Tuesday, August 25 1987

Tourism gets boost from "ambassador"
Kelowna Daily Courier

Ogopogo is putting the Okanagan Valley on the map.

Currently, we have a Japanese television crew in the area, putting together a documentary on our legendary monster for the Tokyo Broadcasting System's version of Good Morning America.

The Japanese follow on the heels of a U.S. television crew that visited earlier this summer to shoot an episode for a series called Secrets and Mysteries, to be aired this fall on ABC television.

Ogopogo, as it is turning out, is the Okanagan's greatest ambassador. The amount of publicity it has generated for the Valley's tourist industry is immeasurable.

Sure, many of us don't take him seriously. But don't ever admit it, because whether he exists or not, his contribution to this area can never be dismissed.

Meanwhile, we welcome the continued reports of Ogopogo sightings. The more the better, especially when they're captured on film, as was the case when the ABC television crew was in Kelowna this summer.

Just imagine all the U.S. tourists who will want to come up to Kelowna for a glimpse of Ogopogo after that ABC film airs this fall.