Tournament Capital branding is giving Kamloops a competitive advantage as the city sees its tourism sector grow.

Buoyed by a jump in room-tax revenues from 2010, Tourism Kamloops is forecasting even stronger growth for 2011.

The City’s tourism arm reported a 15.6 per cent increase Monday in overall accommodation tax revenues for 2010 compared with 2009. That brings tourism back to its pre-recession record of 2008.

CEO Lee Morris attributed the jump to multiple factors — an economic recovery, sport tourism and rail tourism — while giving the agency itself some credit for tactical marketing.

“These numbers are strong and are above averages being reported in other areas of the province,” Morris said. “We are forecasting increased growth for 2011.”

With a number of meeting and tournament dates already on the roster, including the Western Canada Summer Games, Morris is confident of another improvement this season.

As well, regional visits are on the upswing with increased interest in Kamloops shown by visitors from the Lower Mainland. That builds upon the city’s longstanding strength as a rubber-tire stopover halfway between Vancouver and the Rocky Mountains.

In general terms, the revenue amounts to roughly $780,000 accruing from a two per cent tax levied on hotel/motel stays. All of the revenue goes to “external marketing,” ad campaigns directed at overseas or sport markets.

Mark Madryga, the Global meteorologist who has given Kamloops a friendly face in Tourism Kamloops marketing for the past couple of years, will continue in that role for another year, Morris said.

The city’s tourism/hospitality industry is among the top three or four employment sectors and brought in roughly $8 million in its bumper year of 2008, she noted.