Tourism Destination Management Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATIONS

Tourism Destination Management Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATIONS DRAFT PREPARED FOR GREY HIGHLANDS COUNCIL MARCH 29, 2016

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Rich in natural outdoor assets Grey Highlands (GH) is a popular destination for outdoor recreational activities as well as home to many artist and crafts people. The dominant natural feature of the area is the Niagara Escarpment which passes through the municipality and has several ancillary features: The Bruce Trail, a popular hiking and multi-use trail follows the brow of the Niagara Escarpment. Beaver Valley, a steep-sided and broad valley was created during the last ice age. The eastern side of the valley, as part of the Niagara Escarpment, was designated a UNESCO Biosphere reserve in 1990. The west side of the valley is home to a number of downhill ski slopes at the Beaver Valley Ski Club. Eugenia Falls, where the Beaver River crosses the Niagara Escarpment is the location of Grey County's only gold rush. While the area currently attracts visitors it is recognized by local tourism owner/operators that there is an opportunity to grow the economic and social impacts of tourism. In 2015 a Tourism Advisory Committee was formed and with the support of Grey Highlands Municipal Council and RTO7 jointly embarked on the development of a Tourism Destination Management Plan (TDMP). The purpose of Grey Highlands (GH) Tourism Destination Management Plan (TDMP) as stated in the RFP is the Development of a tourism plan that would guide future tourism development in a cohesive, strategic manner aligning efforts with other local (public / private) county, regional, and provincial initiatives. The process to get to this stage has been industry led under the guidance of the Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC). Activities related to the process were facilitated by municipal staff who engaged the services of Brain Trust Marketing & Communications (BT), a Mississauga based tourism consulting firm. Throughout the five-month process GH s tourism industry was involved through consultation with the tourism advisory committee, during small group and individual stakeholder s interviews with BT, or at one of three tourism vision sessions led by BT. At the conclusion of this consultative and iterative process the findings and recommendations were validated by those involved. Throughout this stakeholder engagement it was evident that the tourism industry has a strong desire to come together and develop, in partnership with the municipality, a collaborative approach to tourism destination management. To accomplish this a definition for destination management was embraced by all involved: DESTINATION MANAGEMENT IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS OF COORDINATING, INVESTING, DEVELOPING AND MARKETING THE TOURISM POTENTIAL OF A DESTINATION IN WAYS THAT PROVIDES VALUE TO VISITORS, BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES. More specifically, tourism destination management in a GH context: Demonstrates the Municipality s commitment to tourism development; Manages expectations; realistic what can be accomplished in 1 5 years; Is specific; identifies strategies / tactics and who does what, when and how, and; Recognizes the TDMP can t meet all industry needs and wants at once and that a timely and prioritized roll-out of actions is required. 2

Make Shift Happen - In the context of effective destination management, tourism stakeholders within GH will move from supply side thinking (listing the tourism assets as places to go and things to do) to demand side thinking (creating an invitation to come, discover, and engage). To make the shift to a visitor-centric approach, it is important to shift from focusing on what there is for visitors to do in GH, to asking what experiences our ideal guests are seeking, how can we deliver unforgettable experiences, what can we offer our ideal guest that is uniquely ours and how do we layer on engagement and emotion? The answers to these questions are reached by identifying and understanding the ideal guest with the greatest potential to impact tourism growth within GH. In addition, all involved must ensure the infrastructure, activity, and programme-based tourism businesses collaborate in ways that create a compelling and differentiated invitation for the guest to visit and revisit. A thorough review of the tourism landscape on a global, national, provincial, regional, and GH-specific basis was completed. The detail related to GH s tourism performance paints a clear picture of where industry stakeholders are achieving positive results; day trip visitation for example, and also where improvement is warranted, like increasing the length of stay and average visitor spending. A tourism asset assessment for GH was completed to ensure a thorough understanding of the current tourism offering. This assessment captured the majority of GH s tourism assets and was conducted from the perspective of the visitor in that it utilized tools used by a visitor to locate a tourism business. This included online searches and viewing visitor guides and community business directories. Twelve tourism business sectors were identified and a determination of tourism market readiness was presented. The assessment revealed that of the 196 tourism assets, most of GH s tourism sectors are either underdeveloped, underperforming, or both. This assessment leads to some logical conclusions in terms of focusing attention on those tourism assets that are or near tourism market ready and those where attention is required. The assessment also revealed the most unique themes or narratives that, when fully developed, represent opportunities to differentiate GH from other destinations and attract increased number of visitors. The themes include the following: Local Artistry Outdoor Recreation Agri -Tourism opportunities Local Heritage In 2016, development and promotional priority will be given to Local Artistry with Outdoor Recreation following in 2017. In 2018 and beyond other themes such as agri-tourism and local heritage can be explored. Having compelling tourism themes and experiences are part of effective destination management. Ensuring a clear understanding of the ideal guests, i.e., those who identify with the themes and are willing to take a trip to experience all that is offered is the second part of the equation and completes the process. For this reason, GH s ideal guests were identified using the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation s (OTMPC) market segmentation research specific to RTO7, the Ontario tourism region where GH is located. 3

