Another sure sign of spring?
How about the annual re-opening of the Estevan Tourist Information Centre?
That's what happened on Friday, May 17 when the centre was given an official launch, even though its doors had been unofficially open to greet visitors a few days earlier.
Michel Cyrenne, economic development manager for the Estevan Chamber of Commerce, welcomed about 20 people who had gathered for the official launch late Friday afternoon and he introduced the centre's first tourism hostess, Vi Giap, who is a commerce student at the University of Saskatchewan who will be joined later at the information centre by returning hostess Kelsey Schick.
Cyrenne said the tourism and business development programs are expanding with the addition of funds gained through the local hotels association that currently has three of the city's 14 hospitality centres on board with two more on the cusp of joining them soon and with the hopes of getting all the hotels on board within the next year.
"We needed to show the hotel people what we're going to do with the money they collect," said Cyrenne who said the two per cent room tax has brought in about $140,000 so far.
"The money they inject will be spent on projects aimed at increasing overnight stays and longer stays," said Cyrenne. "That means attracting visitors from further away."
Projects that have already been tested included longer distance advertising for the recent Motley Crue concert that paid off in interest with fans from North Dakota.
Groups wanting to advertise events will be given three deadline opportunities within each year to advance their cause.
The longer range plan includes improved signage within the city as well as on the outskirts.
"The program calls for more promotion for events along with conferences, conventions and even items that have a provincial impact such as our city's bid for the next Saskatchewan Summer Games," said Cyrenne.
That list could include regional, provincial and Western Canadian baseball and hockey tournaments since Estevan now has the facilities to house these more ambitious programs along with continuing growth of such things as the Estevan Motor Speedway and Souris Valley Theatre among others.
"We're having two more hotels opening within a year. Estevan has up to 1,200 rooms available for visitors, especially on weekends. Accommodations may be tight during the week, but usually on weekends, it eases up," said Cyrenne, who said the current members in the Estevan Hotel Association include the Best Western, Motel 6 and Suburban Extended Stay.
"We have several tourism generators within the city now. We're losing that attitude that there's nothing to do in Estevan. That's simply not true, just look around," he said.
Citing 2011 figures, Cyrenne said Estevan welcomed 148,000 visitors that year with 98,000 of them being same-day visitors while another 50,000 stayed overnight and 7,000 more stopped over for more than one night. Out of all those visitors, 43,000 had Estevan as their destination point and they spent $20.8 million in the Energy City.
"And those were new dollars, not local recycled dollars,." said Cyrenne, adding that the hotels group sees the building of a strategic plan and branding program as part of a local advantage and are willing to fund a program that will cater to their vision of having Estevan be a sustainable marketplace that welcomes both large and small scaled events attracting people with varying interests.
"They're in on the plan to energize our weekends and weeknights with top notch events, giving them a sustainable hospitality industry," he said.
To move along with that theme, the next door neighbour to the information centre, the Souris Valley Museum, also opened its doors officially on Friday with curator Katrina Howick, welcoming visitors.
Collections manager Sarah Durham said Christine Hall, education assistant, will soon be coming on board for the summer tours and camps.
"Some of the display items have been moved for better presentation, additions have been made," said Howick.
The museum will be hosting Pioneer Day camps in July up to mid-August for youngsters between the ages of five and 10, plus Discovery Day camps and an Archaeology Caravan in June. All can be housed on the five-acre site that the two organizations share on the western edge of the city.
"We have a Peter Pan display in the front of the main museum. We have the old school and cook house buildings ready for the season, with lots of interesting items for school tours. The fee is small and sometimes free because we receive support funding from the City to help pay for the education programs. We have heating and air conditioning now too, so we've been treated well by our supporters and visitors. It's allowed us to grow. We officially separated from the Estevan Chamber of Commerce, not because of any disagreement, but by doing so, it allows us to seek additional funding support through grants and things like that. We're still working closely with them, we're just not affiliated with them. It's a good relationship though," Howick said.
