Exhibits featuring each of B.C.'s 11 provincially managed heritage sites will soon be on display at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Our government owns 23 heritage sites, 11 of which are open to the public and operated by third-party community agencies under Heritage Site Management Agreements. The 11 managed sites include: Barkerville Historic Town, Fort Steele Heritage Town, The Grist Mill at Keremeos, Historic Hat Creek Ranch, Kilby Historic Site, Point Ellice House, Cottonwood House, Craigflower Manor and Schoolhouse, Emily Carr House and Historic Yale.

The displays, on a rotating basis, will be located in the east building of the Vancouver Convention Centre and will feature one site at a time. The location of the displays will enable our government to promote these heritage sites to a large number of local, national and international visitors. Last fiscal, April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012, the Vancouver Convention Centre welcomed approximately 790,000 visitors.

British Columbia's historic buildings, structures and cultural landscapes attract over 200,000 visitors annually from around the globe, creating jobs for British Columbians and supporting sustainable communities.

Tourism is one of the key economic sectors identified in 'Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan'. The Province's new tourism strategy builds on the Jobs Plan, providing a framework for government and industry to work together to attract more visitors and create jobs for British Columbians. The strategy focuses on increasing the number of visitors by building on the global awareness generated by the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Quotes:

Pat Bell, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation -

"B.C. is home to an exceptional mix of tourism experiences and our heritage sites play an important role in bringing tourists to all regions of the province. These displays will help delegates see beyond the walls of the convention centre and encourage visitors to return to B.C. and explore our world-class tourism attractions and sites."

Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations -

"B.C.'s provincial heritage sites are important, and often colourful, parts of our history. These displays will be a great way to let visitors know about the fascinating and immersive experiences they can have learning about early life in B.C."

Quick Facts:

• In 2010, the tourism sector employed 127,000 British Columbians, generated over $13.4 billion in revenue for tourism-related businesses and contributed over $1.2 billion to provincial government revenues.
• Total tourism wages and salaries were $4.4 billion in 2010, an increase of 37 per cent since 2000.
• The provincial budget includes a commitment of $21 million over the next three years for the maintenance and operation of provincial heritage sites.
• The allocation for 2012-13 is $7.046 million, which will create an estimated 96 direct, full-time jobs.
• The Barkerville, Fort Steele and Fraser Valley heritage properties alone contribute approximately $32 million each year to the province's GDP, create more than 625 full-time jobs and raise more than $14 million in taxes for all levels of government.

Learn More:

Tourism BC, a division of the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation, promotes the 'Super, Natural British Columbia' brand to the world.

For more information on B.C.'s tourism programs, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/jti/

For more information on B.C.'s new provincial tourism strategy, visit: http://www.jti.gov.bc.ca/tourismstrategy/documents/MJTI_TourismStrategyReport_FNL.pdf

For more information on B.C.'s provincially owned historic sites, visit: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/heritage/historic_sites/site_list.htm

Contact:

Media Relations
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation
250 356-7104