By KELLY LOUISEIZE
Northwestern Ontario can be considered to be a panacea for weekend warriors looking for that ultimate wilderness experience.
Tourism can be an economic engine, with a pair of caveats: business owners can not give away natural resources, and the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation must support the operators.
That's according to longtime tourism operator Sandy Dickson.
Thunder Bay is no island in the new global market, according to the co-owner of Canoe Canada Outfitters.
Dickson told attendees of the The Community Summit held January 13 in Fort Frances the area has to provide good reasons for visitors to want to stay and play.
Beyond, that is, fishing and hunting.
Pristine with promise
Northwestern Ontario hosts some of the cleanest waters, greenest forests all within the archaic composition known as the Canadian Shield. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and the more recent south Asian tsunami disaster Dec. 26, vacationers will be looking for something safe and clean, she says. Over the next decade there will be a growing trend of vacationers wanting to visit a little closer to home.
"(And for the) United States traveler, Canada is very close to home," she says. "We have the opportunity to give them what they want in this turbulent world, a safe vacation in a pristine environment."
But one of the challenges facing the Ontario tourism sector today is the whole idea of quality versus quantity. As the industry evolves more emphasis should be placed on the quality vacation experience versus vacation packages that "give away" the province's natural resources. Outfitters may have fewer participants, but Dickson argues low volume will give way to higher paying clients interested in real adventure experiences.
An act, then action
Historically the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation has set up roadblocks impairing the industry's ability to grow, Dickson states. She would like to see initiatives that will help to propel the industry forward.
The industry needs regulation, according to Dickson, arguing new legislation is the way to go.
Resources-based tourism takes place predominantly on Crown land and it is close to impossible to obtain bank loans for upgrades. Tourist licensing needs to mean something and the ministry should work in conjunction with private partners to bring about a real licensing system for nature-based tourism, she says.
The MTR has consistently been under-funded, so when the Ministry of Environment mandated operators to update septic and water systems, operators found the pool was dry.
The industry is in need of access to capital and a Northern Ontario Tourism Development Fund may be helpful for existing businesses.
As well, the tourism sector does not have gurus as do the forestry and mining sectors. If the MNR continues to be the channel that tourist operators deal with then a "tourister" must be put in place to assist in tourism development.
Furthermore, the industry itself appears to spin on the axis of southern Ontario's tourism vision. Both southern and Northern tourism perspectives must be consolidated to bring about a new mandate, Dickson says. For instance, Northern Ontario tourism operators often work closely MNR officials.
"A new Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Fish and Wildlife would help," she affirms.
Alaska spends $70 million on just attracting cruise ships to the state. In Ontario over $20 billion is attributed to tourism with approximately $6 billion going back into government coffers.
Certainly the industry does not have the kind of funds Alaska has. But operators here must decide what they want to tell the world about northwestern Ontario tourism packages, she says.
In today's world visitors want to reconnect to nature, she says. As long as operators provide top notch service and continue promoting conservation, the industry will continue to impact positively on local economies.
