Vancouver Island Visitor Center

Well, maybe it is because I am traveling so much these past few weeks but today I had a meeting up in Courtenay which was held at the new Vancouver Island Visitor Center - one of the icon centers in the province and I must say - WOW. This is a case study of every best practice that exists in visitor center development - I was super impressed.

The center is well signed and located just off the main entrance to the City and is identified by a symbol of the area - a plane. There is lots of parking and the facility is impressive in size and scope - inviting to say the least.  Inside, there is a nice new meeting room for community use, an open concept space with a large counter area for staff, a shopping space for local gifts, an area for computer searches and wireless access, couches and a fireplace for relaxing or reading...and most impressive - in the back area there is an interactive area that profiles the region for the visitor.  The displays profile the amenities of the area including wildlife, recreation and sports, agriculture and sustainability initiatives. When we were there the place was full of visitors in all corners of the venue. As we enjoyed our BBQ on the outdoor patio, I couldn't help but wonder how impressive it must be for visitors to arrive here and form a positive impression of the area. I also wondered, as I often do, about the inconsistent experience that visitors must have though as they travel throughout the province to different VIC's as they range in quality sometimes quite drastically.

It must have been a huge undertaking to accomplish this project, and I wish all those involved success with the venture and will definitely encourage my own guests this summer to stop in on route up island.