During the course of the summer the Chamber together with Tourism Harrison conducted a second annual survey of visitors to the Harrison Hot Springs area.

Surveys were available to be completed at the Harrison Tourist Office, Muddy Waters, Cookin Kim’s and Harrison Heritage House. The survey ran from the last week in June through the Labour Day weekend.

In total, 360 surveys were completed. Here are a few interesting highlights pulled from the survey:

1. 27% of those visiting the area used the Harrison Tourism website before coming.

2. 62% of day trippers came for the beach, scenery or shopping while only 42% of overnighters had the

same motivation.

3. Not surprising 86% of Day-trippers and 80% of one night stays came from the GVRD and Fraser Valley

while 30% of those staying two or more nights came from outside this area.

4. The number of people that would either not come or shorten their visit if Pay Parking was introduced

increased from 56% in last year’s survey to 68% this year.

The Harrison-Agassiz Chamber of Commerce is the representative of business for Harrison Hot Springs, the District of Kent and surrounding area. As members of both the BC Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce they are a volunteer, not-for-profit association that serves its members in promoting business and a healthy business environment.

The BC Chamber of Commerce is known to have been in operation as early as March 1867, The Chamber was re-established in 1951 to promote and improve trade, commerce and the economic and social welfare being of the people of British Columbia, and to develop and present a true cross-section of opinions of the BC business community to the provincial government and, in some areas of national importance, to the federal government.

See the Oct. 22 edition of The Observer to see the complete results.