community planning tourism guide

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C O M M U N I T Y T O U R I S M

P L A N N I N G G U I D E

G U I D E F O R S A S K AT C H E WA N C O M M UN I T I ES

E I G H T H E D I T I O N


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C o m m u n i t y T o u r is m P l a n n i n g G u i d e

INTRODUCTION

Saskatchewan's tourism products are exciting

and diverse. They include unspoiled wildernessand abundant wildlife populations, inspiring

cultural festivals, and entertaining events. Our

heritage and lifestyles are interpreted through

museums and cultural centers throughout the

province. Our accommodation, food services,

and attractions offer excellent value to visitors,

and occupancy rates are among the highest

in Canada.

Saskatchewan communities are increasinglyturning to tourism as an opportunity for

economic diversification and new jobs. The

retention of businesses and services in many

communities throughout the province depends

more and more upon visitor spending.

This guide has been prepared to help

community leaders direct and focus tourismplanning capabilities at the community and

district level. Tourism Saskatchewan believes this

process will be a catalyst for community

residents and leaders who are interested in

exploring opportunities available to their

communities through tourism.

Throughout the course of preparing a tourism

plan for your community, you are invited to

keep in contact with the Industry DevelopmentBranch, as we may be able to provide additional

assistance to your planning process.


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C o m m u n i t y T o ur i s m P l a n n i n g G u i d e

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE3

TOURISM IN SASKATCHEWAN

CHAPTER TWO...5

PLANNING FORTOURISM

CHAPTER THREE.6

ORGANIZING THE TEAM

CHAPTER FOUR................................................9

PREPARING THE PLAN

(A) PLAN OUTLINE(B) COMMITTEE MEETINGS

(C) TOURISM MARKETS

(D) TOURISM ASSETS

(E) TOURISM CONCERNS

(F) TOURISM GOALS

(G) TOURISM OBJECTIVES

(H) TOURISM ACTION STEPS

CHAPTER FIVE ................................................24

MUNICIPAL AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

CHAPTER SIX..................................................27

SAMPLE TOURISM PLAN

CHAPTER SEVEN .............................................41

MONITORING AND REVIEWING ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER EIGHT .............................................43

SUMMARY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................44

LIST OF CONTACTS AND ASSOCIATIONS.........44

Copyright Tourism Saskatchewan 2001. All rights reserved. Eigth edition.


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CHAPTER ONE - TOURISM IN SASKATCHEWAN

Tourism is the business of attracting and serving

the needs of visitors - people travelling andstaying outside their home communities for

business or pleasure. Businesses that derive a

majority of their revenues from visitors are

clearly in the tourism industry, but since most

other businesses sell goods and services to

visitors as well, tourism has a substantial impact

on the rest of the economy.

In 2005, our industry generated more than

$1.56 billion in tourism expenditures, resultingfrom urban, rural, and northern visitor

experiences. About 55,000 people, one of every

nine workers, are employed in tourism-related

jobs.

The tourism industry is made up of many types

of attractions, businesses, organizations, and

activities, and has five key components:

Tourism Attractions

Tourism Businesses

Tourism Infrastructure

Tourism Hospitality; and

Tourism Promotion

Tourism Attractions include our parks, which

provide outdoor recreational experiences, as well

as museums, galleries, powwows, a variety of

heritage and cultural festivals and experiences,heritage festivals, agricultural exhibitions, craft

fairs, fall suppers, and more events reflecting our

way of life. Other attractions provide

paleontological, mineral spa and casino gaming

experiences. Some of our golf courses are known

internationally. Events in nature, such as

shorebird and waterfowl migrations, and the

northern lights, also act as attractions.

Tourism Businesses include the hotels, motels,

campgrounds, vacation farms, bed andbreakfasts, guest ranches, outfitting camps,

service stations, golf courses, tour boat, motor

coach, car rental, airline and charter services,

restaurants, and other retail businesses that can

take care of visitors' needs.

Tourism Infrastructure includes roads, bridges

and ferries, airports and landing strips, parking

areas, wastewater and garbage disposal facilities,

water and power services, boat launches anddocking facilities, access to telephones and

cellular service, availability of fuels such as diesel,

natural gas, and propane, as well as gasoline,

location and distance signage, and police and

emergency services. The way people get to an

area and the basic services available to them

along the way and when they get there, affect

the ability to attract visitors.

Tourism Hospitalityinvolves how tourists are

welcomed and looked after during their stay. It

determines whether visitors have a pleasant and

enjoyable experience, and therefore is critical to

the success of tourism attractions and businesses.

Visitors to tourism operations have high

expectations of the quality of personal service

they receive. Courtesy, service, and genuine

thoughtfulness are noticed and appreciated by

visitors.

Tourism Promotion involves activities which

individuals and groups undertake to attract

potential tourists. Co-operative advertising,

attendance at travel shows, magazine articles,

brochures, maps, commercial and promotional

signs, travel guides, newspaper, radio, television,

Internet web sites, and tourism information

centers are all examples of promotional activities.


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The Saskatchewan Tourism Education

Council administers national occupationalstandards and certification for careers in the

tourism industry. These are based on eight

specific sectors within the components listed

above. These sectors are Accommodation, Food

and Beverage, Transportation, Attractions,

Events and Conferences, Travel Trade, Tourism

Services, and Adventure Tourism.

Approximately 420 occupations are collectively

offered within these eight sectors.

Tourism in Saskatchewan is viewed as a

partnership between the private sector and

various levels of government. In 1996, the

province's three key tourism organizations - the

Saskatchewan Tourism Authority, the Tourism

Industry Association of Saskatchewan

(TISASK), and the Saskatchewan Tourism

Education Council (STEC) - merged to become

Tourism Saskatchewan. This merger, combinedwith the transfer of the industry development

mandate from the provincial government,

created the most comprehensive

industry/government partnership in Canada.

Tourism Saskatchewan has the mandate to

promote and enhance the development of our

tourism industry. A summary of Tourism

Saskatchewans annual business plan is published

by Tourism Saskatchewan and is available to thepublic.

It would be a good idea to refer to this

document as you proceed through the steps to

preparing a tourism plan for your community.


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CHAPTER TWO - PLANNING FOR TOURISM

A Community Tourism Plan is a written

document produced on behalf of a communityby a group of people representing a broad cross-section of interests within that community. Theplan provides a framework for business, localgovernment, cultural and other organizations toanalyze tourism resources and concerns, and toencourage tourism development and promotion.

Tourism planning at the local or communitylevel has been taking place in Saskatchewan'slarger centers for many years. Some of our

communities have Visitor and ConventionBureaus, led by boards of directors representinga wide range of community interests. In othercommunities, tourism planning may be afunction of the local Chamber of Commerce orBoard of Trade. In others, a Committee ofCouncil, or an Economic DevelopmentCommittee may include tourism concerns in itsmandate.

The Community Tourism Planning Guide

affords these communities an opportunity toreview how successful their activities have beenin the past, and perhaps help to identify newpartnerships and opportunities for the future.For instance, cultural enterprises and traditionaltourism enterprises are growing economic forcesin Saskatchewan. Where there is a mutual lackof awareness of each other's value, a closerassociation between the two sectors should provebeneficial to both.

In many communities throughoutSaskatchewan, tourism is recognized as anindustry that can make a positive contributionto economic and social well being. In others,though, it is seen as a potential threat totraditional lifestyles and related naturalresources. Effective tourism planning can beused to balance the economic opportunities

with the cultural and natural sensitivities of thearea. Planning at the community level often

ensures that a wider range of perspectives is

brought into the process.

It is increasingly important for northernresidents to take the opportunity to prepareplans for tourism within their communities.Community based plans can minimize oreliminate negative impacts which could resultfrom tourism. They can also identify theeducational requirements and support necessaryfor residents to start their own tourism businessoperations and to obtain employment in the

industry. They should also identify areas inwhich the natural resources necessary to supporttourism activities need to be conserved.

Many communities further south in ruralSaskatchewan possess outstanding 'tourismassets' including golf courses, regional andprovincial parks, agricultural fairs, rodeos,museums, interpretive centers and other culturalfacilities, powwows, bonspiels, and service clubevents. Many are located in close proximity to

natural areas identified as prime locations forecotourism, agritourism, and Aboriginal tourismactivities.

