Strategic Direction #1
Private Public Leadership

Working towards our vision for a prosperous tourism industry, one that will see the value of the sector doubled by 2020, has required a significant shift in thinking, and a transformation in the way government and industry work together. A great deal has been accomplished to this end with the establishment of the Tourism Board and the coordination of support staff that implement the strategy set by the Board.

Determining how to come together for a common goal has been an important learning experience for Tourism Board partners and the lessons learned must be used to engage other partners of the industry that are not represented at the Tourism Board table.

Communication to entities responsible for tourism, private, public and non-profit, are important because everyone has a role. Understanding roles and responsibilities as they pertain to the big picture will help advance the industry by using our resources more wisely. As such, Tourism Board partners need to be accountable for their roles as individual organizations but also as valued tourism partners. Alignment of strategies, operations and governance models will help ensure our efforts are collaborative and complimentary, and in a world of scarce resources, both human and financial, this is something we must figure out.

With a new level of collaboration possible, government, industry, and all stakeholders are empowered to champion the implementation of our vision on the way to 2020.

The Tourism Board’s immediate key priorities will be to:

• Define and drive tourism investment and development decisions focused on tourism research, path to purchase, experience development, and quality and market readiness of products, services and experiences.
• Further align government and industry efforts by building strong linkages throughout provincial and federal governments; further define the roles, responsibilities, and financial support structures for our tourism organizations; develop closer links with local communities and regions; and strengthen the leadership capacity within our industry.
• Use every available communication tool and avenue to communicate Vision 2020 and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders.
• The Tourism Board is a true private public partnership that uses consensus amongst partners to provide strategic direction towards the achievement of the Vision. The Board is responsible and accountable for the strategy that is advised and will ensure partner roles and responsibilities are carried out in the name of Vision 2020.