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The Role of Tourism in Positioning Vancouver Island for Long Term

Prosperity

Tourism Vancouver Island Professional Development Road Show 2014 – Sidney and TofinoDr. Nicole L. VaugeoisBC Regional Innovation Chair in Tourism and Sustainable Rural Development

The big picture – realities impacting the The big picture – realities impacting the resilience of rural and coastal areasresilience of rural and coastal areas

the challenge of stabilizing the the challenge of stabilizing the population base and attracting younger population base and attracting younger populationspopulations

Attracting a new reality…Attracting a new reality…

The understated role of tourism in regional The understated role of tourism in regional resilienceresilience

Exposing alternate trajectoriesExposing alternate trajectories

Enhancing regional collaboration in tourismEnhancing regional collaboration in tourism

The road The road ahead…ahead…

Pre-Pre-occupations occupations for for communities communities seeking to be seeking to be resilient…resilient…

Stabilizing population dynamicsStabilizing population dynamics Stemming outward migration and population lossStemming outward migration and population loss Addressing population gains and associated Addressing population gains and associated

development pressuresdevelopment pressures Attracting investmentAttracting investment

Enhancing climate for small business successEnhancing climate for small business success Diversifying, integrating and managing different Diversifying, integrating and managing different

economieseconomies Addressing aging infrastructure and servicesAddressing aging infrastructure and services

Not alone – stats on other coastal Not alone – stats on other coastal communitiescommunities

Coastal communityPopulation

2006Population

2011 % change Median age % over 15

Tofino 1655 1876 13.4 33.7 87.4

Sechelt 8454 9291 9.9 53.6 88.4

Ucluelet 1487 1627 9.4 38.1 85.6

Port Hardy 3822 4008 4.9 40.4 81.4

Parksville 26518 27822 4.9 59.6 90.8

Campbell River 34707 36096 4 45.8 84.2

Qualicum Beach 8502 8687 2.2 63.9 93.3

Powell River 12957 13165 1.6 50.6 86.8

Sidney 11.315 11,178 -1.2 56.9 89.6

Port Alberni 17548 17743 1.1 46.6 83.9

Port Alice 821 805 -1.9 48.9 90.4

Port McNeil 2623 2505 -4.5 38 79.9

Gold River 1362 1267 -7 46.8 83.3

Sayward 341 317 -7 53.6 86.8

Tahsis 366 316 -13.7 52.5 86.9

Zeballos 189 125 -33.9 48.7 86.4

BC Average Median Age 41.9 and % over 15 years of age 84.6

Coastal communityPopulation

2006 Population 2011 % change Median age % over 15

Tofino 1655 1876 13.4 33.7 87.4

Port McNeil 2623 2505 -4.5 38 79.9

Ucluelet 1487 1627 9.4 38.1 85.6

Port Hardy 3822 4008 4.9 40.4 81.4

Campbell River 34707 36096 4 45.8 84.2

Port Alberni 17548 17743 1.1 46.6 83.9

Gold River 1362 1267 -7 46.8 83.3

Zeballos 189 125 -33.9 48.7 86.4Port Alice 821 805 -1.9 48.9 90.4

Powell River 12957 13165 1.6 50.6 86.8

Tahsis 366 316 -13.7 52.5 86.9

Sechelt 8454 9291 9.9 53.6 88.4

Sayward 341 317 -7 53.6 86.8

Sidney 11,315 11,178 -1.2 56.9 89.6

Parksville 26518 27822 4.9 59.6 90.8

Qualicum Beach 8502 8687 2.2 63.9 93.3

Above BC Average growth AND lower than BC average Median age

For interest sake Whistler’s median age is 32 yrs

(younger than others)57% are between the ages of 20-44 (BC

is 34%) and 4% are over 65 (BC is 15%)

Thinking of sectors

Providing subsidies

Viewing rural areas as places of production (resources)

Exporting goods

Paradigm shift in Paradigm shift in regional developmentregional development

Thinking of places (regions)

Making Investments in places

Viewing rural areas as places of consumption (amenities)

Importing people, ideas and investment

Moving towards

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Despite Despite overall trend overall trend of population of population loss, some loss, some are are growing…growing…

This growth This growth is is highly highly correlated to correlated to the presence the presence of amenities of amenities which are which are speculated to speculated to drive rural drive rural development.development.

Why the shift?Why the shift?

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Amenities refer Amenities refer to the to the pleasurable pleasurable aspects aspects associated to associated to natural and natural and cultural features cultural features of rural areas.of rural areas.

These make These make rural areasrural areas attractive attractive places places to visit, play, to visit, play, live and prosper.live and prosper.

AmenitiesAmenities

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The use of The use of valued amenities valued amenities in in rural regions to:rural regions to:

1) 1) promote the promote the attractiveness attractiveness of rural areas of rural areas for tourism, relocation and for tourism, relocation and investment, investment,

2) 2) protect the future value protect the future value of of amenities, and amenities, and 3) to create economies (directly 3) to create economies (directly and indirectly) from the and indirectly) from the presence of amenitiespresence of amenities..