The impact of visitors' spending in thesecommunities is helping to retain retail servicesthat would otherwise have experienced seriousdifficulty. The positive impact of tourism interms of enabling people to stay in their localcommunity and district while coping with lowcommodity prices is frequently apparent. On

the other hand, community residents who haveto compete with visitors for tee times at the golfcourse or campsites in the regional park, forinstance, may have second thoughts.

A tourism plan prepared with widespread localinvolvement and support helps to ensure thatcommunity and district residents can optimizethe benefits available from tourism activities,

while successfully dealing with any real orperceived negative circumstances.


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Chapter Three - Organizing the Team

This chapter has two main purposes. It asks

communities to consider whether they want toencourage tourism locally, and goes on toexplain how they can organize to do so. Itprovides direction on:

Developing a Tourism Policy; and

Establishing a Tourism Committee

You will recall that in Chapter One, tourism wasdescribed as a partnership between the private

sector and government. This partnership shouldextend to the community level as well.

You may be interested in seeing tourismdeveloped and promoted in your community,but is there a desire to do so on the part of localresidents, businesses, and the municipal council?

DOES THE COMMUNITY WANT

TOURISM?

You can find out by asking the municipalgovernment (mayor, councilors, andadministration) whether the municipality has aTourism Policy, and whether they know of anygroups that may be working to improvetourism.

Some municipalities have a stated policy - oftenas part of their Basic Planning Statement ortheir Community Development Plan - whichsays tourism should be encouraged. This is the

logical place to formally state a Tourism Policy.

Groups in many municipalities are working ontourism development and promotion. You mayalready be a member of one of these groups. It isrecommended that any such group seek thesupport of the local municipal council.

The municipal council has been elected torepresent the views of the community. With the

endorsement of the council, any group involvedin tourism planning will gain credibility. In

addition, the group may receive from themunicipality various support services to helpdevelop and implement a Tourism Plan.

DEVELOPING A TOURISM POLICY

Let's assume your community does not have aTourism Policy, and that no other group in yourarea is working to develop and improve tourism.If you want to get something started, you couldapproach your municipal council and request

that:

Council adopt a positive Tourism Policy; and

Council establish or endorse a TourismCommittee.

A positive Tourism Policy should be a concisestatement of future support and encouragementfor tourism in your community. 'Future'support is referred to here because some

communities may not actually be prepared foran increase in visitors. For instance, once thedecision to become involved in this industry hasbeen made, it may take time for some residentsto become trained in tourism occupations.Some investments in local infrastructure mayalso have to be made, such as improving thecampground, re-building a boat launch,upgrading the cultural center, etc.


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Here is a sample Tourism Policy that can be

altered to suit your community's specific needs:

"Tourism will be encouraged within (yourcommunity) and its surrounding area in waysthat will attract more visitors, lengthen their stay,increase their spending here, and improve theoverall quality of life in our community."

For formal recognition, this policy should formpart of the Community Development Plan orBasic Planning Statement, or be adopted as aResolution of your Council.

ESTABLISHING A TOURISM

COMMITTEE

The recognition that a tourism plan is requiredusually comes in response to tourism relatedpressures being experienced either by individualbusiness people, event organizers, culturalinterests, municipal staff, or business andeconomic development organizations.

Sometimes, an organization such as a Chamberof Commerce or a Museum Society will alreadyhave a sub-committee dealing with tourismissues, and the opportunity to broaden theireffectiveness by combining with otherstakeholders in the community becomesapparent. Establishment of a TourismCommittee for the community and districtcould involve the expansion of an existing

committee or the creation of an entirely newgroup.

A Tourism Committee will ideally consist of amanageable number of members (usually 8 to12 people) representing a broad cross-section oftourism interests in the community. It should besanctioned by the municipal council and itshould be responsible for producing andimplementing the plan. (In many communities,

it will be desirable for council to actually pass aby-law providing terms of reference for the

Tourism Committee.)

REPRESENTATION ON THE TOURISM

COMMITTEE

Members need to be committed to sharing theworkload required to put the plan together. Itwill take time and effort by a number ofvolunteers, and everyone will need tocontribute. The committee will includerepresentatives of different groups and interests,

and here is a sample to consider:

Tourism businesses - these people depend onrevenues from visitors;

Other businesses - these people need toexpand their customer base, and attractingmore visitors may represent the bestopportunity to do so;

Cultural groups - this includes the people whooperate the local museum, the music festival,

the square-dances , the dinner theatre, andso on; Service clubs - these people undertake

community projects all the time - everythingfrom constructing grass greens on the localgolf course, upgrading the communitycampground, hosting curling bonspiels,providing scholarships for the music festival,sponsoring museum exhibits, etc.;


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Municipal governments - these people are

responsible for looking after the roads, waterand sewer services, and other infrastructurewhich visitors are going to use. They are alsoresponsible for issuing licenses, makingchanges to property zoning, and approvingland sub-division, all of which affect tourismdevelopment;

Economic Development Officers employedeither by communities or by RegionalEconomic Development Authorities;

Municipal Recreation Directors who play alead role in large numbers of recreationalfacilities and services in communitiesthroughout the province;

Aboriginal community representatives EldersGuidelines have been developed to ensure thatopportunities for visitors to learn more aboutaboriginal culture and heritage are carefullymanaged;

Interested members of the general public -these people bring their skills and knowledge,

perhaps about history, archaeology,photography, etc.- and they may ensure the'quality of life' focus is not overlooked.

Factors to consider when selecting committeemembers include:

knowledge of the community; commitment to tourism; ability to work in a group;

ability to invest sufficient time in thecommittee; and

reliability.

A diverse group, with individuals who exhibitthe above qualities, will be well suited todeveloping and implementing a Tourism Plan.


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CHAPTER FOUR PREPARING THE PLAN

In step-by-step fashion, this chapter discusses: The Plan Outline; Tourism Committee Meetings; Tourism Markets; Tourism Assets; Tourism Concerns; Tourism Goals; Tourism Objectives; and Tourism Action Steps

(A) THE PLAN OUTLINE

At the beginning of Chapter Two, we described

a Tourism Plan as a written document producedon behalf of a community by a group of peoplerepresenting a broad cross-section of thatcommunity. We proposed that the plan providea framework for businesses, local government,and other organizations to analyze tourismresources and concerns and to encouragetourism development and promotion within thecommunity. And finally, we indicated that theplan needs to be monitored and reviewed toallow for appropriate changes.

A TOURISM PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE:

1. ASHORT INTRODUCTION THAT DISCUSSES: what the plan is; who developed the plan and under what

authority; what the plan hopes to accomplish; when the plan was prepared, when it will be

monitored, and when it will be reviewed; how the plan was developed, including how

public input was obtained; how the plan should be used and who uses it;and

why the plan is important to the community.

2. THE STATED TOURISM POLICY FORTHE COMMUNITY.

3. ASUMMARY OF THE COMMUNITY'STOURISM MARKETS.

4. LISTS OF THE COMMUNITY'S TOURISM ASSETS.

5. LISTS OF THE COMMUNITY'STOURISM CONCERNS.

6. THE COMMUNITY'S TOURISM GOALS.

7. THE COMMUNITYS TOURISM OBJECTIVES.

8. THE ACTION STEPS REQUIRED TOACCOMPLISH EACH OBJECTIVE.

PLAN FORMATA sample plan has been provided in Chapter Sixof this guide. It primarily consists of lists andcharts. If it is bound loose-leaf style, or storedelectronically in a power-point presentation, forinstance, amendments and additions can beeasily incorporated.

PLAN CONTENTThe Tourism Plan should deal with the five keycomponents described in Chapter One. Onceagain, these components include:

Tourism Attractions; Tourism Businesses; Tourism Infrastructure; Tourism Hospitality; and Tourism Promotion.

WHO PREPARES THE PLAN?The Tourism Committee, discussed in ChapterThree, will be responsible for producing aTourism Plan and guiding its implementation.


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It would be helpful if all members of theTourism Committee reviewed the CommunityTourism Planning Guide prior to their firstcommittee meeting.

