Think Lonely Planet meets the Town of Comox — but take away the thick guidebook and replace it with a colour brochure and a twist of downtown.
Holly Grant, co-ordinator of Comox by the Sea, said she came up with the idea of walking tours earlier this year showcasing all the town has to offer. She pitched it to members of Comox Business in Action.
"It's not really a new idea — other communities have done it, but I thought it would work really well in Comox," she explained, and added she drew inspiration from travelling and self-guided tours from France and New York City.
"It works so well in Comox; there are so many trails and amenities," she noted, and added the tours are designed to start and end in downtown Comox.
Grant said she wanted to make the tours appealing to people who would be able to experience a variety of actives in the town from exploring Goose Spit to the art around town, with stops at local businesses, restaurants and shops.
"We definitely wanted to include some insider information on some of the tours. For the 'artist eye' tour, we encourage people to stop at the Church Street Bakery for one of their awesome donuts," she explained.
There are six tours in total, appealing to a variety of visitors, including a shopping tour, a galloping gourmet, and the Goose Grind, focusing on the area around Goose Spit, said Grant.
"The brochure is written with a light style in mind; it's from the point of view of, 'If I was a visitor, what is going to interest me?' It's something you can stick in your back pocket, not a huge book."
Neil Havers-designed walking tour guides are available at most businesses in downtown Comox, the Comox Valley Airport, the Chamber of Commerce, Comox Community Centre and the Vancouver Island Visitor Centre.
For more information, visit www.comoxbythesea.com.
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