Travel Drumheller’s Executive Director Chris Curtis attended the regular meeting of Drumheller Town Council Monday, July 28, to discuss creation of a destination marketing fund.
The question is how to collect the money from tourists to support marketing Drumheller and growth of the tourism industry.
“Council was provided with one possible option, but a lot more work will have to be done before a decision could be made,” said Drumheller Mayor Terry Yemen.
The Banff/Canmore model for destination marketing funding was discussed with Council.
Canmore’s destination marketing website shows voluntary participation by hotels and lodges, with participants paying a membership fee and funds directed toward marketing and capital projects.
“We’re going to look at three different models for sustainable destination tourism management and destination marketing,” said Curtis.
Curtis said although the Canmore funding model was discussed with Council, it’s too early on to say exactly from whom and how the funds would be collected.
He said Travel Drumheller is developing a survey to take to industry in the next week or two, and he thinks people in the business already have ideas in mind.
“I think we really have a lot of smart people in the tourism business, and I think they’ll come up with ways they want to have it done.”
He speculates that another part of accomplishing this goal is to level the playing field, perhaps by having all businesses in the tourism industry contribute.
Brenda Gessleman, co-owner of Rivergrove Campground, said she doesn’t know all the details for new funding proposals, so can’t make a judgement just yet, but she’s satisfied with the present marketing of the town.
“I do feel that Drumheller does a great job already.”
“At this point, I don’t feel like a levy is necessary.”
The Town’s Community Services Director Paul Salvatore said the question is how to collect the funds to aid tourism.
“How do we adjust the business licensing bylaw, which we already have, so that we can support tourism better? So I think that’s the question that’s really being asked.”
That is the basis of the Canmore destination marketing funding model.
Currently, about 70 per cent of the Canmore lodging industry voluntarily pay into the destination marketing fund.
The funding component is one piece of developing tourism identified by the Town a few years ago, another piece is destination development, said Salvatore.
“What can we do in terms of infrastructure, in terms of service support, so when you get here, you’re going to have a good experience?”
Travel Drumheller will return its findings to council this fall.