Amenity-based rural developmentAmenity-based rural development

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Amenities that are based on the natural attributes of rural areas including climate, air quality, land and water and which provide the scenic settings and materials for work and leisure pursuits of residents.

Natural Natural amenitiesamenities

Amenities based in the cultural context of rural areas including heritage, recreation and sports, arts, work and community and which serve to enhance quality of life in rural regions.

Cultural Cultural amenitiesamenities

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Amenities that enable the development of Amenities that enable the development of natural and cultural amenities including natural and cultural amenities including infrastructure, services and connectivity. infrastructure, services and connectivity.

These enable and support rural areas to realize These enable and support rural areas to realize and manage impacts from in-migration, and manage impacts from in-migration, enterprise development or tourism activity.enterprise development or tourism activity.

System amenitiesSystem amenities

VisitorsVisitors – attracted to – attracted to experience the amenities and experience the amenities and contribute to local economy;contribute to local economy;

ResidentsResidents – attracted to live – attracted to live near the amenities and for near the amenities and for overall quality of life;overall quality of life;

InvestorsInvestors – attracted to – attracted to create economic value from create economic value from the amenities – directly or the amenities – directly or indirectly.indirectly.

The three audiencesThe three audiences

How does tourism fit into How does tourism fit into this bigger picture?this bigger picture?

It is the front door to most economic development efforts

People visit a place first, form an impression and consider relocating or investing…

This is often not fully recognized by stakeholders in economic development

Tourism is a vehicle of change for communities – moves our thinking from a generator of economic impacts to its potential in addressing broader needs of communities.

Natural and Cultural Amenities of Regions

Consumption through recreation as a driver for lifestyle

ResidentsVisitors Investors,

EntrepreneursVisitors

Tourism Development and Marketing

ATTRACTIVE CAPACITY

Are you fully Are you fully prepared prepared with the right with the right tools?tools?

Who is involved in promoting your amenities? How are they being promoted to the outside world?

Are the visitors you are promoting to, the desired residents of tomorrow?

Who is involved in protecting your valued amenities? How are they currently protected? Are they protected enough or too much?

Tourism that enables residents to enjoy an enhanced quality of life by showcasing and sharing their amenities with outsiders in a way that infuses revenue into households, businesses and the tax coffers.

This revenue is reinvested back into the amenities that are valued by local residents in ways that ensure core natural and cultural amenities withstand promotion and use over time.

My definition of sustainable tourism…

Evidence from Evidence from BC Resort BC Resort Communities…Communities…

The lifestyles provided by natural The lifestyles provided by natural and cultural amenities are and cultural amenities are influencing labour mobility influencing labour mobility decisions…decisions…

Love of leisure over Love of leisure over labour mobility.labour mobility.

A structure to support future development in the VI region…1. We need a unifying concept

and approach for place based development

2. It is happening already without planning supports to guide it and without recognition of the links between tourism, population change and new economies.

3. Communities need a model that encourages regional collaboration;

{{““Many communities are not yet equipped to deal with the planning consequences of amenity-led development. The explosion of impacts has caught many areas unprepared.”

Word of cautionWord of caution

Need for long term vision, planning and

appropriate supports.

Why?Amenity

Based Rural Developmen

t requires communities to think and act

regionally

1. Amenity argument

2. Marketing argument

3. Visitor argument4. Financial

argument5. Human capital

argument6. Planning

argument

In other In other words…words…

Regions shared amenities can act as Regions shared amenities can act as stronger attractorsstronger attractors for visitors, for visitors, residents, businesses;residents, businesses;

Regions can Regions can share and create share and create more wealth and stability more wealth and stability for for communities within;communities within;

Regions can Regions can absorb shocks absorb shocks better better than individual communities;than individual communities;

1. Complicated landscape of stakeholders

2. Unfamiliar partners and lack of trust

3. Protectionism and competition

4. Lack of political will

5. Lack of understanding about visitors in the region

Political leaders Leaders sharing priorities, building trust,

thinking about what is best for the region, investing in regional structures, initiating regional planning around tourism amenities.

Businesses Identifying similar businesses in adjacent

communities, collaborative marketing, packaging

Tourism and economic development Bringing stakeholders together to identify

shared amenities, and goals. Defining working regions, supporting ground up regional initiatives, building trust, market research to understand visitor behavior, pool resources

Alternate Alternate trajectoriestrajectories

Community as beneficiary

Region as beneficiary

Sector based focus – tourism vs. others

Holistic Amenity Based Focus

Resilient Regions – wealth and health

Attractive anchors

Industry or Sector towns

Regional wealthTraditional Growth Model

Innovative Resilience

Model

Summary Summary thoughtsthoughts

1. Think resilience vs. growth2. Identify attractive regional

amenities3. Invest in recreation and leisure

as ways to consume amenities4. Think about tourism not as a

sector but a tool for exposure5. Promote amenities to visitors as

potential new residents6. Balance promotion and use with

protection7. Work with neighbors

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BC Regional Innovation Chair in Tourism and Sustainable Rural Development

Vancouver Island UniversityPhone 250-753-3245 Local 2772Email: nicole.vaugeois@viu.ca