(B) COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The time and date for the first TourismCommittee meeting needs to be established.This could be set by the Municipal Council,

which might also assign a member to notifyother committee members of the meeting timeand provide initial leadership to get the

committee off to a good start.

Initially, this resource person can make avaluable contribution to the committee bycompiling as much background information ontourism as possible for the first meeting. Thisinformation could include:

The Basic Planning Statement or theCommunity Development Plan;

The Regional Tourism Destination Strategy

(these were prepared between 1987and 1993); A Tourism Destination Area Study, if available; The Communitys and/or Regional Economic

Development Authoritys (REDA) EconomicDevelopment Strategy;

The Parks and Recreation Master Planif available;

Tourism Promotion Material from aroundthe district;

Tourist Information/Visitor Services

Center Statistics; Campground Occupancy Data; Tourism Traffic Flows/Activity Participation;

and Any Relevant Video productions dealing with

the area; and Tourism Saskatchewan Travel Literature,

including the Events Guide.

(Tourism Saskatchewan, various governmentdepartments and agencies, or your local

municipal office can help provide some of thisinformation.)

FOR EACH MEETING, THE COMMITTEE SHOULDHAVE THE FOLLOWING RESOURCES AVAILABLE: A complete copy of the Community Tourism

Planning Guide; A meeting room with a large table, chairs, and

lots of wall space; A flip chart with plenty of paper, including an

easel or a way to mount display sheets on

the wall; Several felt marker pens, push pins, and/ormasking tape;

Pens/pencils for each member; Background information compiled by the

municipal resource person; Coffee or other refreshments; Name tags or cards if members are not

acquainted; and An agenda

THE AGENDA FOR THE FIRST MEETINGSHOULD INCLUDE: Personal introduction by each committee

member (get to know each other); A review of the committee's terms of reference

(these could be included in a by-law asmentioned in Chapter Three);

A review of the entire Community TourismPlanning Guide;

A review of all available backgroundinformation;


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A tourism policy; Selection of a chairperson. One of the

chairperson's main functions will be to makesure the planning process moves ahead inlogical, step-by-step fashion;

Selection of a secretary (if not provided bycouncil); and

The date and agenda for the next meeting.

During the course of this or other meetings,questions may arise that committee memberscannot answer. The chairperson, in consultation

with the group, can seek answers to these

questions by assigning responsibility. Designatedcommittee members can collect whateverinformation or material is needed and reportback to the committee within an agreed-upontime frame.

Throughout the meetings, there will be a needto keep track of what has been discussed andagreed upon. Establishing and maintaining arecord of committee activities can be done asfollows:

The chairperson or an appointed member willrecord lists and group statements on large flipchart sheets for all to see. This can be done inpoint form as the meeting proceeds and is agood idea since it helps keep the groupfocused on the topic under discussion.

The appointed secretary will keep detailedminutes for subsequent distribution tocommittee members. The minutes will form apermanent record of what takes place at each

meeting; and when steps in the process arecompleted, the date of completion should berecorded by the secretary. A personalcomputer or lap-top might prove useful andconvenient in keeping, amending, anddistributing minutes.

(C) TOURISM MARKETS

Before tourism can be developed or promoted,you must have reliable information on tourism

as it exists today in your community. You needto find out who visits your area and why. The

answers will determine your Tourism Markets.

Before getting down to the task of listing yourmarkets and describing or profiling them, spenda short period of time in open discussion aboutyour community's Tourism Policy.

Think about what you are trying to achievethrough your Tourism Policy. Your policy maystate that you want tourists to increase theirlength of stay and the amount of money theyspend in your community. What kind ofinformation will you need to help meet theobjectives of your policy?

Successful tourism development and promotiondepends on your understanding of TourismMarkets in terms of: who they are; what interests them; where they come from; why they travel; when they travel; and

how they travel.

In addition to existing Tourism Markets, youalso should consider potential markets ortravelers who do not now visit your communitybut who could be encouraged to do so.

During your general discussion of TourismMarkets, the committee should consider thefollowing:


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Why do people travel to your community? Isit for pleasure or business, or both? Is it to visitfriends or relatives, to take in an event, or toparticipate in an activity? Are they coming toyour community to learn something? Do youknow how many visitors fall into each ofthese categories?

When do people travel to your community?Weekends? Holidays? During hunting season?

How do people travel to your area? By car,motor coach, recreational vehicle, powerboat,or aircraft?

Where are the tourists from? Are they from

towns, cities, rural areas, other provinces, orother countries? Do you have other"demographic" information on visitors toyour community? For example, can you putthem into categories of age, sex, oroccupation? If this kind of specific data is notimmediately available, make your best guess.

What knowledge do you have concerningTourism Markets in other communities?

What are the trends in travel and what attractstourists today?

A general discussion of all of the above isworthwhile. But remember; think in terms ofyour own community and the region in whichit is located. Keep in mind that throughout theentire planning process, the Tourism Plan musttake into consideration your community'sregional context.

Many of your Tourism Markets will be similarto those in other communities in your region.

Although you are developing a Tourism Plan foryour own community, many of the objectivesyou will eventually develop may entail workingand co-operating with other communities inyour region.

Dedicate about 30 minutes to a generaldiscussion of Tourism Markets at this meeting ofthe committee. Then prepare to move ahead

with the development of your Tourism MarketProfiles.

TOURISM MARKET PROFILETo put Tourism Markets in focus, the

committee must develop Tourism MarketProfiles, which describe the types of tourists whocurrently visit - or pass through - yourcommunity.

Visitors or tourists can be categorized accordingto their reason for travel. For example: People attending cultural events and

performances Campers Commercial travellers

Cottagers Hunters Road and utility work crews Sports teams and spectators People attending conventions and

business meetings Golfers Fishermen Skiers Snowmobilers Motor coach tour participants Shoppers

Visitors of friends and relatives People attending agricultural fairs

and exhibitions People visiting physicians, accountants, and

other professionals

Types of tourists will vary from community tocommunity.

Information about the types of tourists comingto - or passing through - your community


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should be tabulated using a chart similar to theTourism Market Profile chart included inChapter Six.

A copy of this should be drawn on a large flipchart for use during the meeting. As TourismMarket Profiles are developed, the chairpersonor an appointed member should fill out theflip chart.

Its a good idea to use a pencil when markingindividual charts - or to make additional copiesof blank charts - since changes to the profiles

may occur later on in the planning processwhen you seek input from businesses, museumsocieties, and other relevant organizations.

As you proceed with your profiles, thechairperson should ask all committee membersfor input on what types of tourists come to orpass through your community. The tourist typesshould be recorded along the left margin of theTourism Market Profile chart.

Next, the chairperson should ask the committeeif questions beyond those appearing along thetop margin of the chart should be included.

Additional questions should be recorded in thespaces available.

The committee can now profile TourismMarkets by simply answering each questionabout each tourist type and filling in the blanks.If some of the questions are difficult to answer,the committee should make its best guess by:

Checking the reference material that has beengathered (Tourism Destination Area Study,visitor and reception center or booth statistics,campground occupancy information, golfcourse records, etc.); and

Making use of committee members'knowledge about your community's visitors.

Once you have answered each question on thechart relating to each tourist type, be certain thatthe secretary records the information because it

will form an important component of your

Tourism Plan.

Each Tourism Market should now be ranked inorder to complete the chart.

RANKING YOUR TOURISM MARKETSYou should rank your Tourism Markets because: It will highlight your major markets; It will be of assistance later in the process when

the committee has to decide where best toconcentrate its efforts; and

It will stimulate more thought and discussionregarding this very important element of theTourism Plan.

Criteria for determining the importance of eachof your Tourism Markets (types of tourists)include: How many of each tourist type come to

your community; How much time each tourist type spends in

your community; and How much money each tourist type spends in

your community.

You do not need exact figures to apply these

criteria - simply determine whether anglers aremore or less important than sports teams andspectators to your market and so on.

On the Tourism Market Profile chart, note thatindicators for ranking tourist types appear inspaces along the chart's left vertical column.

A grading system can be used if the committeehas difficulty determining rank. The system isquite simple. Committee members individually


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grade each tourist type on a scale of 1 to 20 - 20represents the highest importance, 1 representsthe lowest. Grading is done independently andthe results are passed on to the chairperson fortabulation.

