It was year in review time for the Estevan and District Board of Tourism, Trade and Commerce at their monthly meeting last Wednesday.
TTC president Rodney Beatty was the featured speaker at the luncheon and recapped what was a busy year for the organization.
Beatty said the TTC continued to work towards accomplishing the five goals it set during a strategic meeting in late 2009 and feels they were able to make some important gains in all areas.
"The first goal was to enhance community economic development," said Beatty who added that goal included such areas as housing, health-care recruitment and building closer ties with the local energy sector.
"We have been successful in developing the economic development plan to 75 per cent completion and that will continue on next year. In health care, the physician recruitment package continues to be developed and has been extremely successful. There are lots of new faces in the health-care area and we hope to see continued growth in that area.
"To address housing, the Atco Lodge opened earlier this year. We continue to provide information to developers quite often so there is lots of interest in the area and hopefully we will be able to address the housing shortage that we currently experience."
Beatty said they also made positive strides on their other goals, which included such measures as increasing TTC funding, becoming a stronger lobbying group, raising the TTC's profile in the community and to increasing tourism expenditures in Estevan and area by 20 per cent by the end of 2011.
"I am pleased to say 2010 was very successful year for the TTC and we were able to accomplish a lot of these goals and the board will continue as we continue to grow and adapt with the growth in our area," said Beatty.
"In 2010 the TTC put forth major efforts on strongly growing events, the types of events and the number of events hosted each year."
Beatty said among the highlights of the past year was the Collage Multicultural Festival which made its debut in May. The festival turned out to be very popular and Beatty said the TTC is working with the Collage group to host a second event in 2011.
Other bright spots Beatty touched on were the hiring of Twyla Exner as the new curator for the Souris Valley Museum and the annual Business Showcase in September.
"It was another success with 98 total exhibitors which was completely sold out and so far 22 people have signed on for 2011."
