In tourism, go big or go home
But there’s no avoiding the fact that millions of T-V viewers in this country and across the United States would thoroughly disagree with me. The dynamic duo even boasts a Facebook fan club for, and I quote, “anyone who likes to spend their weekday mornings watching a great talk-show with two great hosts, and for those of us who hope to one day get that magic phone call and have a chance to win a trip and get to say hello to Kelly, Gelman, Art Moore, and the one and only ‘Big Daddy’ Regis Philbin.”
Certainly, Prince Edward Island tourism officials understand the show’s popular reach and appeal. That’s why they’re paying $800,000 to bring the cheerful pair and entourage to Charlottetown this summer for four days of live broadcasts, a move which Premier Robert Ghiz describes as “a strategic initiative to build the province’s brand, which encompasses tourism, food and culture.”
Others, naturally, are calling it a complete waste of tax dollars. Conservative tourism critic Jim Bagnall says the outlay will not attract enough visitors to justify the cost. And a small but vocal group of newspaper letter-writers claim the scheme diverts money and attention away from the province’s systemic woes in agriculture, the fishery and manufacturing.
While I sympathize, in this case Premier Ghiz is more right than wrong. Tourism marketing is an enormously tricky business. And big, singular events almost always provide plenty of bang for the buck. Just ask Ian Fowler, General Manager of Recreation, Parks, Culture and Tourism for the City of Moncton, who has overseen wildly successful concerts and athletic contests in recent times. This year, the World Junior Track and Field Championships and a regulation CFL game promise to re-brand the Hub City as national sports centre.
All of which underscores a shift in strategies – one which reflects the changing dynamics of the industry, itself, in the Atlantic Provinces. According to Statistics Canada, tourism generates about $5 billion in export revenues and 100,000 jobs a year on the East Coast. In fact, it accounts for more GDP in this region (5.3 per cent) than it does at the national level (2.5 per cent).
Still, the industry has winnowed in recent years. Between 1996 and 2002, visitor traffic to Atlantic Canada increased by 38 per cent and revenues grew by 64 per cent. Since then, however, arrivals have dropped by 12 per cent and revenues have grown by only one per cent. Meanwhile, the region’s share of overnight trips to Canadian destinations also declined.
Ask ten tourism experts the reason for the trend, and you’ll get ten different answers. Some say the continued fall-out from 9-11, and the stringent cross-border security requirements, are to blame. Others point to the high Canadian dollar and price of gasoline. Still others think that all jurisdictions in Canada – not just ours – aren’t providing enough unique “travelling experiences” to haul ‘em in like we used to.
But it’s more likely we’re simple victims of an all-too-familiar fact of life in the 21st Century. As a recent study by management consulting firm Grant Thornton concludes: “Tourism has become a global marketplace and globalization has meant a dramatic increase in the number of destinations available to vacationers. According to the World Tourism Organization, world tourism grew by six per cent in 2007. This was preceded by 5.3 per cent growth in 2006 and 5.5 per cent growth in 2005.”
In other words, P.E.I. is no longer competing for bums-in-beds with just its regional neighbours. It’s competing with Singapore, India, Mexico, Cuba and northern Europe as never before. Says Grant Thornton: “The [province] needs to be more committed and an aggressive participant in this global market.”
If Ghiz and his strategists think “Live with Regis and Kelly” will fit this bill, then more power to them.
Just don’t ask me to watch.
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