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW IT WORKS:

Eight committee members grade a tourist typeas follows:First member gives a grade of - 8Second member gives a grade of - 12Third member gives a grade of - 15

Fourth member gives a grade of - 9Fifth member gives a grade of - 17Sixth member gives a grade of - 13Seventh member gives a grade of - 14The Chairman gives a grade of - 10

Total - 98

Once the committee grades all tourist types, thehighest totals will surface as your top TourismMarkets.

The market with the highest total is the mostsignificant and should be ranked number 1 onthe Tourism Market Profile chart. The market

with the second highest total should be ranked 2and so on.

In the event of a tie, a simple show of handsshould suffice to reach a decision.

Keep in mind that the above procedures for

ranking or grading will apply not only toTourism Markets but also to Assets, Concerns,and Objectives, which will be dealt with later inthe preparation of your community's TourismPlan.

Once the Tourism Market Profile chart iscomplete and your markets have been ranked,you will be ready to check the validity of your

work.

INPUT FROM BUSINESS ANDRELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS

Prior to the next committee meeting, thechairperson should ask assigned members of thecommittee to contact relevant businesses andorganizations such as some of following: Hotel/motel operators; Restaurant operators; Park and campground operators; Service station operators; Tourist information booth operators; Hunting and fishing guides; Aboriginal councils or local groups; Saskatchewan Highways & Transportation; Saskatchewan Industry & Resources; Saskatchewan Environment; Tourism Saskatchewan and your Regional

Tourism Association representatives; Municipal officials; Retail businesses; Service clubs; Cultural event organizers; and Tourist attraction operators (museums,

cultural centers, etc.) Sporting event organizers

Golf course operators Representatives of Regional Economic

Development Authorities and CommunityFutures Development Corporations;

(In Northern Saskatchewan) SaskatchewanNorthern Affairs

When these businesses and organizations arereached, committee members should provide


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them with copies of completed Tourism MarketProfiles charts and ask for input. This is also anopportune time to explain the Tourism Planprocess.

Mention that assistance would be appreciated atthis stage and suggest there will be furtheropportunities for input when a draft TourismPlan has been formulated. Ask what tourismpromotional activities are currently underwayand what is planned for the future.

Additions or changes that result from talks with

others in the community should be discussed ata subsequent committee meeting. A record ofany changes or additions you agree on should bemade at that time.

The next step is to list your community'sTourism Assets.

(D) TOURISM ASSETS

This part of the process features a brainstorming

session by the Tourism Committee. The sessionis aimed at developing five lists that will includeall of the Tourism Assets in and around yourcommunity. The lists will correspond to the fivecomponents of tourism including:

Tourism Attractions; Tourism Infrastructure; Tourism Hospitality; Tourism Businesses; and Tourism Promotion.

WHAT ARE TOURISM ASSETS?

Tourism Assets should be confined to thosecommunity assets that can or do attract andserve tourists.

Your community may have a high school, a newgrocery store, a recently expanded library, and aRCMP detachment - all of which constitutecommunity assets. However, none of these relate

directly to tourism unless the asset is somehowunique.

LISTING AND RANKING TOURISM ASSETS

The chairperson should ask each of thecommittee members in turn for one Tourism

Asset. A flip chart should be created for each ofthe five categories of assets and each asset shouldbe displayed on the appropriate sheet for all tosee.

Once the committee members have providedone asset, the chairperson should again ask eachmember in turn for another asset until allpossibilities have been explored.

Keep in mind that assets can be placed undermore than one category, which is helpful if thecommittee has difficulty deciding where anasset fits.

Remember - Tourism Assets do not necessarilyhave to be within your community. Forexample, tourists travelling through your area

may be going to or coming from an attraction -such as a national or provincial park - that issome distance away. The park in this instanceshould be recorded on the Tourism Assets -

Attractions list.

Once you have established a list of assets foreach of the five key components of tourism,each list should be ranked.


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Your Tourism Assets should be ranked tohighlight the community's tourism strongpoints, which you will want to build on when itcomes time to establish your Tourism Objectivesand Tourism Action Steps. When consideringthe importance of Tourism Assets, the maincriteria include:

How attractive the asset is to tourists; How unique the asset is to your community; How easily the asset can be promoted to

tourists; and How effective the asset is in attracting tourists

to your community to spend time and moneythere.

The chairperson should deal with one flip chartsheet of assets at a time and look for a consensusfrom the committee regarding, for example, thecommunity's most important Infrastructure

Asset, the second most important asset and soon. The chairperson will designate importanceof the asset by assigning it a number (1 beingthe most important).

If difficulty arises during the ranking of anyTourism Asset, you can resort to the gradingsystem described in (C) above

(E) TOURISM CONCERNS

The committee is now ready to compile five listsof the community's Tourism Concerns. Again,one list is needed for each of the five keycomponents of tourism. Before starting your

lists, you must understand what is meant byTourism Concerns and how they relate to yourmarkets and your assets.

WHAT ARE TOURISM CONCERNS?

Tourism Concerns can include:Negative assets. Check your lists of assets as

well as your Tourism Market Profiles chart. Doeither your assets or your markets have anynegative features?

Outright liabilities. Your community may bein close proximity to an odoriferous industrial

plant or an unappealing natural setting.Committee members should try to list allconcerns - even those that seem insurmountable- because someone else may be able to come up

with at least a partial solution. And even if nosolution is found, you will have discussed thematter and put it into realistic perspective forthe community.

Undeveloped ideas. They may include greatideas that have not been acted upon. Again,your assets lists and market profiles will likelyconjure up some great ideas about what could orshould be done to increase tourism in yourcommunity.

When stated negatively, a great idea can becomea concern.

For example:

Committee Member:"What this town needs is a way to tell visitors

about our colorful history."

Chairperson:"That's a great idea. How can you rephrase it soit becomes a concern?"

Committee Member:"We have no way of telling people about thecolorful history of our town."


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Chairperson:"Good. We should record that concern underthe list Tourism Concerns - Promotion. "Ourcolorful history has already been identified as aTourism Asset - Attraction", and now we arenoting that we need to determine how best toconvey and interpret to visitors."

The committee should make every effort to beas honest and explicit as possible when listingTourism Concerns. A statement such as -"Visitors just pass right through town, nobodyever stops here" - is much too general to be

listed as a Tourism Concern.

Although the statement may be true, it mayhave aspects relating to each of the five basiccomponents of tourism. For example, visitorsmay not be stopping in town because:

There are few clean washrooms at local servicestations (Tourism Businesses);

There are no well-maintained and easy toreach parking areas (Tourism Infrastructure);

We don't have an interesting attraction visiblefrom the highway (Tourist Attractions); Some merchants have not recognized the

importance of hospitality (TourismHospitality).

Any one of the above could be listed asa concern.

If you have difficulty categorizing concernsunder the five key components of tourism, the

concern probably has not been stated specificallyenough.

Remember: the more specific you are in statinga concern, the easier it will be to find a solution.

LISTING AND RANKING TOURISM CONCERNS

To list and rank Tourism Concerns, use thesame procedures you followed for Tourism

Assets. As you proceed, make sure your Tourism

Market Profiles flip chart and your TourismAssets flip charts are on view before the

committee.

Example: When developing your TourismConcerns - Attractions list you should display:

The Tourism Market Profile chart; All of your Tourism Assets lists; and A flip chart sheet titled Tourism

Concerns - Attractions.Once each list is complete, the concerns shouldbe ranked.

The reasons for ranking Tourism Concernsinclude:

Your biggest concerns will receive the attentionthey deserve when you begin to list and rankyour objectives;

When municipal and public input is sought,the committee will easily discern whether itsprincipal concerns are in line with what othersfeel; and

Easily addressed concerns that lead to highly

visible, positive results may bolster communitysupport for the committee.

In determining the importance of TourismConcerns, the main criteria are as follows:

Concerns that have a negative affect on manyor all of your Tourism Markets: These shouldrank higher than those that affect few or onlyone or two of your markets; and


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Concerns that are easy to address: How muchtime, effort, and/or money will be needed toaddress the concern? Obvious concerns thatcan be addressed easily should rank higherthan concerns requiring a substantialcommitment.

Again, if the committee experiences difficultywhen ranking concerns, use the grading systemdescribed in (C) above.

