The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (SLCC) has been named a finalist for the Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s 2010 National Awards for Tourism Excellence for its contribution to cultural tourism in Canada.
The SLCC is one of three finalists for the award, with winners to be announced on Nov. 2 at the Canadian Tourism Summit on Nov. 2 in Gatineau, Que.
The awards recognize the best of Canada’s tourism industry, and the new category highlights the people, places, organizations and events that have gone above and beyond to offer a superior cultural tourism experience to travelers in Canada.
Opened in 2008, the SLCC — which showcases the cultures of the two First Nations whose shared traditional territory includes Whistler — has seen more than 30,000 visitors in the past year and has reached a global market through extensive media coverage of performances, events, and activities at the centre, officials said in a statement issued on Tuesday (Sept. 28).
SLCC management and staff are working on the second phase of the Sea to Sky Cultural Journey, a partnership between the Squamish Nation, Lil’wat Nation and Province of B.C. that has increased aboriginal tourism and cultural awareness in the region. The second phase will include new First Nations information kiosks within Whistler, more opportunities for indigenous artists as well as programming and exhibits for the centre, officials said.
