Visitors are continuing to flock to the Cowichan Lake area whether it’s to take in concerts at Laketown Ranch or to soak up the natural beauty.
“We’re getting more and more winter travelers, more and more winter campers,” Chamber of Commerce manager and Visitor Centre coordinator Katherine Worsley says.
“It’s amazing what they’re looking for,” Worsley told members attending the Cowichan Lake Chamber of Commerce’s annual general meeting on March 5.
Total visitors topped the 35,000 mark in 2019, up more than three per cent over the previous year.
More buses arrived in town last year than in 2018 with many of the tourists coming from Europe, Asia and the United States.
Worsley says people coming into the Visitor Centre are looking for information about accommodations, restaurants, shopping and events. Many visitors are looking for maps and directories and information about moving to the area.
What they won’t find is a pay phone.
“There is no longer a pay phone in town,” Worsley noted. “We’ve talked to Telus but they say since so many people have cell phones, it isn’t needed.”
The innovative Mobile Visitor Unit, believed to be the second one developed in the province, has been a real boon for the Chamber’s promotional efforts. Locating at events such as Sunfest at Laketown Ranch, the mobile unit provides on-the-spot information for visitors.
“Last year, 24,000 individuals engaged with staff at the Mobile Unit,” Chamber president Brent Clancy said.
The Cowichan Lake District Chamber of Commerce operates the Visitor Centre.
