Photo attached to Tourism Kamloops' Expression of Interest page for an Iconic Attraction/via Tamara Jaeger
A hunt is on for a consultant to help Tourism Kamloops develop an Iconic Attraction.
An Expression of Interest has been launched as Tourism Kamloops looks for a consultant which will be able to develop draft concepts for an Iconic Attraction which could be a good fit for Kamloops, and where it might be located.
“The land dictates the iconic. It’s sort of a generalized statement. But if you have a canyon, you look at things like doing a suspension bridge. If you have a mountain that’s available, you look at gondolas,” said Nic Zdunich, Destination Marketing Manager with Tourism Kamloops.
Zdunich says work has already been underway to get the development concept rolling.
“I’ve been out there speaking to different developers around Canada that sort of specialize in these types of initiatives,” he said. “We’re just trying to learn best practices. We’re still out there, sort of trying to identify parcels of land.”
The EOI put out by Tourism Kamloops Tuesday says the successful consultant hired is expected to have their report on potential iconic attractions completed by the end of May, 2025.
“We’re really just starting to bring some marquee interest holders around the table and say, what do we want to do here? What works here? What gives us a sort of competitive edge?” Zdunich added. “We’re hoping to work on that research over the next year.”
Tourism Kamloops says the Iconic Attraction initiative aligns with key priorities in its 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, and that it supports Destination BC’s “Rainforest to Rockies” strategy.
“This strategy highlights British Columbia’s diverse and breathtaking landscapes, and Kamloops aims to be a major stop along this globally recognized route,” states Tourism Kamloops in its EOI.
“The proposed iconic structure will leverage the city’s unique natural and cultural assets, enhancing the travel experience for visitors journeying from the coastal rainforests to the Rocky Mountains.”
It is not clear what kind of iconic structure Tourism Kamloops has in mind, if anything, but a January letter to Kamloops City Council listed the Sea-to-Sky Gondola in Squamish, the Malahat SkyWalk near Victoria, and the Golden Skybridge as examples.
