HIGHLIGHTS FROM TMP ENGAGEMENT
SUMMARY OF COMMUNITY & INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES
Over 10 % of the local population, of which 89 % were full-time residents, participated in providing input during the engagement process that included online surveys, focus group sessions, one-on-one interviews, open house events, and Task Force meetings. Below summarizes highlights from the community and business surveys as well as the focus group sessions. Further details are captured in an engagement summary report.
Most are supportive of tourism, but not quite all
When asked about whether the benefits of tourism outweigh the negative impacts, a large majority of residents and businesses agreed, with 14 % disagreeing and 4 % strongly disagreeing.
Consistency in the top benefits across the community:
Business, employment and income opportunities within tourism and other areas( arts, non-tourism businesses) as a result of tourism and as tourism grows.
Abundance of unique shopping, dining, events and services for a small community.
Increased amount and access to recreational opportunities and amenities such as trails, skiing, guided adventures and more. For all businesses this also means better staff recruitment opportunities due to the community’ s attractiveness as a place to live.
Increased vibrancy and energy in the community( especially downtown) as a result of activities / events and the number and diversity of people attracted to the area.
“ In short, what we learned from the public survey is that heritage in Fernie is about the desire to conserve the continuity of character, be it of the natural environment, the built form, the community’ s neighbourhoods or Fernie’ s small town atmosphere.”
Residents appreciate sharing the whole‘ Fernie’ experience
Both residents and businesses were in alignment that the strengths of the Fernie experience includes a range of easy to access outdoor activities, a small town authentic feel, beautiful scenery and a vibrant downtown with unique shops / restaurant experiences.
INSIGHT
Alignment between, businesses, organizations, residents and the community branding is essential for providing Fernie’ s authentic experience and meeting visitor’ s expectations.
INSIGHTS
Maintaining this strong support will be important for the continued success of tourism and the visitor experience.
With a perception of responsibility placed mainly on the City and Tourism Fernie these two organizations will have a large role to play in guiding and implementing this tourism plan. It will be important to make sure both organizations are resourced to be able to do this.
The City is addressing requirements for their facilities and it will be important to understand how these can be leveraged for tourism opportunities.
Accommodation values and reinvestment at the ski hill location are challenged due to underutilization in the shoulder seasons of spring and fall.
New / existing plans and funding programs can be better aligned for success.
Business case and feasibility studies for new investments will likely be required prior to pursuing any major public investments
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