When this stage of the process is complete, thecommittee should have lists of valuable

information and a reasonably goodunderstanding of the community's TourismMarkets, Tourism Assets, and Tourism Concernsand how they relate to each other.

The secretary should make sure this backgroundinformation forms part of the committee'sminutes.

Your next step is to state your community'sTourism Goals.

(F) TOURISM GOALS

WHAT ARE THEY?Tourism Goals are clear, concise statements thatbroadly outline what the committee would liketo see happen to tourism in the community. Allgoals must be compatible with the community'sTourism Policy and should provide direction formore specific objectives to follow.

HOW TO DEVELOP GOALSA simple way to state Tourism Goals is to insertthe words "To Improve" in front of each of thefive basic components of tourism. Thus, thecommittee's goals would be:

To Improve Tourism Attractions; To Improve Tourism Businesses; To Improve Tourism Infrastructure; To Improve Tourism Hospitality; and To Improve Tourism Promotion.

By stating Tourism Goals in this fashion, thecommittee is assured that all the Tourism

Concerns (also stated in relation to the fivecomponents) will be considered.

(G) TOURISM OBJECTIVES

WHAT ARE THEYTourism Objectives are more specific than goals.They are the stated desires of your committeeand represent the ends to which communityaction should be directed. If acted upon,Tourism Objectives will help you accomplishyour Tourism Goals. Each Tourism Goal willlikely involve several Tourism Objectives.

Setting objectives is a difficult but necessaryprocess.

Here are some hints that may help thecommittee better understand what objectivesshould look like: An objective does not have to be stated as a

complete sentence; Each objective should be clear and concise.

Would someone outside of the committee orcommunity understand it?

Each objective should help accomplish thegoal to which it relates;

Each objective should be measurable. In sixmonths, will you be able to determine

whether the objective has been fullyaccomplished, partly accomplished, or notaccomplished at all?;


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Each objective should be realistic. Does theobjective relate to an existing or potentialmarket? Do you have - or can you acquire -the resources needed to accomplishthe objective?

Whenever an objective requires action byothers outside the direct influence of thecommittee, the words "To Encourage" shouldappear before the remainder of the objective.

HOW TO DEVELOP OBJECTIVESExamples of Tourism Objectives can be foundin the sample Tourism Plan in Chapter Six of

this guide. The committee should set aside a fewminutes to read over the objectives that appearthere. When this brief orientation is complete,you should be ready to develop objectives ofyour own.

You will best develop objectives by focusing onone goal at a time. Start by displaying yourTourism Market Profiles chart as well as the

Assets and Concerns lists that correspond to thegoal you are working on.

Example:If you are dealing with the goals: To ImproveTourism Promotion, you should display beforethe committee:

1. Tourism Market Profiles chart;2. Tourism Assets - Promotion list;3. Tourism Concerns - Promotion list; and4. Goals and Objectives worksheet reproduced

on flip chart paper.

In essence, each objective is formed by restatingone concern as a positive statement that willhelp to accomplish the Tourism Goal. It may bepossible to have one well-worded objective that

will adequately deal with more than oneconcern. However, you must avoid wording sobroad or general that the objective becomesdifficult to fulfill or measure.

Remember that in determining objectives, youmust examine the relationship between the

needs and wants of your Tourism Markets andthe tourism resources of your community.

For example, your community may be on afrequently used route for motorcoachestravelling along a major travel corridor. What arethe needs and wants of these travellers? Someneeds/wants may include:

A hotel/motel that provides quality servicesand competitive tour rates; and

A restaurant that is able to serve large groups.

You may have these assets and wish to establishan objective such as 'to increase motor-coachstopovers in our community from 5 this year, to20 stopovers in 2004'. You might consider thefollowing action steps to achieve that objective:

Specifying special tour services in publicationsproduced by Tourism Saskatchewan, yourTourism Region, and/or local and area touristassociations; and

Contacting appropriate tour companiesidentified by Marketing Consultants atTourism Saskatchewan.

Your community may be an attractive locationfor shopping, business conferences, or outdooractivities, and you might set an objective 'toincrease the number of visitors to ourcommunity for shopping, business conferences,


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etc.' The action step you might take toaccomplish this objective is promoting theseassets to other centres within a three-hourdriving distance. Newspaper ads, highway signs,store or mail displays, and many otherpromotional options are action steps that couldhelp you meet your objectives.

Usually, you can promote a service or anattraction in a number of ways. So you will haveto choose the option - or options - appropriateto your Tourism Policy, the specific TourismMarket (or markets) you are trying to reach, and

your community's financial and human resourcecapabilities.

As you establish objectives, always consider yourTourism Markets, Tourism Concerns, Tourism

Assets, and think about how realistically you cansatisfy the market needs you have identified.

The process for developing objectives shouldunfold as follows:

1. Display the necessary flip charts.

2. Have the chairperson write the goals you willbe dealing with in the goals column of theGoals and Objectives flip chart sheet.

3. Take a few minutes to review your TourismMarket Profiles as well as the Tourism Assetsand Tourism Concerns lists relating to thegoal you are considering.

4. As a precaution, focus on the TourismConcerns list and be certain all wording isspecific, easily understood, and that all yourbases have been covered.

5. Make any changes to your Tourism Concernslist that result from your review.

6. Now, focus on the first concern on the listand ask: What can or should be doneabout it?

7. Write an objective that addresses this concern(refer to the sample Tourism Plan in Chapter

Six for hints on what objectives should looklike). Experience has shown it is often best towrite down your first thoughts. Once thecommittee has something on paper you canadd, delete, or amend at will. Don't worryabout neatness; this is a time for creativethinking.

8. When everyone is satisfied with the wordingof the objective, move on to the next concernand develop the next objective.

9. When all Tourism Concerns relating to yourfirst goal have been dealt with, display yourTourism Assets and Tourism Concerns listsfor the next goal and repeat the process.

As you continue, make sure the committee'ssecretary records the proceedings faithfully.

When you are satisfied that the concerns havebeen properly stated and addressed withobjectives, you are ready to start ranking theobjectives. It is a good idea to remember,

however, that to avoid fatigue, committeemeetings should not run past two and a half tothree hours. Consequently, you may decide tostart this at your next meeting.

RANKING OBJECTIVESThe procedure for ranking objectives differsfrom the process you used to rank Tourism

Assets and Tourism Concerns. Objectives are


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ranked together regardless of what Tourism Goalthey relate to.

To rank objectives, make use of the gradingsystem described in (C) above. In thisprocedure, as you grade each objective you arealso determining rank. To start with, thecommittee should rank only about 10 objectivesin order of priority (1 being the most importantand 10 being the least).

A priority list of 10 objectives is recommendedto provide direction on what the committee

wants to initially achieve. All remainingobjectives should be considered of equalimportance and may be addressed whenever thecommittee wishes.

Ranking objectives is worthwhile for twoimportant reasons:

For everyone who will review the plan, theprocess highlights what the committee feelsare the community's tourism priorities;

When it comes to implementing the plan, thecommittee will be able to assign responsibilityand develop time lines quickly andappropriately.

To start, display your Goals and Objectives flipchart sheet(s) and look at all of the objectivestogether. As you proceed, you will use certaincriteria that involve - but are not necessarilylimited to - the following:

In keeping with the Tourism Policy, objectiveswill be given priority on the basis of howwell they:

attract more visitors to the community; encourage visitors to spend more time in

the community; encourage visitors to spend more money in the

community; and

minimize adverse social, economic, and/orenvironmental effects within the community.

Objectives also will be given priority on the basisof how strongly they:

produce highly visible results whenaccomplished;

appeal to the community at large; support the community at large; and realistically reflect what the community is

capable of achieving.

Remember that some objectives will be shortterm and others will be long term. Short-termobjectives are identifiable by how easily they canbe accomplished and how quickly they willshow results. By their nature, long-termobjectives will require considerably more time toaccomplish.

The committee is now well on its way tocompleting the first draft of the Tourism Plan.

You have stated all your objectives clearly andare now ready to carry on with how you propose

to accomplish them.

(H) TOURISM ACTION STEPS

WHAT ARE THEY?Tourism Action Steps outline in a detailed, step-by-step fashion the various actions needed toachieve each objective. In all likelihood, anumber of action steps will be required for eachobjective.


