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Gold Country Communities Society showcased their award-winning GeoTourism Program and Gold Country communities on BC Street during the Olympic Games. Gold Country staff and volunteers enthusiastically shared with thousands of daily visitors the amazing places in which we live!

The eye-catching desert display was the most photographed location in the Vancouver, Coast and Mountains booth where visitors could interact with each display and take a photograph to capture their ‘visit’. Pin trading, brochure distribution, e-postcards, e-videos and a variety of demonstrations kept the space full and vibrant.

(Photo:  The Gold Country GeoTourism desert display at the BC Street opening February 12, 2010.)

“Over and over we were told that this (BC Street) was the most fun people had on their Olympic adventures,” shares Gold Country Marketing director Amy Thacker. “Visitors and media alike were impressed with the diversity of BC being showcased and were delighted to ‘walk’ in our desert landscape. Overall it was an amazing experience and a great benefit to our communities.”

Laura Ballance Media group provided media relations services to BC Street amassing an impressive list of domestic and international media coverage of the region, including print, radio and television. “BC Street, located within the Richmond O Zone, has turned into one of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games ‘must see’ attractions. Through resounding word of mouth, this darling of the Games has ended up attracting upwards of 12,000 visitors each day during the Olympics.”

Gold Country Communities Society reports that the venue was an asset to promotion of the GeoTourism Program and local communities. “The benefits of this international exposure will be seen for years to come,” says Thacker.

Domestic media coverage was ongoing throughout the Winter Olympic games. Vancouver Sun reporter, Steve Whysall, shares BC street highlights, “Specialty displays feature whale-watching in Sooke, oyster-tasting in Comox and geo-tourism (using GPS to find buried treasures) …”

Numbers of visitors and media coverage summaries continue to be gathered and time will show the benefits to Gold Country and the GeoTourism Program.

Gold Country’s BC Street presence was made possible through a cooperative partnership between the communities of Gold Country, Surrey, Sunshine Coast, White Rock, Langley, Harrison, Abbotsford and Vancouver, Coast and Mountains Tourism Region; without whose time, resources and support the display on BC Street would not have been possible.

For information on the Geotourism program visit www.goldtrail.com,  for other Gold Country initiatives please visit www.exploregoldcountry.com, or contact the office during business hours.

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