TIAPEI members were presented with an overview of activities which will be held across Prince Edward Island in honour of the 100th Anniversary of the publication of L.M. Montgomery’s novel, Anne of Green Gables. Four signature events will include ANNE-imated, to be held June 14 in Charlottetown; the Anne of Green Gables Festival, planned for July 3-6 in Cavendish; Matthew and Marilla’s Cuthbert Reunion, taking place in Summerside August 17; and a wrap-up event in Cavendish on the birthday of L.M. Montgomery, November 30. These and many more events are showcased on the website.

Pamela Vienneau, Operations Manager for Anne 2008 said, “The website also serves to improve the correlation between the internationally known fabled character, Anne of Green Gables, and Prince Edward Island as a means to encourage visitors from around the world to come to the Island and experience the surroundings the L.M. Montgomery so eloquently described.” Beyond the signature events, the site also offers Anne packaging by tourism operators; educational components for teachers and schools across Canada; a new Tour the Island component which includes a souvenir Anne Passport; links to the Tourism P.E.I. website gentleisland.com; projects and colouring book pages for children; literary competitions and challenges for all ages and much more, all provided in an easy-to-use format which allows for easy alterations as new items are created.

The book is published in more than 36 languages worldwide, and a recent study released by the Tourism Research Centre at the University of Prince Edward Island noted that 10.7% of first-time visitor parties indicated the main reason they were attracted to the Island was because of Anne of Green Gables and the world of L.M. Montgomery.

The study also noted that a total of 53,000 visitor parties (169,000 people) visited Anne of Green Gables attractions during the study period June 27 to September 30, 2007. This number was equivalent to a quarter of total pleasure visitors to the Island indicating that our beloved character has great potential to increase tourism visitation in coming years. While Anne has long been a traditional component of the tourism product on Prince Edward Island, there remains a considerable opportunity to further develop the fictional world of Anne and the incredibly world famous reputation and celebration of her creator, L.M. Montgomery.

The Anne 2008 Centennial Committee is dedicated to continued respectful development of Anne product and services through collaboration with the Island tourism industry and welcomes interested parties who wish to develop this aspect of their business.

“2008 promises to be a great year of Anne celebrations for Islanders and visitors,” added Ms. Vienneau.