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Some characteristics of action steps should bekept in mind:

Tourism Action Steps are very specific. Theyshould dispel any confusion about what shouldbe done and how it should be done;

Tourism Action Steps represent the committee'sbest guess as to what should be done toaccomplish each objective. But once an actionstep is taken, it may well lead to a dead end orto the need to develop or implement additionalaction steps.

For examples of Tourism Action Steps, refer tothe sample Tourism Plan in Chapter Six.

HOW TO DEVELOP ACTION STEPSWorksheets for Action Steps should be designedto summarize the work and the thinking, whichgoes into the steps. Use as a reference for your

worksheet the Tourism Action Step section nearthe end of the sample tourism plan provided inChapter Six. The top of the worksheet should

be completed for each objective before youdevelop action steps.

Write in the goal, the objective, and theconcern(s) addressed by the objective. There isalso a space to write about the background (or

justification) for the objective that has beenstated. This brief background statement shouldbe developed by the committee and written aseach objective is dealt with in turn. It allows thecommittee to describe why the objective is being

proposed and will help municipal council andothers to better understand your thinking.

To develop Tourism Action Steps, start with theobjective with the highest rank and write thenumber 1 in the box labeled "Rank No." Othertop priority objectives will be numbered 2through 10. Objectives beyond the top 10 donot require a rank at this time. Worksheets forall remaining objectives may be completed inrandom order.

As you proceed, keep in mind that individualcommittee members will eventually be

responsible for supervising the co-ordination ofeach step after the Tourism Plan has beendrafted and has gone for review and approvalbefore municipal council and the public.

Remember, action steps should be listed in theorder in which you expect them to beaccomplished.

For the moment, there is no need to formallyassign responsibility or set specific deadlines forthe action steps. This will be done after thecommittee has received input from municipalcouncil and the public. Input may result insignificant changes to the plan. The committeeshould always strive to be as flexible as possiblethroughout the process.

If you experience difficulty developing actionsteps for a certain objective, there are severalthings you may wish to consider:

Your objective may be unrealistic. You may

wish to change your objective or even delete itif you cannot determine how it can beaccomplished; or

You may need some advice. If you want tokeep an objective but need some ideas oradvice on how to accomplish it, considerdiscussing it with the municipaladministration, or contact TourismSaskatchewan.


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Once you have outlined your Tourism ActionSteps, you will have everything you need todevelop the first draft of the Tourism Plan.

Remember, you can always refer to the sampleTourism Plan in Chapter Six to review theoutline and the content for your draft plan.

When the draft plan is submitted to municipalcouncil, it is advisable to include a list ofbusinesses, individuals, organizations, and othergovernment agencies the committee feels shouldhave input in the plan. Council may wish to

add to this list.


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CHAPTER FIVE MUNICIPAL AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

COUNCIL APPROVAL IN PRINCIPLE

All of the committee's work so far has been inpreparation for the day you will submit an

initial draft of the Tourism Plan, first to

municipal council and then to the public.

Before you seek input from businesses,

organizations, the general public, and other

government agencies - give municipal council

the opportunity to review and discuss the draft

plan. If council identifies major concerns, the

committee must take them into consideration.You may have to revise the draft and bring it

back to council for another look.

When council approves the draft plan in

principle, permission should be sought to obtain

input from the groups just mentioned. Council

and/or municipal administrators may at this

point provide guidance on when, where, and

how public feedback should be obtained.

This process must be followed if the Tourism

Committee is established under the authority of

council. The procedures are essential because

council will likely play an important role in the

implementation and funding of projects

featured in the plan.

COMMUNITY INPUT

There are many ways to obtain communityinput or public involvement. Here are some

methods that your committee might consider:

open house meetings, organized workshops;

presentation and discussion at an open

municipal council meeting;

presentations to local interest groups with

follow-up discussion and a questionnaire;

media advertising and publicity;

printing the plan in the local paper with an

address for comments or the date for apublic meeting;

one-on-one, face-to-face discussions with

others in the community;

sending copies of the plan to people on your

distribution list and ask for comments.

All communities in Saskatchewan have their

own special qualities and their own way of

doing things. Ask your council which of theabove approaches best applies to your area.

Those most likely to be affected by the plan

should provide input. For example:

hotel/motel and campground operators;

restaurant operators;

service station operators;

retail merchants;

hunting and fishing guides; local media;

Aboriginal interests;

local historic society;

provincial government departments;

town council and administration;

service clubs and associations;

arts and cultural groups;

tourist attraction operators.


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If key people fail to provide input for whatever

reason, a special effort should be made bycommittee members to visit these people on an

individual basis, explain the plan, and obtain

feedback.

Be prepared to sell your ideas and to sell tourism

in general. The more enthusiasm you create for

the plan - and for tourism generally - the more

support you can expect from the community to

carry out the plan's objectives.

Show flexibility. If others make suggestions that

vary somewhat but contribute to your Tourism

Goals - and are consistent with your Tourism

Policy - be prepared to make some changes.

Others who are eager to assist with development

may be eager to help you implement the plan.

Don't hesitate to encourage their support.

Keep your local media informed. Someone fromthe committee should be assigned to sit down

with the local newspaper, and - if present in

your community - with radio or television

programmers to explain clearly what the plan

and the process are all about. What you are

doing is newsworthy. Make sure it gets reported.

Once input is received from the public and the

agencies mentioned above, the committee

should review all comments and suggestions andmake appropriate changes to the draft plan.

DETAILING YOURSTEPS

The committee should now assign responsibility

and deadlines for the completion of action steps.

At this point it should be stressed that the

Tourism Committee will play a lead role in

implementing the Tourism Plan. Individual

committee members should be given

responsibility for coordinating each step, whichdoes not mean members alone are responsible

for all activities associated with implementation.

Others in the community will participate in

implementation. But the assigned committee

member is the coordinator who will manage

activities and report on them. The co-ordinator's

role should always be made clear either during

discussions or when names and responsibilitiesare added to the "Action Steps" section of the

Goals and Objectives worksheet.

For example, it is not sufficient to say the local

Chamber of Commerce will be responsible for a

given action. Instead, a selected committee

member will be responsible for following and

reporting on the Chambers participation.

All members of the committee are encouragedto promote community participation in specific

action steps.

A time frame must be assigned for each action

step. Be realistic when planning the time it

should take a committee member to accomplish

the action.


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OBTAINING ENDORSEMENT

COUNCIL ENDORSEMENT

Once revisions have been made and your Action

Steps have been detailed, the plan should be

taken to council once more for "endorsement."

Official recognition of the Tourism Plan should

appear in the council's minutes.

Municipal council's participation and public

input in the planning process are as important

as implementation; council, local businesses, andothers in the community must not only agree

with the plan, but should enthusiastically

endorse it in order for it to be successfully

implemented.

BROADERTOURISM INDUSTRYENDORSEMENT

Once you have received endorsement from your

local council, you may wish to provide a copy of

your community's tourism plan to yourRegional Tourism Association, and any tourism

sector organizations active in your area (see lists

at the conclusion of this book).

Should your plan be in accord with regional and

provincial product development and marketing

strategies, you will be in a better position to

participate in any programming designed to

accomplish the goals and objectives of your

tourism plan.


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CHAPTER SIX - SAMPLE TOURISM PLAN

The following is an example of a fairly modest

plan that might have been prepared by peopleliving in and nearby a smaller community

almost anywhere in Saskatchewan.

INTRODUCTION:

This Community Tourism Plan has been

produced by the (community name)

Tourism Committee (see attached list of

members). The committee was established

under by-law 017-02 passed by the Town of

(community name), Saskatchewan.

The plan was completed on December 1, 2001

and will receive a minor review on June 1 of

each successive year, as well as a major review on

December 1 of each successive year.

The plan was developed using the Community

Tourism Planning Guide provided by Tourism

Saskatchewan. The booklet describes tourism interms of five key components:

Tourism Attractions; Tourism Businesses;

Tourism Infrastructure; Tourism Hospitality and

Tourism Promotion.