Two of 12 potential market segments were identified as having the greatest potential to attract leisure market (tourist) visitation for GH using the identified themes. The segments; Connected Explorers and Nature Lovers and the details pertaining to these segments are included in the full report. Twelve overarching findings led to the identification of a series of recommendations and action steps. The recommendations take into consideration a number of key factors including the following: Roles and Responsibilities (Leaders and Supporters) o Role of the tourism industry o Role of the Municipality o Role of Grey County Tourism o Role of RTO7 o Role of other stakeholder groups (i.e. Commerce, Trail Associations, Conservation Areas etc.) A focused and prioritized approach to development Identification of key performance metrics Recommendations are grounded in three primary areas of focus: Industry Equipping / Workforce Development Product / Experience Development Marketing In addition, the planning assumption is that a tiered approach is required. An approach that manages expectations and accepts the capability and capacity limitations in the near-term for industry and the Municipality, will be the most effective. Recommendations adopted a phased approach. In summary, the twelve key recommendations are: Immediate Term (2016) 1. Improve tourism collaboration 2. Provide operators with tourism specific training 3. Enhance GH s tourism offering through Experience Development 4. Roll out a Visitor Welcoming Programme 5. Improve GH s online presence / customer engagement 6. Develop and implement a tourism signage programme Mid-term (2017) 7. Facilitate tourism training and development 8. Continue to develop unique Tourism Experiences 4

Long-term (2018-2020) 9. Enhance municipal investment attraction and retention strategies and where needed streamline the business development process 10. Prioritize infrastructure enhancements 11. Evaluate tourism efforts and performance An overview of the findings and recommendations are included in the pages that follow. The creation of GH s TDMP has been a rewarding experience for all involved. While expectations are high in terms of tangible outcomes, success will come when a collaborative approach to enhancing competitiveness and appeal within the municipality is embraced by tourism stakeholders from one end of the region to the other. These Draft Findings and Recommendations will be presented to GH Municipal Council and the GH tourism industry at two separate meetings held on April 4, 2016. 5

DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS Immediate Term (2016) Finding: If Grey Highlands wants to differentiate itself within Ontario, as well as strengthen its unique identity and core visitor experiences, it is important that businesses and municipalities support the strategic directions of the TDMP and participate in specific initiatives that could impact and benefit communities and businesses. 1. Improve Tourism Collaboration Build understanding and consensus around the roles and responsibilities to support and drive TDMP Present TDMP to Municipality of GH, GC (council and staff) by May 2016 TAC GH, GC, RTO7, Tourism Stakeholders Commit to regular and on-going communication where the TAC is the liaison with the tourism stakeholders and elected officials providing regular updates to both municipal and County councils Create and distribute a Importance of Tourism fact sheet for Grey Highlands Deliver TDMP updates to Municipal and County councils (minimum of 4 x year) Create Importance of Tourism fact sheet by mid-may 2016 and distribute during Tourism Week, June 2016. Gather fact and figures with assistance of GC and RTO7 TAC TAC/GC GH, GC, RTO7, Tourism Stakeholders GH, RTO7, Tourism Stakeholders Enhance industry communications create a quarterly online tourism industry newsletter Celebrate success by profiling businesses and communities that are collaborating to compete Launch online tourism industry newsletter in June 2016 GH/TAC GH/TAC GC, RTO7, Tourism Stakeholders GC, RTO7, Tourism Stakeholders 6

