Browsing by Author "Poitras, Lisa"

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    Towards a sustainable approach to wine tourism development in the Oliver, British Columbia region
    (2003) Poitras, Lisa; Ascroft, Catherine
    The wine industry in the South Okanagan has experienced considerable growth and change over the past decade. With an ideal climate and topography for grape growing, the Oliver area has welcomed many new wineries, and celebrated the increasing success of its established vineyards and experienced wine makers. The opportunity for the development of tourism based on wine has only recently been pursued. Recognizing the potential benefits of wine tourism for both the wineries, and the Oliver community, the Town of Oliver has initiated a campaign to promote itself as the Wme Capital of Canada. There are currently 13 wineries in the Oliver area, many of which are beginning to invest in additional facilities and services that cater to tourists. The development of wine tourism is supported by recent forces and trends in tourism, which reveal an increasing demand for forms of cultural tourism, including special interest and recreation vacations, agri-tourism, and activities such as visits to historic sites. This :MDP strives to assess the planning implications of wine tourism development in the Oliver area. A thorough review of local documents, visitation to the area, key informant interviews, and a review of literature focused on tourism planning, sustainable tourism, and wine tourism allow for discussion of the possibility of sustainable wine tourism development at the local level. The result is a compilation of the perceived issues surrounding tourism development in Oliver, and a set of guiding actions. These guidelines outline how the Town can best proceed in its development as a wine tourism destination, and how principles of Sustainable Tourism can be incorporated into wine tourism planning. In general, this :MDP reveals that although the Oliver community is well-positioned to become a wine tourism destination, many issues need to be addressed to ensure tourism development is sustainable. This implies balancing the demands of tourists with the needs of locals, while ensuring preservation of the town's natural and cultural environments.