Good Morning.
I would like to weigh in on the question of the 4th St. upgrade and
beautification slated for Sept. 2012. The reality of lower visitor numbers in
2011 and now more pronounced in 2012 has many business owners, including myself,
deeply concerned. As told in the attached files, visitor count on BC Ferries
show the largest decrease in 13 years! The gov't report on tourism 2011 shows
declines since 2009. I would be very interested to see this years report,
because although we in Tofino were not affected as quickly as the rest of the
province, in fact we had a good 2010 season...2011 and 2012 have now caught up
to the general declining trend.
In 1985-1995 we had a cafe in Hawaii. What sank tourism then, and why I
came to Tofino in 1995 to buy the Alleyway Cafe, was the Japanese Yen and
Canadian dollar fell against the American. This large segment of tourists
looked at a 25% increase to the cost of their holiday, and stopped coming. CDN
and YEN remained depressed, Hawaii was already pricing itself out of the market
and did not recover from this huge drop in traffic/ revenue for years and
years.
With America's Great Recession, and now Europe's financial woes, added to
the beginning of a prolonged Retirement Boom in Canada from 2009 onward...see
Statistics Canada, people are more cautious with their finances. Tourism is
based on discretionary spending, and the demographics are against us as is being
reported by business here in Tofino.
The 4th Street upgrade will improve the entrance to our Village. If we are
looking at paving anything, what about Main Street first. And the look of the
fire department in the heart of the village is a disgrace...just paint it a nice
bright colour for now. Tofino had the great good fortune in that Tourism Tofino
did an excellent job of marketing from its inception. This we assume, will
continue and the District within its mandate and with input from the business
community is called to efficient use of the AHRT funds.
Lore Rowland
editor's note: unable to attach files.working on links
comments: tofinoblog@gmail.com
comments: tofinoblog@gmail.com
from George Smith :
ReplyDeleteHi Lore
Real hard to get any meaningful facts about RMI funding rules, they seem to be a dark secret. From what I understand Main Street & Firehall would, for sure, be ineligible for repair from RMI funding.
Same may not be true of roads/services used primarily by tourists. Mckenzie Bch Rd/Hellesen Dr, washrooms on Mckenzie beach may be eligible or could be made eligible with some effort.
Please, if you have not recently, drive down McKenzie beach road around 5pm on a dry day. ** Bring a dust mask & a kidney belt**
Council itself does not seem to have a real grasp on the mechanics of RMI funding except that they know we have it, and we have to spend it.
regards
George