Finding: The majority of tourism assets within Grey Highlands are underdeveloped (lack some market readiness to attract and service guests and provide them with unique and memorable experiences) and therefore underperforming (not operating at capacity, generating sufficient revenue, or operating with a sustainable business model). There is an opportunity to provide various levels of industry training to develop the skills of operators, from basic to more advanced, in order to enhance the overall tourism appeal of Grey Highlands. 2. Provide Operators with Tourism Specific Training Identify and prioritize training topics to be Identify training initiatives / topics by GH implemented in 2016 September 2016 Inventory existing training opportunities being delivered annually by other organizations and once complete, align these activities with Grey Highlands tourism industry needs and seek opportunities to co-host or promote existing programmes to business owner/operators Provide access to a minimum of 3 training sessions / opportunities by March 2017 GH/TAC Identify a training model that maximizes participation of industry stakeholders recognizing that individuals learn in different ways. Register a minimum of 25 businesses / organizations for training by March 2017 GH GC, RTO7, BIAs, Commerce, Workforce Development Board TAC, GC, RTO7, BIAs, Commerce, Workforce Development Board 7

Finding: A focused and disciplined approach to destination management will require that resources be directed at developing a prioritized list of tourism asset themes that 1st; differentiate GH from other destinations and 2nd; capitalize on higher levels of tourism market readiness. Themes will be expanded over the next 2-5 years. In 2016 focus on Local Artistry. 3. Enhance GH s Tourism Offering through Experience Development Discuss opportunities to access experience development training through RTO7 s staff resource. Confirm the availability of RTO7 s experience development programme and timing by April 2016 TAC/RTO7 GH Identify experience development instigators and create working groups for Local Artistry. Works with each working group to create a Terms of Reference which details the working relationship, expectations, roles / responsibilities and deliverables Facilitate a process that utilizes the ideal guest profiles to identify the tourism product and experience opportunities and gaps Form working group with a Terms of Reference by June 2016 Creation of a compelling Local Artistry narrative that includes one enhanced, purchasable, overnight visitor experiences by August 2016 Leverage marketing programmes (as appropriate) designed to direct visitors to the relevant or featured attractions / suppliers who are tourism market ready and can close the sale by September 2016 TAC TAC/GH RTO7/GC GH, local artists, galleries, accommodators GH, local artists, galleries, accommodators TAC, GH 8

Finding: At present, the municipality of Grey Highlands and its tourism stakeholders do not have the resources to advance tourism to the point where it becomes a vibrant sector within the municipality. Fortunately, there are willing partners who are open to collaborative efforts designed to raise the competitiveness and appeal of the destination as well as take it to market. 4. Strategically Align with Tourism Agencies and other Government Departments TAC and stakeholders be proactively engaged in Conduct semi-annual (at minimum) GH/TAC GC, RTO7 Grey County and RTO7 activities information exchange meetings Municipality /TAC meet with senior staff at GC, and RTO7 and present the Grey Highlands TDMP to secure understanding of the actions Grey Highlands tourism stakeholders and the municipality will be taking in the immediate term to improve its tourism competitiveness and appeal Grey Highlands TAC and stakeholders to participate in at least 2 GC and RTO7 partnership events or activities in 2016 GH/TAC GC, RTO7 Hold regular communication with other key public agencies and Municipal and County departments who play a role in maintaining/operating infrastructure that is important to visitors (i.e. snowplowing at conservations areas) Municipal staff to conduct semi-annual (at minimum) information exchange meetings GH GC, Conservation areas, land stewards, snowmobile association, etc. 9

