Key Learnings
1. The 3 % MRDT Stakeholder Satisfaction Surveys are very positive and continue to provide important information that informs our future plans and decision-making. However, feedback from some respondents speak to challenges( housing, cost of living) that cannot be solved by DMOs or MRDT, but are associated with the tourism industry, which speaks to our role to partner with the community on supporting ideas and solutions. Tourism Fernie participates in the Housing Solutions Working Group meetings.
2. Member and stakeholder relations, communications and collaboration continue to be more important to our organization and industry.
3. We have an opportunity to further engage with our accommodation sector to support and educate on ADR and RevPAR growth overall and occupancy growth overall but especially during high yield months.
4. Climate and weather challenges are a real concern to the community and industry and requires industry learning and engagement to address. Opportunity for‘ summer’ growth in the shoulder seasons.
5. The importance of the Tourism Master Plan, and the RDEK Sustainable Tourism Strategy, and its continued evolution and implementation with partners continues to be key to this year and beyond.
6. Tourism Fernie continues to be poised for supporting, developing, and leading destination management and development projects with on-going success in grant acquisition.
7. Tourism Fernie won the Community Project Award in spring 2023 from the BC Economic Development Assn Summit Conference, for its Sustainable Tourism Initiative and AmbassadorWILD Program. Tourism Fernie was also a finalist of 18 nominations for the national Sustainable Tourism Award at the Canadian Tourism Congress event in Ottawa. Though we did not win the high level of exposure and recognition was evident. These accomplishments continue to show Tourism Fernie is on the right path with its sustainable tourism, destination management and destination development work.
8. Competition is strong, so marketing needs to continue to be strategic, effective and innovative.
9. Content and visual marketing, along with media and both consumer and travel trade events are playing a key role in all our marketing initiatives and spending.
10. We are seeing the return and strong demand from long-haul markets since pandemic.
11. Data continues to be needed and to stay on top of relevant travel trends. But data is highly challenging and costly to acquire. Tourism Fernie continues to have challenges with accommodators participating in the STAR report. MRDT as a monthly reconciled data source continues to be inaccurate and a challenge when comparing month-over-month, season-over-season. DMOs need better MRDT data! Deposit details aren’ t 100 % accurate. The data is with Ministry of Finance, but not accessible.
12. Need to advocate for increased RMI funding to rural resort communities and more CDMO involvement in the RMI program.
13. Need to advocate to the province and BC Transit for local transportation needs, as this area is not seeing the level of support of other rural areas.
14. As a Resort Municipality, Short-Term Rentals are important to the local tourism economy and many local residents. Local bylaws are in place which, for the most part, support a balance between tourism, community & housing needs.
15. Shoulder seasons are shrinking but still lots of opportunity. November is not the weakest month of the year anymore. We can build on demand as data clarifies needs and opportunities.
6