Tourism centre almost ready to open

A new tourism and information centre is almost ready to open.

On Monday, William Slenders, executive director of the Lethbridge Destination Management Organization, updated the Community Issues Committee on LDMO activity over the past three months.

Slenders said the priority is that the Destination Showcase and Information Centre is operational, and running smoothly — in that all the mobile and ancillary services are being delivered effectively.

The Destination Showcase is set to open for a soft launch in the second week of May, with a Grand Opening before the Victoria Day weekend. The Destination Showcase will be located at 327 5 St. S. in the downtown core.

It will provide a new hub for developing an interactive teaser of the city in a gallery format. It will make new use of attractions marketing, information displays and modern itinerary building platforms for users.

Located downtown, the Destination Showcase will coordinate visitor and resident information needs, supplement Visitor Information Network stations in places such as hotels, attractions and visitor amenities — creating a network of information. It will be supplemented with mobile Visitor Services during peak months.

Slenders told the CIC changes to how people access information have necessitated a new way of looking at how information can be provided.

“People want information on demand,” he said. “Gone are the days where people will travel to a (visitor information centre) and get the information they need. Most time, people will find what they are looking for digitally before they set out on a trip.

“So we’re looking for how to better enhance that convenience experience.”

The LDMO will use the Destination Showcase as a base of operations, allowing staff to have the ability to directly engage with all visitors.

“Our core practice is to help visitors do more in Lethbridge,” said Slenders.

Slenders said the CIC presentation was an effort to highlight new partnerships, new opportunities and an invitation to collaborate throughout the entire tourism industry.

“We want to really see and bring out the best in Lethbridge in a new, modern approach,” he said.

Slenders told the CIC the LDMO has completed nearly 1.5 years worth of work in three months.

“The support of the staff, the LDMO board members and the community members has been incredible,” he said. “The entire community, the entire industry is banding together, and working like they’ve never worked before.”