Finding: Grey Highland s tourism operators have an opportunity to establish a unique position in the marketplace by being a most welcoming tourism destination. 5. Roll Out a Visitor Welcoming Programme TAC to spearhead a simple welcome programme that identifies the core message operators must deliver to all of their customers Create message in Summer 2016 TAC/GH Tourism stakeholders, Make the specifics of this known at all tourism training sessions (see Recommendation # 2) Communicate the programme to operators and provide a simple 1, 2, 3 step process that engage and inform operators on the core components of the programme Create a welcome programme with stickers/signage/tent cards for operators who agree to the terms of the programme Communicate with council and tourism owner/operators at each opportunity on-going TAC/GH Commerce, BIAs Tourism stakeholders, Commerce, BIAs On-going TAC/GH Tourism stakeholders, Commerce, BIAs Launch in the fall of 2016 TAC/GH Tourism stakeholders, Commerce, BIAs Finding: Grey Highlands lacks integrated tourism routes, tourism wayfinding and business identity signage. 6. Develop and Implement a Tourism Signage Programme Grey County is working to align tourism signage needs and gaps with RTO7 Tourism Wayfinding programme (being implemented extensively in Bruce & Simcoe Counties) Participate in Grey County signage strategy effective immediately. Note: this will be the start of an extensive process that will lead into 2017 and beyond. GH TAC/GC/RTO7 10

Mid Term (2017) Finding: The majority of tourism assets within Grey Highlands are underdeveloped and therefore underperforming; there is an opportunity to provide various levels of industry equipping, from basic to more advanced, in order to enhance the overall tourism appeal of Grey Highlands. 7. Facilitate Tourism Training & Development Municipality and TAC to evaluate 2016 training activity success rates and modify 2017 activities as needed. Provide access to a minimum of 3 training sessions / opportunities by March 2017 GH/TAC GC, RTO7, BIAs, Commerce, Workforce Municipality to continue to leverage existing training activities implemented by others, and taking place with the municipality, as well as facilitate the delivery of training to more industry stakeholders. Register a minimum of 25 businesses / organizations in 2017 GH Development Board TAC, GC, RTO7, BIAs, Commerce, Workforce Development Board 11

Finding: The same focused and disciplined approach to destination management introduced in 2016 continues in 2017. The approach still requires that resources be directed at developing and promoting the prioritized list of tourism asset themes that differentiate GH from other destinations and capitalize on higher levels of tourism market readiness. As identified in the 2016 recommendation, the list of themes will be expanded over the next 2-5 years. In 2017 focus on Outdoor Recreation. 8. Continue to Develop Unique Tourism Experiences Evaluate the success of the 2016 product / experience development process (Local Artistry) and modify the 2017 process as needed to enhance effectiveness. Make any adjustments to process by Feb 2017 TAC/RTO7 GH Identify experience development instigators and create working groups for Outdoor Recreation. Work with the working group to create a Terms of Reference which details the working relationship, expectations, roles / responsibilities and deliverables Facilitates a process that utilizes the ideal guest profiles to identify the tourism product and experience opportunities and gaps Form working group with a Terms of Reference by Feb 2017 Creation of a compelling Outdoor Recreation narrative that includes one enhanced, purchasable, overnight visitor experiences by April 2017 Execution of a marketing programme (as appropriate) designed to direct visitors to the relevant or featured attractions / suppliers who are tourism market ready and can close the sale by May 2017 TAC TAC/GH RTO7/GC GH, Outdoor recreation businesses, accommodators Outdoor recreation businesses, accommodators TAC, GH 12

