Tourism Wells Gray has hired a new tourism manager, TWG chair Ted Richardson told Clearwater town council during its Jan. 17 meeting.
Adrian "Brad" Bradbury is the former chief executive officer of Rivercorp, Campbell River's economic development agency. He started work Jan. 23 and will be based in the District of Clearwater building.
He takes the place of Heather Steere, who stepped down as tourism and marketing manager for Wells Gray Country and District of Clearwater last November to continue her studies.
Council approved a request from Richardson to extend the deadlines for an updated strategic plan and its associated business plan from March 31 to June 30. The extra three months was needed to allow Bradbury to work with the TWG board to complete the documents.
Tourism consultant Jennifer Houiellebecq completed the original strategic plan in 2007, Richardson recalled. It needs a major upgrade now and should be updated annually, he felt.
The business plan
Richardson noted that local tourist accommodations began collecting a two per cent hotel tax in November. That money is supposed to be sent by the province monthly, but as of the time of the meeting the first month's take still had not been received.
Applying for UNESCO World Heritage status for the volcanoes of Wells Gray Park and area would be an expensive proposition, he said. Richardson noted that their consultant, Stu Crawford, had told them, "If you go halfway, you're just wasting your time and money."