The Town of Gibsons is pressing for a little clarification from the group behind a long-awaited destination marketing office (DMO) aimed at boosting the Coast's profile for tourism.
"There seems to have been no communication between the proponent (the Sunshine Coast Tourism Partnership) and the municipalities since November," said Gibsons Mayor Barry Janyk at the Town's March 4 council meeting, echoing council's feeling that they'd been left in the dark as to how the DMO's costs were being shared.
On council's orders, the Town sent a letter to the Sunshine Coast Tourism Partnership - an agglomeration of business associations on the Upper and Lower Sunshine Coast - asking them to confirm participation of all local government funders by the end of March.
The office, to be located in Powell River, will work to better sell the Sunshine Coast as a tourist destination, particularly in shoulder season - spring and fall - said organizer Kevin Toth. While it will target the Lower Sunshine Coast, the DMO will work in concert with Powell River Tourism's objectives. "The DMO is not like a visitor information centre. It focuses all of its marketing energies off-Coast," he said, adding work has already begun on their first marketing campaign, called "Romancing the Coast." Each of the four local governments will fund the DMO proportionally through their Union of B.C. Municipality (UBCM) community tourism funding, which comes from the province, not local taxpayers. The District of Sechelt will likely commit to spend $26,303 (32.9 per cent), while the Town of Gibsons is in for $14,492 (18.1 per cent). The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is expected to vet their $25,000 contribution soon, and the Sechelt Indian Band will pitch in $6,752. In all, the DMO is seeking $80,000 from governments on the Sunshine Coast, and total funding of $349,000. Much of that remainder will be covered by tourism stakeholders such as hotels, bed and breakfasts, and other hospitality-oriented businesses, said Toth.
After original applications were submitted by all four at the end of last November, the local governments have recently had to re-affirm their commitments, thanks to new UBCM requirements.
"It's become more complicated at our end, but easier to administer for UBCM," said Paul Fenwick, general manager of community services for the SCRD, who now take responsibility for sending the joint application on to UBCM.
