Thursday, August 9, 2018: The City of Corner Brook today announced it will undertake the development of a regional strategic tourism plan. Gudie Hutchings, Member of Parliament for Long Range Mountains, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), announced a $45,000 investment from ACOA; the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources, announced an investment of $21,250 from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador; and Mayor Parsons, announced a $23,750 contribution from the City of Corner Brook.

The project will involve developing a working committee consisting of regional stakeholders that will work with a consultant certified to deliver the Strategic Tourism for Areas and Regions (STAR) program.  Over a period of 12-18 months, the primary goal is to develop a tourism plan for the region based upon the strengths and assets in the area. By creating a shared vision and strategy, regional stakeholders will be able to move into an identified branded direction where opportunities from collaboration and joint marketing would benefit the region.

Under the STAR program, the following key outcomes will be met:

• A regional tourism baseline, including an inventory of tourism assets and an assessment of the status of tourism in the region.
• A measurable Strategic Regional Tourism Plan with actionable recommendations for destination development over the next three to five years.
• A network of leaders and committed stakeholders to move the tourism process forward beyond the STAR plan development period.
• Increased knowledge to create an authentic experiential tourism experience and products where success can be measured over time for use by regional tourism stakeholders.
• A bank of training tools and resources to build capacity in the region.
• Performance measures to monitor and measure the success of the plan.
• Identification of appropriate and adequate funding sources to sustain actions to achieve long term plan goals.

 Quotes:

“The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of tourism to job creation and sustainable economic growth in Atlantic Canada, which is why growing the tourism industry is a key goal of the Atlantic Growth Strategy. We are pleased to partner with the City of Corner Brook on this initiative that will take the tourism sector in the Corner Brook region to the next level. Developing a regional tourism strategy through a collaborative approach will ensure sustainable tourism growth, create greater economic opportunities, and build a more vibrant region where people want to live, visit and work.”

• Gudie Hutchings, Member of Parliament, Long Range Mountains

“Tourism development positively contributes to sustainable economic development. By supporting the Strategic Tourism for Areas and Regions (STAR) program, we are providing an avenue to help our region reach its full potential as a tourism destination. This initiative also aligns with The Way Forward’s Provincial Tourism Product Development Plan, which aims to increase the number of high quality, Newfoundland and Labrador tourism experiences to attract more visitors – to encourage them to stay longer and experience more.”

• The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources

“We sincerely appreciate and want to thank Minister Navdeep Bains, our Member of Parliament Gudie Hutchings, and our provincial partner Honourable, Gerry Byrne for their support and investment in a regional tourism plan. This new strategy will go a long way to supporting tourism in the area, with a focus on building unforgettable and authentic experiences for visitors. This is example of the importance of an effective partnership with government in order to get things done on behalf of all our constituents. I look forward to continuing our work together to meet citizens’ needs now and into the future.”

• His Worship, Jim Parsons, Mayor, City of Corner Brook

Quick Facts

Building on the success and energy created by the 2017 Corner Brook Region Economic Development Seminar and following Destination Assessment, the City of Corner Brook will lead the full study on implementing a strategic plan to develop tourism as a means of economic development in the area.

Contact:

Bonita Decaire
Information Officer
City of Corner Brook
709-637-1662

August 9, 2018 11:30 am