Statistics show that more and more people are dropping by and getting information from the tourism office in Pitt Meadows - and it's not just people from out of town.

There was a 57 per cent increase in visitors to the Tourism Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows office on Harris Road as compared to the same time period last year - statistics are from January to May.

"'How do you get rid of a raccoon from your yard' - that's one of the funniest questions," said Kristina Gervais, executive director of Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Tourism, about the queries they receive at the centre.

The tourism office has a dual purpose, Gervais said. First, to provide tourists with information about attractions, accommodations, and other valuable tidbits; secondly, to give information to locals about things they can do in their own community.

"We're struggling to let locals know this is a resource for them," Gervais said, but she added, "they are catching on."

Now that it's the height of the summer season, though, tourists are the most common visitor to the centre, Gervais said.

There are a lot of "shell-shocked" cyclists coming through who have just made it through the construction zone coming out of Vancouver. Typically, they stop at the tourism centre to freshen up, get some water and maps, and make sure they're still on the cycle route going east.

The tourism office released statistics on their centre's activities, noting that from January to May of this year, more than half of inquiries were from local residents. The second largest group were B.C. residents.

Visitors typically focus on outdoor activities, as the community's reputation as a destination for hiking and biking grows, Gervais said.

Visitors centres across B.C. have a promotion whereby anyone can pick up a tourism "passport" and collect stickers from other centres and provincial parks in it.

The visitors centre is at 12492 Harris Rd. in Pitt Meadows, and their number is 604-460-8300.

Tourism contest

Grand prize valued at $528

- $25 gift certificate at business in downtown Maple Ridge

- Cooking class for two at Golden Ears Cheesecrafters valued at $130

- Four tickets to a presentation at The ACT Maple Ridge during the 2012/13 season valued at $130

- Panache Experience BC Book valued at $65

- History of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows book valued at $34

- Backroads Map Book valued at $28

- One family pass to WildPlay valued at $66

Second prize valued at $397

- A gift basket from the Maple Ridge BIA valued at $50

- $25 gift certificate valid at any BIA business in Downtown Maple Ridge

- Cooking class for two at Golden Ears Cheesecrafters valued at $130

- Two tickets to a presentation at The ACT Maple Ridge during the 2012/13 season valued at $65

- Panache Experience BC Book valued at $65

- History of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Book valued at $34

- Backroads Map Book valued at $28

People can visit www.mapleridgeweekends.com

to win

mrantanen@mrtimes.com