Tourism Funding Program Transition
An important message from the President and CEO of Tourism Saskatchewan, Dr. Lynda Haverstock
Dear Members,
By now, Tourism Saskatchewan’s recent issue of Going Places will have reached you. It contained a short article about the Tourism Funding Program Review and Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that, in 2010, was extended for one year. The article touched on some of the changes resulting from the Review – changes designed to improve the “bottom line” for operators and attractions. I am writing to provide additional information on the developments that are unfolding.
Why change? At a meeting in April, the Regional Chairs made it clear that they had no desire to sign a second extension of the MOA. They expressed the need for a more responsive tourism funding structure. Respectful of their position, Tourism Saskatchewan’s Board of Directors appointed a Tourism Funding Program Review Committee (TFPR), comprised of a cross-section of industry representatives and members of our Board. The Committee’s work in consulting with the industry face-to-face and through an online survey resulted in recommendations for a funding program that would better serve our sector and its stakeholders.
After minor amendments, the Committee’s Report received approval by the Board of Directors. A Transition Advisory Team (TAT) was assembled to provide advice and guidance during the crossover from conducting business under the MOA to the new and improved model, the implementation of which begins on October 1, 2011. This committee will be in place for, at the very least, one year. The primary goal of the TAT is to ensure that the transition has a positive impact on members, operators, and marketing programs.
Members of the Transition Advisory Team represent the tourism regions, as well as the city marketing organizations (CMOs) in Regina and Saskatoon. In addition to several delegates from Tourism Saskatchewan’s Board of Directors, there are members participating on behalf of the industry and a representative of the destination marketing organizations (DMOs). Given the immediate need for this Committee to begin its important work, the prompt response to a call for appointees and the collaboration on the part of industry has been gratefully appreciated. Without a moment to waste, the TAT met for the first time on September 1, 2011. It is reassuring to know that this very knowledgeable and competent group is part of the process.
I want to stress that every effort will be made to ensure minimal interruption of programs and services that tend to run at “full throttle” this time of year and are so critical to our members, stakeholders, and to the sector. Regarding just a few issues, please note the following:
• Strong Grassroots Connections - Under the new structure, which sees a centralized approach to administration and marketing, Tourism Saskatchewan will hire five field staff. They will be located outside of Regina and Saskatoon, thus maintaining the strong ties with tourism operators and businesses throughout the province. This will ensure that the knowledge and expertise that is “out there” continues to be utilized and that the industry has a direct line of communication to our organization. The five geographically-located field staff will assume their responsibilities in January, 2012.
• Membership - A priority issue for us, membership is a current topic of discussion with the regions, CMOs, DMOs, and stakeholders. It is in everyone’s best interests to review current best practices, examine additional successful models, and explore possible options to determine the ideal structure or solution.
• Regional Business Plans - Considerable time and effort have been dedicated to the planning of regional activities. All in-province campaigns, marketing tools, access, and development plans that are currently in progress will continue. The 2011-2012 business and marketing plans submitted by the Regions will proceed, as planned, with Tourism Saskatchewan’s new field staff responsible for implementation.
As new information about the aforementioned issues and other developments is available, it will be posted to Tourism Saskatchewan’s industry website, www.industrymatters.com.
Many of you will, undoubtedly, have questions or wish to share feedback with us. My colleagues and I welcome your input. Please do not hesitate to e-mail transition@sasktourism.com. It will be a pleasure to hear from you.
With every good wish,
Lynda Haverstock, C.M., S.O.M., Ph.D., LL.D.
President/CEO
For more information, please refer to the following backround documents:
Fall 2011 Going Places Article - Transition Update
Letter to Regional Members - October 2011
Tourism Funding Program Update - Summer 2011 Going Places Article
Tourism Funding Program Review - Background
