Prince Rupert business Inland Air Charters will be featured on CBC’s popular television show, The BIG Decision later this year, after a crew was in town filming last week.
“It was an interesting experience. My job flying airplanes and running a business is a lot easier than doing their jobs,” Inland Air owner Bruce MacDonald said, adding that he couldn’t work in front of a camera on a regular basis.
MacDonald heard about the opportunity last spring and applied for the show. In August MacDonald found out his business would be featured in an episode.
When MacDonald asked why Inland Air had been chosen on the show, the show’s executive producer said that Inland Air was picked right off the bat because it fit the criteria.
MacDonald applied for the show to get expertise advice on marketing to reach the European and Asian markets for tourism.
“Tourism is what we’re trying to promote up here and bring Prince Rupert in as a destination rather then a place people pass through on their way to somewhere else,” MacDonald said.
Big name Canadian investors Jim Treliving and Arlene Dickinson were in town on September 9 until September 13, as well as a filming crew.
Interestingly, Treliving had already living in the community a number of years ago.
“Jim was actually based here for two years in 1962 as a RCMP officer. So he’s familiar with Prince Rupert,” MacDonald said.
While Dickinson, Treliving and the rest of the crew were in town, Inland Air flew them over to Haida Gwaii to see the Haida Heritage Centre and the village of Skedans, as well as other site seeing locations on the islands.
At this time Inland Air does not know whether they will be funded to help with marketing. MacDonald and Inland Air office manager Virginia Mcrae will be traveling to Vancouver at the end of the month to finish the episode and learn their fate.
“Irregardless of what happens on TV, we get nation-wide exposure. Whether they invest in the company or not, it’s good publicity,” MacDonald said.
The BIG Decision episode that will feature Inland Air is expected to air in November.