Finding: Grey Highland s tourism operator s online tourism presence is weak, at present GH and its tourism stakeholders have been utilizing tourism pages on the GH municipal website. There is opportunity to enhance the content of both operator and municipal sites to showcase the unique experiences available in GH. 9. Improve GH s Online Presence / Customer Engagement Municipality, in partnership with the TAC, to ensure updated content that features GHs unique tourism assets / themes be put on the GH, GC Tourism and RTO7 websites as well as their social media channels. Updated content featuring unique experiences on GH and others sites by September 2017 TAC GH, GC, RTO7 Provide owner operators with knowledge and skills to update their own websites, leverage social media and trip advisor presence (see Recommendation 1). Owner-operators, especially accommodators and attractions participate in TripAdvisor training and have active accounts in place by March 2017 (improve key sector participation from 40% to 70%) Owner-operators to participate in Facebook training and have active accounts in place by March 2017 (improve active participation from 38% to 60%) GH, GC, RTO7 Commerce 13

Finding: GH and its elected officials have invested in the creation of the TDMP and are optimistic it will drive economic growth. Those involved in the plan s implementation must embrace aggressive investment attraction and retention strategies as well as remove barriers that inhibit GH s tourism operators from enhance their competitiveness and appeal. 10. Enhance municipal investment attraction and retention strategies and where needed streamline the business development process Through communication with stakeholders identify where current policies and processes hinder development and investment and work with municipal departments to explore ways to eliminate barriers for business retention, expansion and attraction Embrace operators who show interest in creating new or enhancing existing tourism infrastructure by providing aggressive attraction and retention tactics and programmes Revisit the GH 2010 BR+E report, take a pulse to determine where improvements to business climate have happened and identify outstanding needs by January 2018. Review development policies and processes and determine ways to improve mechanism to appease current and attract new investors / developers by January 2020 GH GH GC GC 14

Long Term (2018-2020) Finding: Adequate and esthetically pleasing infrastructure is critical to delivering quality visitor experiences and forms a platform for private sector investment in the tourism sector. Community beautification, parking, public washrooms and public spaces on Main Streets and Conservation Areas (i.e. snowplowing at Eugenia Falls) are in need of attention. 11. Prioritize Infrastructure Enhancements Municipality to apply for funding (such as the Rural Economic Development Fund) to complete a Downtown Revitalization or Community Improvement Plan exercise either independently or in cooperation with Grey County Initiate Downtown Revitalization or Community Improvement Plan project by December 2016 GH/GC Hire a project manager to carry-out the project in willing communities with overall direction provided by a Task Force made up of Municipal and County staff, TAC representatives and downtown businesses owners Implement programmes to improve municipally owned downtown spaces (sidewalks, roads, signage, parking, washrooms, and public parks) and support commercial upgrades Implement a cost-sharing programme to encourage businesses owners to upgrade their businesses facades by June 2017 Create a budget and implementation plan to improve municipally owned spaces by mid 2017 (budget), 2018 (upgrades commence) with implementation completed in mid-2019 GH/GC GH/GC Community Main streets, BIA, Commerce Community Main streets, BIA, Commerce Community Main streets, BIA, Commerce 15

Finding: Should the identified tourism performance metrics be met in 2016 and 2017, and tourism to and within Grey Highlands is growing and economic indicators are positive, remaining competitive will be incumbent upon the growth of resources allocated to tourism development and marketing. In this case, the municipality should consider increasing allocated resources for the development and promotion of its tourism sector. 12. Evaluate Tourism Efforts and Performance Consider securing the expertise of an experienced tourism consultant to assist with a third party evaluation of Grey Highlands 2016 2018 TDMP activities. Have the consultant prepare and deliver an evaluation and recommended actions related to ongoing municipal investment / activity. Make recommendations and secure decisions related to municipal investments for tourism development and promotion by June 2018 GH/TAC RTO7/GC Based on the results of the evaluation, take the necessary steps to reduce, maintain or grow the municipal investment in tourism development and promotion. Develop an updated Tourism Action Plan in 2020. GH/TAC RTO7/GC 16