With the 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts officially in the books, Tourism Kamloops is happy with the way the city sold itself during the 10-day event.

Speaking on the NL Morning News, CEO Monica Dickinson, says while they heard plenty of compliments about the scenery in the area during the Scotties, it was Kamloopsians themselves that really sold the city as a destination.

“For us I think its more of that feeling, the feeling that you get when you’re here and I think our topography had a lot of do with that,” she said. “I mean, I know I love the feeling of our mountains and just being at the valley bottom and taking that all in.”

“But I think its everything. Its out people, its the way that we present ourselves, its the way that this community welcomes others.”

The City was promoted both online – with local curler Erin Pincott touring men’s curling great John Morris around the region- and on television with two ads on TSN – one showcasing the area in general with the other focused on attracting golfers.

“[It is to let] people know all the great stuff that there is to do in Kamloops,” Dickinson told NL News last month.

Dickinson says it will be a while before they know the exact economic impact of the Scotties, estimated to be at least 5-million, though organizers say it could be between $6-million and $10-million when all is said and done.

The Memorial Cup later this spring now becomes the main focus of Tourism Kamloops as well as the Kamloops Film Festival that gets underway on Thursday.

“Kudos to our businesses and our residents for welcoming the athletes and their families and other spectators to this community because that is what really makes us amazing,” Dickinson added.

“That is what people remember, and so for us, from a tourism perspective, that is all we want is the community acting as ambassadors to welcome visitors.”