The plan considers our Tourism Markets, as well

as our Assets and Concerns in developing Goals,

Objectives and Action Steps. There was also

considerable public input including:

One council meeting; Two public meetings; Numerous personal interviews, plus

a questionnaire; One workshop.

The committee will be responsible for initiating

actions that have been stated in the plan and

will need the support and assistance of localindividuals, businesses, and community groups.

Further information on how to get involved can

be obtained from the Town Office.

The plan is intended to make our residents

aware of the economic and social benefits of

tourism and to assist with the development of

the tourism industry both within our town and

in the surrounding area.

The tourism industry is important to us because

it brings dollars into our community, it creates

jobs, it helps make our local businesses better

and more successful, it brings interesting people

to our community, it promotes and enriches our

cultural community, and it will help make

residents even more proud of our community.

TOURISM COMMITTEE MEMBERSA. Boutin B. Vollett

M. Miller W. Wright

H. Van Sickle D. Grossman

C. Makowecki L. Christiansen

H. Wong L. Morin


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TOURISM POLICY

"Tourism will be encouraged both within ourtown and within its surrounding area in such

ways as to attract more tourists, increase their

lengths of stay, increase the amount of money

they spend in our businesses and attractions,

and ensure that increased tourism does not

create adverse social, economic or environmental

problems."

TOURISM MARKET PROFILES

QUESTIONS WHERE ARE THEY FROM? WHEN DO THEY COME HERE? WHAT SERVICES DO THEY LOOK FOR?

TouristType Rank ( )

Visiting Friends - Saskatchewan - long weekends - accommodation

And Relatives - Alberta - hunting season - restaurants

Rank (1) - reunions & weddings - golf course

- rodeo (June) - groceries

- music jamboree - entertainment

(August)

Campers - Southern & Central - weekends and - gas (auto & boats)

Rank (2) Saskatchewan May 17 - Aug 25 - groceries

- Alberta - firewood

- Other Canada and U.S. - golf course

- tours of wildlife viewing

trails and towers

- fishing

Sports Teams - surrounding - Old-Timers hockey - restaurants and lounges& Spectators towns and cities tournament - accommodation

Rank (3) - Alberta - Shriners Bonspiel - shopping

- Hockey schools

- Fastball tournaments

Note:Tourist types have been ranked - number 1 being most important, number 2 being second most

important, and so on.


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TOURISM ASSETS

TOURISM ATTRACTIONS

Asset Rankings:

# 1 Excellent quality and well known 18-hole

golf course

# 2. Wilderness areas close by with good

fishing lakes

# 3 Annual rodeo

# 4 Annual fastball and hockey tournaments

# 5 Well-developed ball diamonds

# 6 Annual curling bonspiel

# 7 800-seat indoor rink

# 8 Community hall

# 9. Heritage museum and pioneer

music jamboree

#10 Farmer's market

TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE

Asset Rankings

# 1 Good access to primary highway

# 2 Full sewer and water servicing with

excellent quality water

TOURISM HOSPITALITY

Asset Rankings

# 1 Some very friendly merchants

# 2 Friendly tourist-booth staff

# 3 Respected cultural community

TOURISM BUSINESSES

Asset Rankings

# 1 18 hole golf course (this business provides

an excellent golfing experience)

# 2 Four service stations

# 3 New motel, two other motels

# 4 Liquor Vendor

# 5 Supermarket

# 6 Two dining lounges and three

other restaurants

# 7 Unique and well known gift/handcraft store

# 8 Hardware and department store

# 9 Tea room in the museum

TOURISM PROMOTION

Asset Rankings

# 1 Town tourist information booth

# 2 Membership on Regional Tourism

Association Board of Directors

# 3 Pamphlets distributed to other curling

clubs regarding our bonspiels

# 4 Town brochure


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TOURISM CONCERNS

TOURISM ATTRACTIONS

Concerns Ranking

# 1 Regional Park campground requires

upgrading

# 2 Museum cannot operate year round

# 3 Golf Course clubhouse is too small

TOURISM INFRASTRUCTUREConcerns Ranking

# 1 Several good fishing lakes in the area do

not have adequate access

# 2 There is no RV sewage dumping station

in or near town

TOURISM HOSPITALITY

Concerns Ranking# 1 Not all the tourist booth staff are

knowledgeable about all the things

to do and see in town, and in the

surrounding area

# 2 Not all merchants and their staff

are friendly

# 3 Some residents do not appreciate the

need to be friendly and courteousto visitors

TOURISM BUSINESSES

Concerns Ranking

# 1 No repair facilities for RV's and outboardmotors in town

# 2 No recreational equipment rentals in

town (canoes, boats, snowmobiles, etc.)

# 3 No Automated Teller Machines (ATM 's)

in town

TOURISM PROMOTIONConcerns Ranking

# 1 Campers are not aware of all the goods

and services available in town

# 2 Deteriorating location map at

tourist booth

# 3 Tourist information booth not

very attractive

# 4 No welcome signs at edge of town

# 5 Lack of rodeo and ball tournament

promotion outside of town


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TOURISM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

GOAL OBJECTIVES RANK

To Improve - To upgrade the Regional Park Campground 1

Tourism (or encourage a business to construct one)

Attractions - To encourage the golf club to build a new clubhouse

- To encourage the museum to host small meetings and

family celebrations in order to increase revenues

To Improve - To investigate means of ensuring good access to our 9

Tourism fishing lakesInfrastructure - To encourage paved parking and a sewage dump 3

station adjacent to the tourist information booth

To Improve - To encourage businesses to use hospitality 5

Tourism training programs

Hospitality - To establish a better training program for tourist 4

information staff

- To establish a program to ensure that all our residents

appreciate the need to be friendly and courteous to visitors

To Improve - To encourage two or more businesses to install ATM's 8

Tourism and to encourage the establishment of the following

Businesses services in town:

- RV service centre

- 24-hour convenience store

- recreation equipment rentals

- To encourage the establishment of a serviced campground 1

To Improve - To provide a new location map at the tourist booth 7Tourism - To encourage the Town &/or Chamber to develop a Web-site 10

Promotion - To encourage businesses to join the Regional Tourism Association

- To ensure that event organizers are aware of any

funding that may be available to assist in promotion

- To ensure that campers know about the goods and 2

services available in town

- To upgrade the tourist information booth 6


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TOURISM ACTION STEPS

GOAL: To Improve Tourism Businesses RANK # 1

OBJECTIVE: To Encourage the Establishment of a Serviced Campground

CONCERN(S) ADDRESSED: No full-service campground in or near the town

BACKGROUND: A serviced campground would be a very valuable asset when trying to attract more

participants and spectators to our rodeo and ball tournaments. The one in the Regional Park is not really

adequate, but it could be leased to a private operator or service club capable of investing in new facilities.

ACTION STEPS BY WHOM WHEN RESULTS

1. Meet with the Regional Park Board to seek M. Miller Jan. 15

support for a campground.

2. Discuss site servicing (sewer, water, power) M. Miller Feb. 1

with the town engineer.

3. Contact service clubs to see if any would M. Miller & Feb. 15be interested in developing and/or operating C. Makowecki

a serviced campground.

4. Discuss this commercial opportunity with M. Miller Feb. 15

the Regional Economic Development

Authority representative.

5. Encourage the REDA to promote this opportunity. Ongoing

GOAL: To Improve Tourism Promotion RANK # 2

OBJECTIVE: To Ensure that Campers Know About the Goods and Services Available in Town

CONCERN(S) ADDRESSED: Campers not aware of all goods and services available in town

BACKGROUND: Despite the need for new infrastructure and facilities, the Regional Park campground

accommodates one of our major markets. If we can let campers know that we can provide goods and

services, they may be less inclined to always stock up before leaving home. Also, if it is rainy and


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33

miserable, they may be enticed to come to town to go to a movie, do some shopping, etc. Campers are

already a good potential market for our events.


1. Contact Chamber of Commerce to produce D. Grossman Feb. 15

a pamphlet or coupon book of local businesses

that may be of interest to campers, as well

as other visitors.

2. Arrange for distribution of business D. Grossman May 15

pamphlet and/or coupon book throughthe visitor information booth.

3. Direct handouts to campers at the campsite D. Grossman May 15

(check with Park personnel to be sure that

handouts at the Park are acceptable).

