit to the warm waters of Ainsworth Hot Springs. Scenic ferry ride with expansive views of the stunning Kokanee Glacier. Wine tasting, mountain biking, fishing, kayaking, shopping excursions in a variety of historic communities. Dining at both the Kokanee Springs Golf Resort and Nelson's Historic Hume Hotel. $500 spending money and a five-day economy car rental. Approximate retail value: $4, Fly-Fishing Escape - Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Round-trip economy airfare to Anahim Lake via Pacific Coastal Airlines from Vancouver. Two-day, two-night deluxe stay at The Dean on Nimpo All Season Inn on Nimpo Lake, including lunches and dinners. Fly-in, guided fly-fishing experience with Tweedsmuir Air Service, including a flightseeing tour of the region s stunning natural beauty. $500 spending money and a three-day economy car rental. Approximate retail value: $4, Great Northern Rail Ride - Northern British Columbia One-way economy airfare to Edmonton, AB from the commercial airport in B.C. nearest Economy ground transportation from Edmonton, AB to Jasper, AB. One-way economy airfare to the commercial airport in B.C. nearest the winner s residence from Prince Rupert. Train trip across Northern B.C. on VIA Rail. One night deluxe accommodation at Coast Inn of the North in Prince George. One night accommodation at the Whistler Inn in Jasper. One night deluxe accommodation at Crest Hotel in Prince Rupert. $500 spending money Approximate retail value: $4,300

5 - 5 - Grand Prize The Grand Prize consists of a barbecue event for the community in which the winner resides. The event will be held Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010 between the hours of 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. in the parking lot of or adjacent to an Overwaitea Food Group (OFG) store (Overwaitea Foods, Save-On-Foods, PriceSmart Foods or Cooper s Foods) near the winner s community of residence, as reasonably determined by OFG. The event will be held as scheduled regardless of weather conditions, however, the barbecue will be rescheduled if forest fires in the area continue to pose a risk to the community. OFG will supply and serve refreshments to the community at the event while supplies last Media Contact: Gordon Keast Public Affairs Officer For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province s website at