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Kelli Ireland, marketing specialist with Invest Medicine Hat, is one of the minds behind the new #myMHsummer tourism campaign. (Photo Courtesy of Colton McKee)
Share your experiences

New tourism campaign will celebrate #myMHsummer

Jul 3, 2020 | 4:32 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Being a tourist in your own backyard has never meant more than this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

With trips to Las Vegas or Florida off the table and even travel to other provinces not recommended, Hatters have more time to explore their hometown.

And so the City of Medicine Hat, Invest Medicine Hat and Tourism Medicine Hat have partnered to help make your Medicine Hat summer everyone’s Medicine Hat summer.

“This year has been a crazy year for so many residents and people. We’ve had to cancel our summer plans and COVID has put a lot of restrictions on what Hatters can do,” said Kelli Ireland, marketing specialist with Invest Medicine Hat, City of Medicine Hat. “And so #myMHsummer came out of that particularly to really encourage our residents to support the community they live in to share their experiences.”

A webpage at tourismmedicinehat.com is live now and each week a new theme will be featured. Some of the themes are City Trails, Local Gems and Western Heritage.

“We have so many incredible attractions here in Medicine Hat and we really wanted to encourage our residents to do that and to really spend time celebrating what Medicine Hat has to offer,” Ireland said.

One theme that has Ireland especially excited is Instagramable Landmarks.

She said there will be 10 spots around the city clearly marked with footprints. The idea is for people to stand on those footprints, pull out their camera and click away.

“You’ll be able to stand there and in that very spot will be a beautiful image of let’s say Finlay Bridge or down in Echo Dale,” she said.

Speaking of Echo Dale, Ireland counts that as one of her favourite local destinations.

“I love Echo Dale. I have two young girls at home and we certainly love being outdoors,” she said, adding Medicine Hat’s 115 kilometres of city trails is also a “wonderful, wonderful backyard experience.”

The #myMHsummer campaign runs until Sept. 22 and unique local prizes will be awarded throughout the summer to those who use the hashtag.