The Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism Society welcomed its new executive director last week.
Diana Ducs will now be heading the destination marketing organization that looks after the 200 kilometres of Kootenay Lake shoreline from Nelson to Kaslo.
“My role really is to try and create an energy and a vibrancy about the community,” says Ducs, adding that she aims to spread that vibrancy to areas like Seattle, Calgary, Edmonton, Spokane and more.
“I believe in this area,” says Ducs, who saw the position as an opportunity to be even more a part of the community after former executive director Graham Edwards — who is continuing to do tourism consulting both locally and regionally — moved on.
Tom Thomson, of the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce, says Edwards played an important role in the development of the organization.
“The Chamber of Commerce hired Graham Edwards on a consulting contract to assist with the establishment of the organization,” said Thomson. “He was certainly instrumental in helping to get the initial accommodator/stakeholder agreements in place in order for the organization to be established and allow for the implementation of the two per cent additional hotel revenue tax that keeps the association self-sustaining with our annual funding generated through the accommodation tax.”
Thomson says Edwards has been a valuable resource in developing preliminary marking strategies, branding and creating marketing materials such as brochures and their website.
Ducs says she’s excited about stepping into a marketing strategy to economically reach potential visitors.
“We’re an amazing place to visit, and we have an abundance of attractions in sports, culture and history,” says Ducs.
It was those attractions that sparked her interest in the area when she first visited in 1994.
“I was here for a sports tournament and it was just dreamy… I definitely had a sense that there was something here I wanted to come back to, and I visited a couple more times before I moved here,” she says.
Ducs has been a Nelson resident for the past five years and says her passion for the area has only grown.
“My love for the area is extremely passionate. I think I can feed that energy off to other people too,” she says.
“[We’re] pleased that Diana’s has agreed to take on the newly expanded full-time role as executive director,” said Thomson, adding that her diverse background and contacts developed through her career in the marketing and communications department at Selkirk College will be an asset.
Ducs’ office is located in the Chamber of Commerce building, and encourages frequent visitors.
“I’d love to build relationships and collaborate with the people that make this community so alive.”
For more information on the society, visit nelsonkootenaylake.com.