Williams Lake Visitor Centre staff can provide detailed advice on driving the Coast Cariboo Circle Route, which passes through Williams Lake and takes travellers on a seven- to 10-day scenic adventure to coastal villages, the Gold Rush Trail and the communities of Pemberton, Victoria, Parksville, Port Hardy and Bella Coola. It's one of nine circle routes featured in the Province's updated Circle Routes Scenic Driving Guide.

Other attractions around Williams Lake include the Cowboy Hall of Fame housed in the Williams Lake Museum and the award winning Xat'sull Heritage Village featuring ancient Aboriginal history and culture, just north of the city on Highway 97.

Visitor Centre staff can also assist with provincewide trip planning. Each location is stocked with a variety of Tourism BC's publications including the Circle Routes Scenic Driving Guide, the Outdoor Adventure Guide and the BC Vacation Planner.

Identified by their distinctive blue-and-yellow "i" logo, and located on driving routes throughout the province, B.C.'s 109 community Visitor Centres provide a wide range of trip-planning services, including visitor guides, activity suggestions, travel tips and accommodation reservations.

Why It Matters:

• More than ever British Columbians are choosing to stay close to home, taking vacations right here in B.C.
• In 2009, residents were the single largest group of travellers in the province, representing roughly 52 per cent of all travellers.

Quick Facts:

• Community visitor centres are owned, operated and funded by a sponsor organization such as local chambers of commerce, destination marketing organizations, or municipalities.
• The Province supports community visitor centres through the provision of uniforms, training and 'fee for service' funding, which has increased from less than $1 million in 2001 to nearly $1.7 million today.
• Tourism contributes over $12.7 billion dollars (2009) in revenue, a 48 per cent increase since 1999, and provides employment for nearly 129,000 British Columbians in every region of the province - roughly one of every 14 workers.

Learn More:

The Williams Lake Visitor and Tourism Discovery Centre is a one-of-a-kind, nearly 560-square-metre (6,000-square-foot) log building with video and interactive displays. The centre is located at 1660 South Broadway adjacent to Highway 97.

Community Visitor Centres in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region area are also located in 100 Mile House, Lillooet, Quesnel, and Wells.

For more information about British Columbia's Visitor Centres please visit:

http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/AboutBC/VisitorCentres/BritishColumbia.htm

For information about B.C.'s scenic driving routes please visit:

http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/RegionsCities/CircleRoutes/British-Columbia.htm

Media Contact:

Marisa Adair
Communications Director
Ministry Jobs, Tourism and Innovation
250 920-8500