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Socio-Economic
Montage
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Kootenay Heritage
Tourism Study
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Authored by:
Commonwealth Historic Resource Management
Limited
The DPA Group Incorporated
Tourism Research Group
Urban Systems Limited
Wayne Choquette
Commissioned by:
Heritage Conservation Branch, Province of
BC
Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Culture
March 1990
Location of Publication:
"Columbia Basin Trust Collection"
Heritage Conservation Branch, Province of BC
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The intent of this study was to
document the history of the Kootenay and an inventory of the region's
significant heritage resources as a basis for identifying opportunities
for heritage tourism. It is comprised of three parts:
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Contextual History of the
Kootenay |
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Inventory and Analysis of
Heritage Resources |
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Identification of Heritage
Tourism Opportunities |
The contextual history
describes the prehistory and the post-contact history of
the Kootenay and traces the development of key themes: settlement,
mining and smelting, forestry, agriculture, hydroelectric power
and recreation.
The inventory
of heritage resources comprises a wide range of existing
and potential heritage tourism attractions, identified through library
research, field visits, and discussions with local operators and
residents (including museums, heritage districts, historic buildings,
plaques, roadside stops, archaeological sites, historic trails,
and other types of resources). The 282 resources that were included
in the inventory were plotted on a map of the Kootenay study area.
The contextual history and the inventory
of heritage tourism resources together provided the basis for a
conceptual understanding of the Kootenay's heritage tourism base.
Several reasons have been identified as to why the region has not
yet managed to capitalize on its heritage and resources with a tourism
economy worthy of its potential:
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lack of major destination
sites which serve as attractions to tourists;
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efforts to coordinate marketing
by area have not yet had time to succeed;
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individual attractions and
resources tend to operate independently and compete with one
another for funding and market share;
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marketing efforts have not
been matched to the specialized markets for which heritage
tourism is suited;
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the infrastructure has constrained
heritage tourism (ie. poor roads, air access constrained due
to topography, climate and limited facilities);
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accommodations and dining
facilities are limited;the seasonal aspect of tourism and
funding uncertainties result in many attractions not being
financially viable; and,
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kootenay residents do not
necessarily welcome an influx of visitors. |
The identification of tourism opportunities
provides a framework for more effective integration, collaboration,
and coordination of heritage tourism in the future. It is essential
that the myriad of individual tourism resources be grouped into
larger "wholes". The study presents two categories of
heritage tourism opportunities:
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regional strategies
with wide applicability throughout the Kootenay - generally
concerns theming and marketing; and,
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specific opportunities
tied to localized heritage resources and communities - combinations
of themes, marketing, touring modes, and other elements. |
Regional strategies recommended
include:
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identifying theme areas such
as mining and smelting, transportation, settlement patterns,
pre-contact settlement and land use, and immigration and religious/ethnic
settlements;
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developing primary destinations
- well developed attractions that encourage attendance of
a half-day or more;
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central visitors' information/interpretation
centres - to provide visitors with an overall sense of the
area, its history and its people, and to provide information
on how to combine attractions into a day's touring;
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tours - circle routes, 'hub-and-spoke'
tours and backcountry tours;
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self-guided touring products
such as guidebooks, brochures, maps and cassette tapes (talking
guidebooks);
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interpretation of heritage
resources near major highways;
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improved signage and tourist
information;
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the 'ecomuseum' concept;
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coordinated marketing by the
many existing heritage tourism attractions;
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partnerships - private sector
organizations that can relate to a theme (ie. mining, smelting,
hydroelectric power and forest products);
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downtown improvement and revitalization
programs;
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improved tourist accommodations
and services; and,
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government agency coordination. |
Specific opportunities identified
include:
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heritage tourism destinations;
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circle route tours;
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'hub-and-spoke' tours;
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backcountry four wheel drive;
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backcountry hiking;
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backcountry recreational boating;
and,
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archaeological resources (all
prehistory). |
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