The Provincial Government is contributing $22,420 to Cape Race - PCS Heritage Inc. (CRH) to develop materials designed to create awareness of the Portugal Cove South Visitor Centre, which is located on the southern portion of the Avalon Peninsula.

"The Portugal Cove South Visitor Centre preserves the area�s history and is a destination for tourists," said the Honourable Trevor Taylor, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. "This initiative will enable the group to raise the profile of the centre and ultimately, attract more visitors to it and the surrounding area."

Officially opened in May 2007, the Portugal Cove South Visitor Centre is a $1.1 million facility that contains interpretive exhibits and a gift shop. The Provincial Government�s funding will be used to help build the area�s brand, along with developing marketing materials. The materials will include a brochure, website, maps, an interpretation manual, and interpretation panels at Drook, Longbeach, and Cape Race.

"Visitors are important to our region," said Gertie Molloy, Chair of CRH. "Visitors generate a demand for visitor services and provide opportunities for improvements to existing establishments and the creation of new operations and jobs. Providing visitors with a physically and intellectually enjoyable experience can create an economic impact for our region. That is why we need to promote our region and its resources."

The local area surrounding the centre contains two sites of international significance: Cape Race and Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve. The Cape Race Light Station had the last land contact with the Titanic. The Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve is one of the world�s most significant fossil sites and is where the first multi-cellular organisms can be found. The Portugal Cove South Visitor Centre is the first of a five-phase development and the present phase is designed to promote the area and generate visitor traffic.

"The Cape Race - Portugal Cove South area continues to increase in popularity among tourists from both inside and outside of the province," said Keith Hutchings, MHA for Ferryland. "From 2005 to 2006, there was an increase of close to 4,000 visitors. We anticipate this number to climb as the marketing efforts increase � I believe that with this new phase we can expect increased visitations and economic benefits to the region."

Established in 1998, CRH is a volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, development, and promotion of the historic and cultural resources in the area between Portugal Cove South and Cape Race.

The program is funded by the Provincial Government�s Regional/Sectoral Diversification Fund (RSDF). RSDF is a $5-million fund that provides non-repayable contributions to economic development agencies for initiatives that address regional and sectoral development and diversification.

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