Lucky loser from Price is Right located, accepts all-expenses paid trip to New Westminster

New Westminster, B.C.’s campaign to put itself on the world tourist map got a boost Tuesday, thanks to a lucky loser from The Price is Right.

Phillip Fitzpatrick blew a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to New Westminster — about a 20-kilometre drive southeast of Vancouver — touted on the show as an “amazing trip to beautiful Canada” — when he appeared as a contestant on the game show that aired Nov. 13.

The show generated a lot of buzz locally — and no end to jabs and jokes about whether New West truly qualifies as an international vacation destination.

It also sparked staff at Tourism New Westminster to leap into action.

They took to social media to leverage the attention by launching #SearchForPhillip and offering him a trip in place of the one that got away

Now, Tourism New Westminster is tweeting #WeFoundPhillip, and the 64-year-old from Arizona has accepted the replacement prize.

“I’m dumbfounded, honestly, because it’s not something I even dreamed could happen,” Fitzpatrick told CBC. “I joked with one of my co-workers that I’m right up there with Nemo and Waldo now.”

Fitzpatrick lost on The Price is Right by overestimating the $5,280 price tag for the trip to New West by $3,000.

But his zero has now turned to hero, and in early December he’ll be heading north for an “expansive experience package, including four nights at the Inn at the Quay.”

The folks at Tourism New West say the campaign has been a big success.

“We’re very happy that this time it’s us who are in the spotlight and Vancouver became, for the week, the secondary destination,” said executive director Gerardo Corro.