News Release Archive
ECONOMIC RENEWAL--VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE ----------------------------------------------------------------- NOT FOR RELEASE UNTIL 12 NOON MONDAY, AUG. 5, 1996 The striking blue Award of Quality sign outside the new Visitor Information Centre in St. Peters, Richmond County, means top-level service and friendly advice inside. The award means a more enjoyable vacation for visitors and increased business for Nova Scotia's communities in the long-run, said Economic Renewal Minister Richie Mann at today's official opening of the new centre. "Any tourists who enjoy their holiday go home and tell their friends. That kind of word-of-mouth advertising speeds us closer to having a billion dollar tourism industry by the turn of the century," said Mr. Mann. "The Award of Quality program is our way of helping to increase visitor satisfaction." Visitor Information Centres receive their awards from Tourism Nova Scotia, a division of the Nova Scotia Economic Renewal Agency. The program will be in full swing this summer and centres will be inspected annually. Assessments include signage, accessibility, quality of service, quality of building/grounds, safety, staff appearance and training, as well as other strict criteria. Visitors aren't the only ones to benefit from the Award of Quality program. Award-winning centres benefit in a variety of ways. They have access to annual provincial counsellor training programs, receive free distribution of available provincial and private sector literature, comment cards, the Nova Scotia Information Book (a comprehensive resource tool), operational guides and forms. Qualified centres also get a complimentary listing as an Award of Quality Centre in the Nova Scotia Doers and Dreamers Complete Guide. As well, they will have input into the Award of Quality program, via their regional tourist association. Nova Scotia has approximately 80 visitor information centres. Fourteen of them, sponsored by the Nova Scotia government, are located at entry points and on ferries, and focus on the whole province. The remainder are sponsored by local organizations, such as boards of trade and chambers of commerce, and focus on the community. With community pride at stake, the centres have worked hard to meet the standards required for the award. Mr. Mann commended the community of St. Peters for recognizing the importance of tourism to the region and for the determination it has shown in building the new information centre. "This is a project completed by the community, for the community, and everyone involved should be proud." Michele McKenzie, executive director of Tourism Nova Scotia, said that the Award of Quality program was an additional incentive for centre improvement. "The program really has communities involved and realizing the importance of their centre," she said. "Sponsors are more involved and feel a sense of ownership and responsibility toward their visitor information centre." -30- Contact: Steve Fairbairn 902-424-5836 trp August 02, 1996 - 3:45 p.m.