Heart of the Island Initiative aims to bring tourists to the Kensington area

The Kensington and Area Chamber of Commerce is hoping to develop a tourism plan that will make people visiting P.E.I. wantto stay a bit longer in the region.

It's called the Heart of the Island Initiative and the intent is to get people who usually drive throughplaceslike Kensington, Malpeque, Freetown and Stanley Bridge to stop a while to take in what each community has to offer.

Don Quarles, the chair of the project committee and executive director of the Indian River Festival, said he hopes to create a five-year strategic plan.

The idea, he said, is to generate more traffic for local operators and stakeholders.

"There are a lot of operators that may be otherwise overshadowed by larger areas," he said.

The committee, made up of 15 stakeholders and operators, willhosta public consultation at the KensingtonLegion on Feb. 27 togatherideas for informing tourists about what thearea has to offer.

Quarles said the committee will also hire aconsultant who will addressthe priorities for the project.

"Quite frankly,those priorities will be key to moving the project forward."

Quarles said nothing is set in stone yet and the committee has put in anapplication in for government funding.

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