By Cheryl Jahn

2024 was a banner year for tourism

Oct 3, 2024 | 3:55 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The former Visitor Information Center on First Avenue has been closed for months. Once the home for Tourism Prince George, its new home is in the rotunda between the Civic Center and the library. And despite its new digs, it was a banner year.

“We were open about 13 percent less time versus 2023, but we had almost 15 percent more visitors. Even though we were in a temporary location, even though we had some issues with signage and getting them updated, the numbers increased this year versus last year. So that’s really positive. And we see that as an area where we can definitely grow in the future,” explains Colin Carson, CEO of Tourism Prince George.

Tourism in the region leans heavily on what’s called rubber tire traffic. They are the RV buyers who flow through the region. And while the move put the Visitor Information Center’s focus smack in the middle of downtown. No problem.

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“We still get those long-haul travellers. It’s one of those things where as long as they’re utilizing technology at the moment, then they can still find us easily.”

Work is well underway on converting the rotunda into the new Visitor Information Center, soon to be occupying both levels.

“It’s been a process for sure, getting it renovated and up to where it needs to be a visitor centre. But it’s getting close now. We should be in here before the end of the year. And, you know, really looking forward to that, especially as the big conferences kick off in January.”

Carson says with the Sea-can now closed and the new Visitor Information Center yet to open in the rotunda at the Civic Center, we can expect to see a lot more pop-ups all over at events around town.