The President and CEO of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) says $200,000 in funding from the province is exciting for the region.

In all, the province is providing $1-million to Destination BC for five regional marketing organizations, including the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, with the money meant help smaller communities – like Clearwater and Vavenby – affected by the forestry crisis kick start tourism.

Speaking on the NL Morning News, Glenn Mandziuk says it will help get stakeholders to the table.

“To talk about some exciting initiatives that could happen in our region for tourism development, product development, research – you know, things that are quite frankly harder to fund and having the ability to have some resources to help see some of these things through is something that we are very grateful for,” he said.

Mandziuk notes TOTA will be looking at regional strategies already in place, while working with the communities to see what might work best for the region.

“Together with community meetings to identify those ones that have the greatest impact, the greatest legacy opportunity,” he noted. “And also, that we can leverage these dollars for other dollars.

The plan for TOTA is to have a plan of action in place by April, and so until then Mandziuk says they’ll be working to determine what those key projects are for the region.

“Once we identify those priority projects, we’re off and running,” he said. “We’ll be engaging local community partners, local destination marketing organizations, their economic development and obviously the city councils.”

BC’s Minster of Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Lisa Beare previously told NL News that there are many communities in the province that have great potential for tourism growth.