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B.C. Tourism gets $750,000 from province

The Campbell government has pledged $750,000 to support marketing efforts for B.C.’s tourism industry.

The Campbell government has pledged $750,000 to support marketing efforts for B.C.’s tourism industry.

The funding was announced on April 16, three weeks after the province contributed $500,000 to regional tourism associations around the province.

In February’s throne speech, Premier Gordon Campbell committed the government to help double the size of the $10 billion tourism industry by 2010.

In 2002, Tourism B.C. spent $24.2 million on marketing activities, with noticeable success – while tourism has declined around the world due to political and economic uncertainty, the B.C. tourism industry has increased in size.

"The tourism business is more competitive than ever," said Mike Duggan, the chair of Tourism B.C. and the general manager of the Whistler Pan Pacific Hotel. "To maintain our competitiveness as a destination, we must target our marketing initiatives where they will have the most impact. This funding will allow us to build visitation in the short term while continuing to maintain British Columbia’s presence in all key markets."

According to the province, more than 114,000 people are directly employed in the tourism industry, and 266,000 work in tourism-related businesses. The sector is expected to add almost 50,000 new jobs by 2010.