4. Contact event organizers regarding H. Wong Mar. 1

distribution of their promotional literature to campers.

5. Arrange for distribution of events literature. H. Wong Apr. 1

GOAL: To Improve Tourism Infrastructure RANK # 3

OBJECTIVE: To Encourage Paved Parking and a Sewage Dump Station Adjacent to Tourist

Information Booth

CONCERN(S) ADDRESSED: There is no RV sewage dump station in or near town

BACKGROUND: The more inviting we can make the tourist information booth, the more opportunity there

will be to get people to stop. Once we have stopped them, our well-trained staff can promote our town, its

attractions, its goods, and its services.


1. Approach Town Council with a proposal D Grossman Feb. 15to pave and provide a dump station. H. Van Sickle &

H. Wong


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GOAL: To Improve Tourism Hospitality RANK # 4

OBJECTIVE: To Establish a Better Training Program for Tourist Information Booth Staff

CONCERN(S) ADDRESSED: Some of the tourist booth staff are not knowledgeable about all the things to do and

see in and around town and the district. They have not visited local attractions, and cannot adequately

respond to inquiries.

BACKGROUND: Our tourist information booth staff must be extremely pleasant. They must be sympathetic,

understanding and knowledgeable about all the attractions, activities and services we have to offer. They

must know where the fish are biting, when the stores are open and what the weather report is for the next

few days. They are in the hospitality "front line" and must be well trained.


1. Review existing tourist booth training B. Vollett Jan. 15

with those responsible at Chamber of

Commerce.

2. Offer to assist with an expanded B. Vollett Jan. 15

training program.

3. Contact the Saskatchewan Tourism B. Vollett Feb. 15

Education Council to arrange for delivery

of a training program, including staff from

nearby attractions and community businesses.

4. Help to promote the program locally and B. Vollett May 1

ensure staff are registered in the training & H. Wong

program.

GOAL: To Improve Tourism Hospitality RANK # 5

OBJECTIVE: To Encourage Businesses To Use Hospitality Training Programs

CONCERN(S) ADDRESSED: Not all merchants and their staff are friendly


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BACKGROUND: In the eyes of some visitors, the whole reputation of a community can rest on a single

encounter with a hotel clerk, a waitress, a gas attendant or a cashier. That encounter must be ahospitable one.


1. Contact the Saskatchewan Tourism H. VanSickle Feb. 15

Education Council (STEC) to become

familiar with available programs.

2. Call local businesses to co-ordinate H. VanSickle Mar. 1

meeting time and place; then confirm B. Vollett &with STEC. H. Wong

3. Co-ordinate training sessions for local H. VanSickle May 1

business in conjunction with those for

information booth staff, and organizations

that are directly involved with tourists.


OBJECTIVE: To Upgrade the Tourist Information Booth

CONCERN(S) ADDRESSED: The tourist information booth is not very attractive

BACKGROUND: The information booth is in a good location and is structurally sound. However, it needs

paint, floor coverings and some better display racks.


1. Contact businesses, service clubs and D. Grossman Mar. 1Town Council for financial support or

services in kind.

2. Organize a weekend work bee to L. Christiansen May 1

undertake renovations.


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OBJECTIVE: To Provide a New Location Map at the Tourist Booth

CONCERN(S) ADDRESSED: Deteriorating location map at the tourist booth

BACKGROUND: The old location map is out-of-date, in disrepair and does not give a good impression

to visitors.


1. Contact Chamber of Commerce and D. Grossman Feb. 15local businesses to seek support and funding.

2. Have a map designed, painted and set up. L. Christiansen Apr. 15

GOAL: To Improve Tourism Businesses RANK # 8

OBJECTIVE: To Encourage the Establishment of the Following Businesses : R.V. Service Center, 24-Hour

Convenience Store, Recreation Equipment Rentals; Encourage at least two Merchants to install ATMs

CONCERN(S) ADDRESSED: No repair facilities for RV's and outboard motors in town. No recreational

equipment rentals in town (canoes, boats, snowmobiles, etc.) Easy access to cash through ATMs would

increase spending in town.

BACKGROUND: These businesses could be simply an expansion of someone's existing business or they may be

entirely new. The Tourism Committee believes these would be successful in town and would also

encourage visitors to stop instead of travelling through.


1. Approach existing businesses and the C. Makowecki Feb. 1

Chamber of Commerce with the ideas and

make them aware of the other initiatives

underway to improve our tourist industry.


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2. Contact the regional office of Saskatchewan C. Makowecki Mar. 1

Industry and Resources, and/or SaskatchewanNorthern Affairs, and/or the area's Regional

Economic Development Authority,

to seek advice on how to attract these types of

businesses if no existing ones are interested.

GOAL: To Improve Tourism Infrastructure RANK # 9

OBJECTIVE: To Investigate Means of Ensuring Good Access to our Fishing Lakes

CONCERN(S) ADDRESSED: Several good fishing lakes in the area do not have adequate access

BACKGROUND: Several of the lakes in our area are accessible only by dirt roads which become impassible

when it rains. There are no boat launches or fish cleaning stations. Better access would mean more anglers

and campers. These are some of our best tourists.


1. Determine what steps are required by L. Morin Jan. 15the committee, the Town and the Rural

Municipality to improve road access.

2. Contact the Wildlife Federation and L. Morin Feb. 15

Saskatchewan Environment to discuss

the potential impact of increased pressure

on the fishing resource.

3. Determine what shoreline alteration permits A. Boutin Mar. 1

are required for boat launches, and & L. Morinenvironmental requirements for fish

cleaning stations.


OBJECTIVE: To encourage the Town &/or Chamber of Commerce to develop an internet Web-site


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CONCERN(S) ADDRESSED: The Town &/or Chamber will be better enabled to promote all of the resources of

our community by having tourism, recreational, cultural, educational, and business information availableto people who may be encourage to visit our part of Saskatchewan.

BACKGROUND: The internet has become a very significant source of information for people planning their

travel and leisure experiences.


1. Investigate the costs involved in developing A. Boutin Feb. 1

a web-site.

2. Discuss the concept with the Town A. Boutin Feb. 15

Administrator and Chamber of Commerce.

3. Encourage the Chamber of Commerce to A. Boutin & April 1

present the concept and cost estimates to H. VanSickle

town council.

4. Encourage the group responsible to link H. VanSickle

the site to that of our Tourism Region.

GOAL: To Improve Tourism Promotion NO RANK

OBJECTIVE: To Ensure that Event Organizers are Aware of any Funding that may be Available

to Assist in Promotion

CONCERN(S) ADDRESSED: Lack of rodeo and ball tournament promotion outside of town.

BACKGROUND: Our rodeo, bonspiel and ball tournaments can be even more successful if we can attractmore visitors to our town to participate and watch. Our event organizers must be aware of any

promotional funding and other assistance.


1. Contact Tourism Saskatchewan and D. Grossman Jan. 15our Regional Tourism Association toobtain information on promotionalassistance.


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2. Ensure that all events organizers consider D. Grossman Feb. 15

all potential sponsors and co-operate withpromotion of area events with other communities.

GOAL: To Improve Tourism Attractions NO RANK

OBJECTIVE: To Encourage the Museum to host Small Meetings and Family Celebrations.

CONCERN(S) ADDRESSED: The significant potential of cultural tourism is not being fully recognized, and the

museum is not generating enough revenues to operate all year round.

BACKGROUND: Our community's heritage museum does a wonderful job of interpreting the past, and the

annual music jamboree attracts several hundred visitors. Our community has an active drama group

interested in dinner theater opportunities, and we always host the area's annual music festival. If we can

generate sufficient revenues from hosting family celebrations and small meetings, the museum could

possibly operate all year round.


1. Contact the museum society to see if there B. Vollett Jan. 31is interest in investigating this opportunity.

2. Discuss zoning and licensing with the H. VanSickle Feb. 28

Town Administrator and approach & B. Vollett

members of Council.

3. Work with the museum society to plan H. VanSickle Mar. 15

a minimum of three such ventures this B. Vollett &

year to ascertain demand and learn how W. Wright

to handle this potential activity.

GOAL: To Improve Tourism Attractions NO RANK

OBJECTIVE: To Encourage the Golf Club

community planning tourism guide

Documents