Williams Lake, B.C. – A financial boost is on the way for the tourism sector in the Cariboo Chilcotin.

This as B.C. Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Lisa Beare committed to financial support of up to $200,000 to help with tourism-related impacts from the wildfires while meeting with business owners and tourism operators in the Cariboo today.

The government is providing the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association with the money and will work closely with them to ensure the funding targets the tourism recovery needs identified in the region.

The Province is currently assessing the needs of those affected by the wildfires to support them in the best way possible moving forward.

In the meantime, Destination B.C., the industry-led Crown corporation that markets B.C. globally as a tourism destination, is developing a wildfire tourism recovery plan that will also support the tourism industry by working in close collaboration with the regional destination marketing operations.

According to the Province, tourism is a major economic driver in B.C., employing 127,000 people, supporting 19,000 tourism-related businesses and contributing $7.4 billion toward the province’s gross domes tic product.