News

By Sallie James

    Tourists are always stopping by the Boca Raton Historical Society to get directions or ask questions about places to go. So when the nonprofit tourism organization Discover the Palm Beaches requested the Historical Society become an official South County Welcome Center, it made sense to say yes.
    It became more feasible last month when the City Council allocated $50,000 for funding a Welcome Center at the Boca Raton History Museum at Town Hall. The city grant will be used for staffing, a promotional brochure, marketing and advertising.
    “We started working on it a year ago,” said Mary Csar, executive director of the Boca Raton Tourism Center. “We knew it would be a gradual project. We asked the city to help support it, and they gave us a grant for $50,000.”
    Tourism is one of Palm Beach County’s major industries.
    Part of the history museum’s existing gift shop has been converted to house the Welcome Center. A monitor has been installed so visitors can watch local videos, and brochures featuring Boca Raton’s parks, beaches, cultural institutions, shopping, restaurants and hotels are available for distribution.
    The Welcome Center also has Boca Raton souvenirs.
    “It’s just another thing we do and it’s a nice introduction to our history exhibit,” Csar said. “If you learn the history about a city, you learn about the community and you learn what makes the community tick.”
    Staff is also being trained to assist tourists from out of town, out of state or out of the country.
    “Generally, when people come in we always have someone who greets them. Everybody sort of takes part in it,” Csar said. “I think it’s going to be cool for the city. We are kind of like a mini tourism agency.”