In the last few years, I’ve had the pleasure of facilitating processes to help advance place-making and destination development strategies across British Columbia. A lot of this work lands at the intersection of tourism and economic development.
Many places across BC and Canada are considering how to approach tourism to bolster the local economy. Other destinations are trying to reduce the impacts of overtourism. Both new and established tourism economies need to plan for the long term and the future generations who will call these places home. The approach must be designed to acknowledge and align with community aspirations.
Tourism is shaped by local government decisions. Successful community-based tourism occurs through collaborative relationships with local government and community organizations, recognizing and respecting local interests.
To support communities across the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains tourism region, I led the creation of a new guide. Designed to accelerate actions for the region’s destination development strategy, it outlines steps to develop and implement tourism with community at the core. Our team consulted with an array of partners involved in developing, enhancing, and managing a destination, since many aspects of a local economy are linked to tourism.
This guide outlines an approach to place-making that balances the competing needs and demands of residents, visitors, industry partners, and the environment. It considers how the regional strategy can be implemented at a pace that aligns with community values and aspirations.
Tourism has potential to expand across Canada and support thriving local economies. That said, it must be explored with consideration of community interests, cultural sensitivities, nature, and the ecological rhythms of the landscapes. These are the assets that make a destination unique. Planning for the long term is imperative to ensure place-based economies remain competitive and support other community goals.
This Implementation Guide was designed for the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains tourism region, but is a resource for any community exploring tourism. Destination Canada has it featured as a Better Practice.
Contact me to start a dialogue on place-based tourism in your community.