SIOUX LOOKOUT – With thousands of visitors every summer, Sioux Lookout has launched a program aimed at promoting local businesses with both travellers and locals.
The “Experience Sioux Lookout” program is tourism punch-card that invited people to visit local restaurants, shops and outdoor amenities between July 1 and September 30, with the chance to win a $50 gift card.
“We were looking for a way to coordinate with our businesses and encourage residents and visitors to Sioux Lookout to explore the community and visit some of the places that make Sioux Lookout unique,” said Jennifer Esposito, manager of community, economic and strategic initiatives.
Esposito said that they have many visitors from the region for health and education purposes. “We receive almost 400 health visitors a day from surrounding First Nations, so everyone can participate and explore what Sioux Lookout has to offer,” she said.
Further, the town sees about 10,000 visitors from the U.S. in the summer months alone, according to Esposito.
“A lot of those visitors come in for fishing, and they might not all know everything there is to enjoy in Sioux lookout, so we’re hoping this will help to change that,” she explained.
The town first put the call out to businesses this Spring, and over a dozen applied. “We wanted to keep it small to start, and so we selected the top eight businesses that we felt met the criteria the most and would contribute to enhancing the visitor experience and demonstrate a unique aspect of Sioux Lookout,” said Esposito.
With eight participating businesses and two no-cost experiences, visitors and residents will need to check off at least five of the ten unique experiences in order to enter the draws.
Winners of each the draw will receive a $50 gift card to a local business that suits their lifestyle. The town will collaborate with the winner to determine what best suits each winner. She continued that non-locals will have options that work better for them.
Experience Sioux Lookout cards can be found at each participating business as well as the municipal office, public library, travel information centre and the recreation centre. Esposito noted that the recreation centre will, however, be closed for the month of July.
The following is the list of unique Sioux Lookout experiences that anyone can visit to enter the draw:
• Buy a drink of local product at The Hub
• Explore a Cedar Bay Trail and post a picture using #VisitSLKT
• Dine at the Forest Inn
• Buy fishing supplies or make a dinner reservation at Moosehorn Lodge
• Buy a souvenir at Signature Signs & Stitchery
• Explore the lakes and post a picture of your fishing catch using #SLKTCatch
• Buy a gift or flowers at Cheers! Flowers and Gifts
• Buy fishing supplies or a souvenir at Clark’s Bait & Tackle
• Try the “Sioux Lookout” donut at the local Tim Hortons
• Buy bakery and deli items at Fresh Market
