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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
November 14, 2007 |
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Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada ---Fall is the perfect time for active outdoor adventures in British Columbia and Aboriginal tourism operators are the expert guides for travelers who want to experience nature and culture as active participants. B. C.’s magnificent foliage is a fabulous backdrop for wildlife viewing, fishing excursions, hiking, fishing and golf. |
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The Fraser Valley, heading east from Vancouver, is home to North America's second largest population of over-wintering bald eagles. Perched in tall cottonwood trees and soaring high overhead, as many as 1,200 bald eagles return annually to the valley to feast on the remains of salmon, spawning in the Harrison and Fraser Rivers. The Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival runs November 18 and 19, with twelve festival sites from Mission to Harrison. Sasquatch Tours www.sasquatchtours.com operates a two hour cruise on the Lower Harrison River in late fall and early winter to view the eagles. Talking Totem Tours www.talkingtotemtours.com offers a weekend focused on the natural habitat of the Bald Eagle and the lifestyles of the Pacific Salmon on November 17th & 18th. Also participating in the Eagle Festival is Xá:ytem, in Mission, BC. The Sto:lo share the history and culture of the people of the river at the oldest known dwelling site in British Columbia. Xá:ytem is open year round with superb displays of crafts and artwork, cultural interpretation programs and workshops. www.xaytem.ca |
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Eagle Lodge, located on Hwy 20 in the heart of the Bella Coola Valley, www.eaglelodgebc.com is open year-round. Guests enjoy hiking, rafting, wildlife viewing and sport fishing. Pitt Lake Wilderness Adventures, www.pittlakewilderness.com has six semi-wilderness rustic lakeside cabins located on the shores of Pitt Lake, in the Fraser Valley, featuring mountain and lake views of Golden Ears Provincial Park. A complimentary boat shuttle across the Pitt River to access the cabins is provided. Seashore Charters, in Prince Rupert, www.seashorecharters.com has safe and fun traditional style canoe excursions. Humpback, gray, orca and minke whales pass by throughout the year while eagles and seals entertain in the harbour. Informative guides also lead explorations through lush, old growth rain forest. Tseycum Canoe Tours www.tseycumtours.com in Port Sidney pairs physical fitness with cultural education and the beauty of the West Coast. Kayak while learning about ancient Coast Salish village sites and shell middens or paddle a 30ft replica dug-out canoe while guides tell legends and sing songs. |
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B.C. Aboriginal tourism received a $5-million, four-year provincial government commitment on September 24, 2007. At the Chief Dan George Centre in Vancouver, Tourism Minister Stan Hagen announced the funding will go to the Aboriginal Tourism Association of B.C. (ATBC) to support its Blueprint Strategy, released nearly two years ago. The goal of the Blueprint Strategy is to develop a culturally rich, self sustaining Aboriginal cultural tourism sector that can provide opportunities for Aboriginal communities and individuals to become economically self sufficient. This groundbreaking strategy is the first-ever comprehensive provincial Aboriginal tourism plan created in Canada. |
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There are 198 First Nations in B.C., each with its own traditions, history, heritage, language and art. Having diverse aboriginal tourism products in every region of B.C. is recognized as a major focus for achieving the provincial target of doubling B.C. tourism revenues by 2015 |
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For information on Aboriginal and First Nations cultural and adventure experiences in British Columbia, visit www.aboriginalbc.com. |
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