Voice of Business Newsletter

February 2010

Photo by David Szabo Photography

IN THIS ISSUE

February Survey

Manager's Report

Economic Development Report

Penticton & Wine Country Tourism

Membership Services

Literacy Now

Monday Morning Memo

Monthly Survey Question

The Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce wants to know what you think!

Click here to view this month's survey question regarding short term vacation rentals.

Thanks to all those who responded to last month's survey question.

Here are the stats from last month's survey:

Do you know how many people in the business community are aware of the new parking report and how it may or may not effect our businesses?

Yes 20%

No 80%

Manager's Report by Lorraine Renyard

During the Olympics, February 12th to the 28th, the RDOS along with the communities of the South Okanagan, have committed to be at BC Streets, located on the east side of the O Zone site next to Richmond's City Hall.

This is an interactive area dedicated to showcasing the best British Columbia has to offer to visitors from Metro Vancouver, the Province of BC, Canada and the World. BC Street will provide the opportunity to promote the economic development, tourism, and cultural assets that we have to offer.

Penticton is there this weekend highlighting the unique art of the South Okanagan. Prema Harris of the Tumbleweed Gallery has committed to the three days to showcase and present stories about our local artists. Prema has developed an interactive art program to encourage the visitors to show us what the Olympics means to them through an artist avenue. She will then create a collage of all the artwork she brings back with her.

Local volunteer Eric Pierce will be assisting Prema this weekend, and I thank him profusely for stepping up to the task of being Penticton's Ambassodor. Eric and Prema are armed with hundreds of Penticton Official Visitor's guides along with information on golfing, skiing and other Okanagan interests.

The first few days of BC Streets saw thousands of people each day come through. So if you are in Vancouver to take in any of the Olympics, please visit our booth at BC Streets, open daily from 2 - 9 pm and from 12 to 9 pm on weekends.

Economic Development Report by David Arsenault

2010 Vancouver Olympics

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics are officially underway, but really they have been underway for a long time. Locally a number of companies have realized business opportunities from the event. In particular Structurlam and Britco have been supplying products and services to the development of the Vancouver Olympics over the past few years.

The Penticton business community will be represented at the 2010 Okanagan Business Reception on February 18^th in Vancouver. This local showcase on the valley's innovative and progressive companies will feature over 70 Okanagan companies. The event was designed to tell the world about the investment opportunities in high-tech, green infrastructure and agri-food and at the same time offers an exceptional quality of life. So, who is coming from our community?: Aether Chocolates, Elephant Island Orchard Wines, Lake Breeze Vineyard, Maple Leaf Spirits, Maurer Log Homes, Slimline Manufacturing, OMH Proscreen Innovations, Unit Electrical Engineering LTD, Pattison Sign Group, Outdoor Living Manufacturing, and International Bar Coding Systems and Consulting.

Economic Investment Zones

The City of Penticton brought forward Penticton's competitive investment strategy on February 15, 2010. The purpose of this program is to create jobs in our community and to improve local infrastructure. The EIZ bylaw will act as Penticton's very own economic stimulus program. The three areas of concentration are the hotel/motel sector, the downtown core and the manufacturing sector.

Export development

Penticton Economic Development Services has been working with the manufacturing sector to develop a Business Retention and Enhancement program. The focus of the programs is to develop solutions to business needs in the manufacturing sector of Penticton. The initial thrust of this program is the development of new markets for local entrepreneurs. In support of this initiative a tradeshow/workshop will be held at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre March 17^th from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and will feature representatives from Public Works Canada (selling to the Federal Government), Small Business BC (starting a business, researching your markets), Canadian Food Inspection Agency (importing food products), Export Development Canada (export financing, insuring your receivables), Canada Border Services Agency (customs requirements for importing and exporting), Agriculture Canada (services for exporters), National Research Council (funding for product development), Business Development Bank (financing and consulting services) and the Canadian Trade Commissioner Services (exporting your products or services).

