The tourist season in Rossland could intensify this season if a virtual idea keeps gaining acceptance.
A new project spearheaded locally by Tourism Rossland will bring a certified "Google trusted photographer" to the city this summer (July/August) to shoot places of business and putting them online in Google places listings.
There are 19 businesses signed up so far, said Tourism Rossland's executive director Deanne Steven, and there could be six more. She said Tourism Rossland is trying to get as many people as possible signed up because Kootenay Rockies has a limited number of spots.
“It's going to be a great way to highlight all of the businesses in the city,” she said. “You can go in and do a virtual tour of every store and restaurant and café in town.”
The photo tour, arranged through Tourism Kootenay Rockies, can be linked to a business' Kootenay app listing, KootenayRockies.mobi listing, Google places listing, Google+ page and website.
The virtual tour will force people to have a Google listing, which is the most important and free piece of marketing people can do, said Steven. The better the Google listing you have the better you “pop up” in searches on the internet.
The cost is $115. The photographer will shoot the entrance of the business and other interiors.
To proceed, a business needs to have a listing on www.KootenayRockies.mobi and set up a Google Places listing (must have a Gmail account, too). More details (i.e. photo samples) are available online at www.krtourism.ca/googleplaces.
This project is open to all registered Kootenay Rockies businesses (i.e. accommodation properties, retail stores, restaurants, attractions, adventure operators, golf courses, etc.). Space is limited and the booking deadline is Friday, June 14.
Tourism Rossland is launching a new website and will have the virtual sites embedded as well within the site.
Google Maps (formerly Google Local) is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API.
It offers street maps, a route planner for traveling by foot, car, bike (beta), or with public transportation and a locator for urban businesses in numerous countries around the world.
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