by Keith McNeill
Many people who live in the Clearwater-Wells Gray area do not appreciate how unique and wonderful it is, according to Andy Schwaiger.
“When we use the slogan, ‘The Canada you Imagined,’ that’s exactly how visitors feel when they come here,” he told Clearwater town council during its meeting on Jan. 9.
He gave as an example when the wildfire danger closed Wells Gray Park last summer.
His company, Kanata Adventure Specialists, relocated tourists who had been planning to come here to Revelstoke and other places – but the experience just wasn’t the same.
“The feedback was good but they were on a reservoir not a lake. It just wasn’t wilderness as we know it here,” he said.
Schwaiger is now the North Thompson Valley’s representative on the Thompson-Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) board.
“Glenn has a huge heart for Clearwater-Wells Gray,” he said, referring to TOTA CEO Glenn Mandziuk.
READ MORE: Glenn Mandziuk in Clearwater (May 26, 2016)
READ MORE: Groups partner to develop North Thompson tourism (Aug. 1, 2014)
“Because of Glenn, TOTA knows exactly what Clearwater-Wells Gray means to this region’s tourism. For example, the Wells Gray Infocentre is the busiest in the Interior if not the province,” said Schwaiger.
Wells Gray Park is a huge asset, he felt, but there needs to be work done to develop more tourism in winter and during the spring and fall shoulder seasons.
Ice-climbing at Helmcken Falls is world-class but appeals only to a very small number of dedicated people.
READ MORE: Ice-climbers pioneer new routes (Mar. 4, 2014)
Dog sledding and snowmobiling tours have been offered but not consistently.
Shoulder season opportunities might include bear-watching in the spring and forest colors in the fall.
There also should be more high-end product tailored for the more affluent customers. Blue River has it with the Mike Wiegele development, but Clearwater does not.
“TOTA will definitely be there to work with you, not just on marketing but also on product development,” Schwaiger said.
Schwaiger said he’s lived in the Clearwater area since the mid-1990s.
His business, Kanata Adventure Specialists, primarily brings tourists in and distributes them to the various tourist operators.
“I don’t think there’s a business in town that has not been affected by what we’ve been doing,” he said.
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