The International Olympic Committee announced today in Prague the selection of Vancouver-Whistler, British Columbia, as host city for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, scheduled for Feb. 12-28, 2010.

"We already know from studying past Olympics that significant benefits accrue to tourism from hosting the Games,” said Barrett Fisher, Tourism Whistler's interim president and CEO. “Our goal is to increase visitor volume and incremental business for our members and partners in the years leading up to, during and beyond the 2010 Games."

Rick Clare, chairman of the board for Tourism Whistler, said, "In conjunction with the efforts of our tourism, corporate and government partners, the 2010 Vancouver-Whistler Winter Olympics will deliver infrastructure benefits and community legacies that will vault Whistler to new levels of global awareness."

Planning has been under way for several months to ensure that Tourism Whistler will convert the interest and destination awareness that results from hosting an Olympic Games into new visitation to the resort.