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Squamish Chief Newspaper - 29 September 2006

Tourism Squamish pushes outdoor rec marketing
by Jane Emerick

Tourism Squamish is set to recommend $107,000 of Tourism BC funding be spent on advertising our outdoor recreation potential to target markets, while various user groups are asking for the municipality's protection over the town's greatest assets.

Tourism Squamish, made up of stakeholders from of retail, restaurant, and activity, and attraction sectors as well as representatives from Tourism B.C., is developing a community Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) to promote the area as a choice location for visitors. They hope to have the plan ready for October, identifying select target age groups in specific locations.

"Because of our outdoor amenities our major targets are people who would utilize those amenities, [those] aged 19 to 36 who are adventure seekers, like rock climbers, windsurfers, extreme mountain bikers, and things of that nature," said Bob Kusch, Director of Tourism Squamish Sustainability Corporation.

"There is also the next level down of that same age group, who are not the extreme outdoor people, but who want to take part in outdoor activities. Also as targets we have people aged 35 to 50 who also do not want the not so extreme level of activity. They want moderate-mountain biking, hiking, and being out on a canoe and paddling on the ocean front, for example."

Kusch said the committee identified the Lower Mainland as the main source of visitors to Squamish, followed by the rest of British Columbia, Alberta and Washington State.

Tourism Squamish would likely recommend the $107,000, provided by the Union of B.C. Municipalities, through Tourism B.C., would go towards an advertising campaign directed at the target markets. "Once we finalize what our target markets are going to be ... we will be recommending advertising and promotion focus on those areas," he said.

Meanwhile, groups whose volunteer members support these outdoor recreation options have their own concerns.

Squamish Access Society (SAS) President Tyrone Brett said his members spend "thousands" of hours per year, volunteering to maintain climbing routes and crags in Squamish. He said the district needs to further "back up" what it is promoting but thought positive steps had been taken. "The district and others in consultation need to ensure strategies and budgets are in place to back up the buzz and help groups like the SAS who work hard at protecting our resources," said Brett. "We're encouraged by the support the district has shown on several fronts. The recent work put into the Smoke Bluff Park initiative is a good example, but we'd like to see climbing firmly entrenched on the district's agenda."

Squamish Off Road Cycling Association president Cliff Miller said the district needs to "take a serious look" at where the outdoor activities Tourism Squamish is promoting will take place. He also said recent district initiatives had been going in the right direction. "As it stands right now, potentially up to 90 per cent of the existing trail network is subject to change," he said. "The district is starting to ... realize that."

Miller cited the hiring of a Trails Coordinator and a Real Estate Manager as positive steps taken by the district.

Squamish Windsport Society director of finances Jean-Michel Tremblay said he hoped the district would support his members in the future. "Hopefully, with the district's help we can improve access to all the great sports we have out there," he said. "It is an ongoing process that hopefully the district will continue." Kusch said the user groups' concerns were ones shared by the district.

Mayor Ian Sutherland agreed this was of a high priority to the municipality and people who said otherwise "didn't have a clue what they were talking about. Outdoor recreation and tourism is the future of our community and we have to do our best to protect it and to put standards in place that protect our interests," he said.