by PAUL RAYNER

Due to the increased cooperation between communities regarding tourism, a fourth town has been added to the 2007 Visitor Guide.

The basic tool of tourism in the region has expanded its base from Boissevain-Killarney-Deloraine to include Melita. According to Turtle Mountain Community Development Corporation Tourism Development Officer Aggie Buhler, they intended to add the community to the west in the 2006 edition, but due to deadlines, it was not possible. She added the reason for expanding to the community had to do with overall tourism objectives.

“We’re promoting ourselves as a region,” Buhler stated. “We have been doing that for a number of years. We do all of the trade shows together, so it makes sense.”

Some of the attractions for the Melita area include the Antler River Historical Museum, the wildlife bird display celebrating the fact they are the “grassland bird capital of Manitoba”, their great car show, and their large cluster of burial mounds dating from 900-1400 AD.

“I’m finding out how much there is to do there as I go through the book.”

Some might be concerned the tourism effort is starting to go too far afield. Melita is starting to move pretty far west, and there may be concerns it would turn the focus away from the base communities who have been doing the visitor guide for years. Buhler is not one of them.

“I don’t’ think that’s a problem.” She explained. “We expect to draw for each other. Last year at the visitor centre we found that people went to Killarney to camp and then go to Boissevain, or ask us what there was to do in the area. Our neighbours are our greatest asset.”

The guide, designed by the Recorder and printed by the Guide, is similar to those from past years, with a few changes. Buhler said they have put more emphasis on individual communities than in the past, putting all of their information, including their events calendars, separate from each other.

“In the past, we tried to split events up more, now there is a section on each community. It has made it more user friendly. Everything is more compact. It is exceptionally well done.”

Events and attractions from each community are included, as well as spotlights on the International Peace Garden and Turtle Mountain Provincial Park.

Buhler said the Visitor Guide has become the major tool in promoting communities. It is the major part of the various trade shows they attend across Manitoba and into the United States. This weekend, March 9-11, the guide makes its debut at a sports show in Minot. Dealers will be displaying any number of recreation items, from RV’s through boats and motorcycles.

“Anything to do with recreation is there. It’s held at the fairgrounds, and it is really quite spectacular. It is a really good place to promote the region and the Peace Garden.”

As well, the guide sees action at Travel Manitoba booths, at all events in the summer in the participating communities, at the visitor centres, Peace Garden and Provincial Park, and at local businesses.

“The guides are very useful,” Buhler stated. “People pick them up, see what accommodations we have, what to do. They represent the communities well.”

“Everyone is a tourist and a traveler, so we encourage locals to pick them up too. They have everything in them for all of the communities. We are finding it a great asset to do this in partnership with our neighbours.”