County hears how a strong tourism industry is a collaboration
A lucrative tourism season is the product of a collaboration.
Nicole Whiting told Haliburton County during its May 18 meeting that a successful industry comes through the upper tier’s tourism efforts along with those of the municipalities and the tourism operators who have invested in the community and provided the experience that makes the region special.
“We are one of only two regions (in Ontario) that are entirely rural,” said Whiting, who is the executive director of the Ontario Highlands Tourism Organization.
The regional tourism organization has an annual budget of $740,000. And that’s the lowest amount of funding compared to the other 13 organizations.
“But we’ve accomplished a lot over the years,” she said. “Certainly, what we are most proud of is the strength of our relationships with our members and especially our county partners who have all been incredibly collaborative.”
Whiting said the OHTO aims to strengthen the communities through responsible tourism. The quality of life in Haliburton County would suffer if tourism relied solely on locals to support the experiences that make the area a great place to live, she said.
“We also recognize the cultural fabric and natural environment can also be compromised as a result of tourism,” she said. “Thriving communities understand the value of tourism and the importance of considering the needs of visitors and residents when developing when developing their destination.”
Beyond the economic benefits, tourism’s broader value is in its economic, social, and cultural benefits, she said.
The new buzz word in place making is the important of third-place belonging.
“Our first place of belonging is our home,” Whiting said. “Our second place of belonging is our work. And our third place of belonging is within our community, in those social settings where we gather with friends, family, and strangers in our community to feel connected.”
Tourism brings prosperity, but it’s the preservation of a community’s well-being that has the greatest value, she said.
“In responding responsibly, it’s all about harmonizing that prosperity with preservation,” she said. “And Haliburton County is very much aligned with this.”
In the economic development arena, tourism faces challenges faced by other industries. Inflation, interest rates, taxes, housing and labour shortages, climate change, and financial support are shared issues.
Whiting said the OHTO approach toward responsible tourism includes support for marketing, product and participant skills development, research, industry engagement, and partnerships.
There’s that point of collaboration again.
“We really try to build the destination through our people,” she said. “The stories of our people, the story of why they’ve chosen to be in the sector, why they’ve chosen to live and work in the area and communicating that out to the visitor through content marketing.”
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James Matthews, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Haliburton County Echo