Windward Software YE Competition

The Windward Software YE competition "Dragon's Den" has started at local high schools. The program orientation took place February 11 at Princess Margaret Secondary School. Local students will be developing their ideas with an end goal to win the $2500 prize for best youth business. Good luck entrepreneurs.

David Arsenault, MBA is Penticton's Economic Development Officer and a former college professor with Okanagan College. If you have good news stories related to business in Penticton contact 250-493-3323 or email

darsenault@penticton.org

Penticton & Wine Country Tourism Report by Kelly Reid

Staying on focus continues to be the strategy for Penticton & Wine Country Tourism marketing initiatives. Each year tourism marketing resources are allocated against the target markets which will generate the best results.

In 2009, Penticton continued to focus marketing efforts in BC and Alberta using the lead product of wine and food experiences with an increased emphasis on family beach vacations, festivals and events and meetings and conventions.

By all measures, the campaign was a success. Penticton met its objectives of meeting the rate of growth in BC in a difficult year.

All advertising was designed to use the www.tourismpenticton.com website as the call to action, with unique visitors to the site measured. Website visits were tracked and compared to the year before. A positive response to advertising campaigns was shown by large increases in site visits corresponding to advertising campaigns. For 2009, unique website visitors increased by 40% as compared to 2008. Statistics indicated that marketing and advertising efforts drove visitors to the tourismpenticton.com website in larger numbers and that those qualified potential visitors to Penticton and Wine Country were from targeted geographic markets.

The Travel Specials page continues to receive the largest number of website visitors. Local tourism stakeholders are encouraged to submit their travel specials to tds@penticton.org. These travel specials are promoted in advertising campaigns, and in the Penticton & Wine Country Tourism monthly newsletter which reaches thousands of subscribers who are interested in travel to Penticton.

Media relations are ongoing in Penticton. The media relations activities complement the advertising campaign and focus on visitor experiences which will generate demand for Penticton as a travel destination. Significant coverage in 2009 included Sunset Magazine, Endless Vacation and TripAdvisor. Penticton was also featured in three meeting and convention publications during 2009: Smart Meetings, Association News and Meeting & Incentive Travel.

Membership Services Report by Andrea Davison

On Saturday January 30, 2010 The Business Excellence Awards Gala was held at the Penticton Lakeside Resort. It was a great evening with over 300 people in attendance. On behalf of the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the nominees, and winners. Also a huge thank you to our Silent Auction donators for the many different types of packages submitted for people to bid on.

A special thank you to FortisBC, SW Audio Visual, and Remarkable Films for their significant support to make the evening a success.

Thank you also to our awards sponsors: Prospera Credit Union, Downtown Penticton Association, Gitta Schoenne-LendingMax, Greyback Construction, Penticton Western News, Valley First, FortisBC, Penticton Junior Chamber International, Pattison Sign Group, TD Canada Trust Small Business Banking.

To our Excellence Awards Committee: Gitta Schoenne, Marielle Brule, Lauren J. Cornish, and Michelle Provencher, thank you for your hard work and dedication, and to Corinne of Morpheus Graphics for the great power point presentation.

Thank you to the Penticton Royalty for your help throughout the evening, and to our emcee Steve King.

We appreciate everyone's support and help in making the 2009 Business Excellence Awards one of our most successful!

Literacy Now

Literacy Now South Okanagan Similkameen actively supports members of our communities and helps people find out about literacy activities, services and programs across the region.

Please click on the link below to view "The Buzz on Literacy" monthly newsletter.

February Newsletter

This Monday Morning Memo from the Wizard Academy

is brought to you by 100.7 Giant FM Radio

Forty Years From Now

In 1969, spending time with your friends meant piling into a car and driving around.

Every town had a strip called "the drag," a place to see and be seen as you cruised back and forth at 20 miles an hour. It's how you made contact. And when you and your friends weren't in your car, you were sitting on the hood of it in a parking lot, talking to the people sitting on the hood of the car next to yours.

Did we shape our technology or did our technology shape us?

VOICE OF BUSINESS