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OBJECTIVE #1:
Establish or Select a Tourism Development Agent/Agency
This has been partially
achieved. Following the 1997 strategy, the Chamber of Commerce was
identified as the lead agency for tourism development. It is important that
the Chamber of Commerce continues to inform the funding agencies and the
wider community of the work that it does in coordinating and promoting
tourism.
The Tourism Advisory
Committee and the Chamber of Commerce will work to secure consistent and
stable long-term funding for the position. In addition, to raise the profile
of the tourism promotional activities that are underway, the Chamber of
Commerce will establish an identity exclusively for tourism promotion.
OBJECTIVE #2:
Maintain Communication with the Tourism Industry and the Community
The Tourism Advisory
Committee functions as a communications body between the Chamber of
Commerce, the Tourism Development Coordinator, and the community. The
committee meets on a monthly basis. The Committee will organize an annual
Tourism Forum to facilitate communication with, and to solicit input from,
the wider tourism industry and the community. Articles by the Tourism
Development Coordinator will also be included in the quarterly publication,
Development News.
OBJECTIVE #3:
Initiate Professional Development Program
While several tourism
businesses have participated in professional development activities such as
the Superhost program since 1997, there is still room for improvement in the
level of service offered to visitors. The Chamber of Commerce will initiate
a Tourism Service Awards program. In addition, the Tourism Development
Coordinator will work on a one-to-one basis to encourage tourism businesses
to maintain or develop high levels of customer service.
OBJECTIVE #4:
Package and Promote Winter Activity Options
Many of the recommendations
and strategies identified in the 1997 study are still valid, and not all
marketing and promotional activities have been undertaken. The role of the
Tourism Development Coordinator will be to assist local operators and
tourism companies to package and promote winter activities e.g. a weekend
visit including cross-country skiing and snowshoeing; a 4-day package
including downhill skiing and snowmobiling.
These packages (i.e., getaway
and destination) can be marketed via:
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Canadian, American and European tour wholesalers;
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Tour
wholesaler fam tours;
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Direct
advertising to Canadian, American and European winter sport clubs;
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Ongoing publication of travel articles; and
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The
Internet.
OBJECTIVE #5:
Package and Promote Summer Activity Options
Revelstoke needs to do a
better job of positioning and marketing itself as a summer destination.
The role of the Tourism Development Coordinator will be to assist local
operators and tourism companies to package and promote summer activities
e.g. hiking and kayaking; canoeing and bird-watching; trail-riding and
visits to local museums; or a combination of any of the above.
Marketing activities will be
the same as Objective #4.
OBJECTIVE #6:
Develop and Implement a Strategy to Draw More Visitors from the TCH into the
Community
Despite improvements to the
appearance of the entrances to the community from the TCH, this remains a
critical activity for the community to pursue. Further improvements to
signage and to areas adjacent to the highway west of town are required to
help entice more travellers to visit Revelstoke. In addition, new signs need
to be developed to attract more visitors who stop at Woodenhead Park and the
fast-food outlets into the community. The Tourism Advisory Committee will
continue to provide support to the Enhancement Committee and the City in the
highway revitalization efforts. The areas west of town (before the bridge,
on either side of the highway) need to be developed and made more
attractive.
A specific long-term strategy
will be developed by the Tourism Development Coordinator with input from the
Tourism Advisory Committee, the City of Revelstoke, and the community.
OBJECTIVE #7:
Profile Revelstoke as a Festivals and Events Destination
This objective was identified
in the 1997 Tourism Strategy, and very little progress has been made over
the past six years. The objective and rationale described in 1997 (see
Appendix II) are still relevant today. An Events Committee was formed in
2003, and includes the Tourism Development Coordinator. The Events Committee
will ensure that this important objective is pursued during the life of the
strategy.
OBJECTIVE #8:
Develop a Conference Package and Actively Market the Community as a
Conference Location
There are excellent
opportunities to attract small and medium-sized conferences and conventions
to Revelstoke. There are a number of high quality accommodation properties,
and the community offers a wide range of recreational and cultural
activities which can be packaged to enhance a conference program. The
community needs to promote Revelstoke as a Conference Centre and
aggressively pursue opportunities that arise.
OBJECTIVE #9:
Visual Arts/Performing Arts/Heritage Tourism
According to the Tourism
Activities and Motivations Study, the Visual Arts, Performing Arts and
Heritage Tourism sectors are projected to be the fastest and greatest growth
activities in tourism over the next 25 years. Revelstoke has a wealth of
cultural and heritage tourism attractions which can be marketed further. A
strategy will be developed to increase the promotion of this sector to the
appropriate markets.
OBJECTIVE #10:
Increase Regional Marketing Activities
More initiatives should be
undertaken to jointly market with regional and neighbouring communities. For
example, preliminary discussions have begun with Nakusp to organize a Kayak
the Columbia event, a recreational kayak/canoe race between Revelstoke and
Nakusp. Similarly, and the idea of a Peddle the Pass bicycle race between
Revelstoke and Golden is being considered. The Revelstoke Golf Club is
examining the potential of a TCH golf tour, in partnership with other
neighbouring communities on the TCH, Golden, Sicamous and Salmon Arm. These
type of events increase the number of visitors to each community and help
raise the profile of all communities involved.
The Tourism Development Coordinator will also work with the Tourism Action
Society of the Kootenays to seek opportunities for partnering with the
Product Club initiative.
OBJECTIVE #11:
Develop Objective Indicators to Measure Success
It is critical that some
objective measures be developed and implemented to try and measure the
success of the activities described above. Obviously, the primary measure of
success will be increased tourism visitation, resulting in increased
expenditures in the community and increased employment in the tourism
sector. The Tourism Development Coordinator, with input from the Tourism
Advisory Committee, will work to develop some indicators which can be used
to measure success.
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