The tourism industry in the Shuswap will be getting a leg up with the development of a co-ordinated tourism strategy.
Robyn Cyr, Columbia Shuswap Regional District economic development officer, with responsibility for tourism and the regional district film commission, received board support for her recommendation to award a $28,935 contract to Destination Think.
“Destination Think’s submission was not the lowest priced proposal for the development of the Shuswap Tourism Marketing Strategy,” Cyr told directors at the March 23 board meeting. “The selection panel that consisted of CSRD employees, tourism industry businesses, and community organizations determined that Destination Think was the best candidate to develop this strategy.”
Cyr said the regional district had invited proposals from qualified consultants to develop a co-ordinated marketing strategy for Shuswap Tourism, something that had been identified as one of the top priorities for the organization in the 2017 marketing plan.
Destination Think has worked with Destination BC and many other community destination marketing organizations, including Tourism Kamloops, Tourism Sun Peaks, and Tourism Vernon.
The company provided direction for the consortium Facebook marketing campaign in 2016, which included Shuswap Tourism, Tourism Kamloops and Tourism Sun Peaks and focused on hiking, biking and stand-up paddle boarding.
“They did an outstanding job, which resulted in a very successful marketing campaign for Shuswap Tourism and a good return on our financial investment in this project,” said Cyr.
Cyr says that while development of the Shuswap Tourism brand has been successful over the past six years, it is time to revise the marketing strategy to determine a comprehensive plan for the next three to five years in order to continue to support the tourism industry in the Shuswap region.
Cyr will work with Destination Think, CSRD staff, tourism businesses and community organizations to implement the Shuswap Tourism Marketing Strategy, with work beginning as soon as the contract is signed.