Two and a quarter million cars traveled through Princeton last year.
Who knew?
That statistic was determined by a traffic study, commissioned by the Town of Princeton and the B.C. Ministry of Transportation.
The study was conducted during 2020 under COVID conditions, so does not include foreign travellers.
“Unlike any other industry that Princeton has, tourism is the one economic driver that the town can influence,” stated economic and tourism director Gary Schatz in a report to town council.
Schatz is on a mission to lure Highway 3 traffic into town.
“Through proactive rather than reactive practices, we can create marketable opportunities and end user experiences that focus on visitor attraction,” he said.
“Showcasing downtown revitalization, the sculpture walk, museum, RV park and golf course as well our lakes, and trails will continue to enhance the concept of Princeton as a true tourist destination.”
Related: Princeton officially becomes ‘Bronze Statue Capital of Canada’
Overall in 2020 numbers at the visitor’s centre were down, however the facility was closed for three months due to COVID.
Last year 12,521 walked through the doors on Bridge Street.
“Tourism is crucial to business growth. Whether a visitor is coming for business, leisure or both, that visit is a crucial economic driver for the Town of Princeton,” stated Schatz.
“The visitor economy provides the Town of Princeton with a major underutilized growth sector. It is critical that the town continues to expand and offer visitor experiences that will further develop Princeton as a destination for visitors from Canada and around the world.
“A strong visitor economy in Princeton is good for everyone providing a significant impact with job creation and growth and overall spend in many business sectors.”
Princeton’s town-owned RV park caught ‘campfire’ in 2020
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email:mailto:andrea.demeer@similkameenspotlight.com
Â
