PORT ANGELES — The city manager, mayor, Olympic National Park superintendent and local business representatives spent a day last week promoting Port Angeles and the North Olympic Peninsula in Victoria.
Thursday’s trip was the sixth for Port Angeles City Manager Kent Myers, who has made attracting more tourists from Vancouver Island one of his goals since he was hired in December 2008.
“We had a full round of meetings with various city and chamber folks, and I think we came back with some good ideas,” he said.
“What we’re trying to do is increase the awareness of residents in the Victoria area about some of the attractions and recent improvements here, like The Gateway, and the fact that we have the farmers market down there,” he later added.
The group consisted of Myers, Port Angeles Mayor Dan Di Guilio, park Superintendent Karen Gustin, park spokeswoman Barb Maynes, Olympic Visitor Bureau Executive Director Diane Schostak, Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce Events Director Vanessa Fuller and Port Angeles Association programs co-chair Paris Bishop.
Myers said that the group also met with the editor of the Victoria Times-Colonist; members of the Downtown Victoria Business Association; the CEO of Black Ball Ferry Line, Ryan Burles; and Victoria Mayor Dean Fontin.
As a result of the meetings, Myers said, Port Angeles and Victoria intend to better promote each other’s festivals and events.
As an example, he said, they may together promote each of their jazz festivals, which run back-to-back in April, by having jazz bands play on the MV Coho ferry.
Myers said a group of Victoria city representatives will likely visit Port Angeles in May, and the two cities may host a joint-city council session here.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
