THE TORONTO OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SHOW February 24-26, 2017 The Municipality of Huron Shores Economic Development Post Show Report Prepared by Councillor Debbie Kirby and Councillor Nancy Jones-Scissons
Executive Summary The Outdoor Adventure Show was the second of 2 locations chosen to launch the Economic Development Advisory Committee s promotion of our tourist lodges, camps, campgrounds and businesses to the potential travellers visiting our region. This show drew in over 13,000 attendees from all over Ontario over the 3-day event. As with the Chicago Show, many were surprised to learn that our community was an option with cost savings choosing our community that had all of the lakes and rivers, snowmilar to the more frequently visited cottage areas in the Muskokas. To say that we received positive feedback from the visitors of our booth was an understatement, especially since we were the only option for vacation in Ontario. The enthusiasm from our visitors showed us that we were in the right place and that this summer could be the right time to potentially increase our tourism profits. Again, this was our first time promoting our area in an environment that included cycling, hiking, fishing, boating, kayaking and canoeing. It has positioned us as a place to visit. It was clear that attending trade shows to assist us in promoting our area was the right thing to do. After adjusting expectations from our experience at the All Canada Show in Chicago, we were successful in reducing our expenditure to 87% of our estimated costs. 2
Strategic Goals: (East Algoma Economic Development Strategic Plan 2012) 1. To enhance the prosperity in the community 2. To promote the Municipality to attract Tourists Objectives: 1. To establish or enhance the Municipality of Huron Shores as a viable destination for Canadians, especially those from Southern Ontario. 2. To promote the Municipality s lodges, tourist camps, campgrounds and associated businesses. Overview: It was important for the Economic Development Advisory Committee members to introduce and promote our current owner/operators throughout our community. As part of the plan, attending the Toronto Outdoor and Adventure Show was selected to be the Canadian venue. Friday, February 24 th introduced us to a totally different type of audience. The primary target group here was families, with 2+ children aged 2-12, looking for places to see the stars, fish for the first time and discover what our province of Ontario could provide. They wanted to get away from people and were delighted to discover that there is life after Sudbury! Unlike the Chicago, the attendees want to camp and be part of nature. They did not want to be in a 5 star resort; they wanted to be in a place where kids and their pets were welcomed. Dog friendly requests came in more often than not, and it was clear that our area and our camps/campgrounds were the exact type of place they wanted. Even the 6 hour drive from Toronto didn t deter their enthusiasm. 3
Exhibit Effectiveness: The International Center across from Pearson Airport in Toronto was the location for the Outdoor Adventure Show. The show included tents, trailers, bikes, kayaks, canoes, Parks Canada, Ontario Provincial Parks, along with travel agencies, and tourism bureaus from all over the United States, Africa and Australia. When it came to Huron Shores and the booth s ability to compete with such largely funded exhibits, we held our own. Of the respondents who took the time to fill out our comment card 63% said our booth created interest in learning more about our area; 23% said they learned more about the area, and 23% said that they would not visit the area this year. However, a whopping 78% of respondents agreed that they will be visiting the area this summer and will be booking one of the lodges/camps/campgrounds on our website. 4
Competitive Analysis: The Municipality of Huron Shores was in the company of over 300 exhibitors promoting of fishing, camping, hiking, rock climbing, bird watching, boating and biking. Our message was clear. Come north and experience wilderness at its best, for a more cost-effective vacation. One visitor thought we were passionate about our home and was excited to learn that there was life after Sudbury and before Wawa. It was very clear that we have the location and all of the things that nature can provide, however, we need to work with businesses and partners who are willing to develop biking and hiking trails. This is the easiest way to encourage tourism to the families and young couples from the urban centres. 5
Budget Analysis: The budget for the Toronto Outdoor Adventure Show took into consideration the lessons learned from the Chicago Show. We had no tolls, however, the mileage was originally calculated as a round trip from the Municipality to the International Centre. There was an additional 10km round trip to the Westin Bristol Hotel, therefore we were slightly higher in mileage than was planned. Despite this overage in mileage, we were successful in bringing the total expenditures in at 87% of the planned costs. THE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SHOW February 24-26, 2017 The Toronto International Center, Airport Road, Toronto, ON EDAC BUDGET REVIEW Description Estimated Cost Actual Cost Variance (CAD $) (CAD $) % Exhibit Space - Single Booth $1,925.00 $1,925.00 0% Equipment $380.00 $380.00 0% Mileage $482.00 $580.90 121% Budgeted 2 rooms. Actual 1 room Westin Bristol Hotel $900.00 $503.64 56% Council Per Diem (100.00 per day per Counsellor) $800.00 $800.00 100% Meals $400.00 $255.56 64% Booth Supplies $250.00 $22.71 9% Total $5,137.00 $4,467.81 87% 6
Conclusions and Recommendations: The Outdoor Adventure Show in Toronto was our first Canadian venture into the promotion of our community. As was stated in the post report of the Chicago Show, one visit will not bring vast numbers of new tourists to our community instantly. Based on the response from both the comment cards and the expression of interest to the Councillors we anticipate a higher than expected result from this show. With that in mind, it is recommended that we continue to attend the Toronto Outdoor Adventure Show next year. We need to book as soon as possible to obtain the discount and our booth location, which was exceptional in providing the kind of exposure we need to grow our industry. As for the development of our area to attract and maintain tourists over the next 5 years which in turn will aid in the growth of jobs and industry, the following items must be addressed immediately: Maps: We are in need of developing a map that shows the following: 1. Fish species in all of our lakes and seasons for each species 2. Where to get fishing licenses 3. Hiking/Backpacking trails (places to camp along trails) 4. Biking trails 5. ATV trails 6. Snowmobile trails 7
Brochures specific to Hiking, Biking and Fishing: People want activity skewed brochures. The Deer Trail, Nature Trails and Bird Watching brochures flew off of the shelves. It may be advisable to produce more of these for the next round of shows. Year Round/March Break Accommodations and Activities: Hunting camps and year-round camps are of great interest, along with accommodations open for March Break. Tourist lodges and camps looking for additional income may want to consider this as a potential time of the year to open Municipal Website and all Owner Websites must be upto-date: In this technological era, it is important to have these updated on a regular basis. It will encourage visits, along with introducing new visitors to our area. On the Municipal Website links to Real Estate Brokers and Agencies should be encouraged. The Tourist Trade Show is not the appropriate place to share information pertaining to all the properties for sale and related business. Going forward, it is essential that everyone update their brochures for future shows. People are looking for reading material in the format of glossy brochures and magazine-like material when they go to a trade show. Business cards are not encouraged. 8
Electric Car Charging Facilities: There was a very large group of people with electric vehicles requiring charging stations. They are the soon to be owners of electric vehicles that only have a 200 km range, before they have to recharge. Many want to take their children to Northern Ontario to show them what Ontario is like, but have discovered that there wasn t a way to do this with their new electric car. The development of a set of car charging stations along the northern shore of Lake Huron is strongly encouraged. Pictures of Activities at Camps/Campgrounds/Lodges: The best way to show what we have is through pictures. Lodge/Camp/Campground owners are encouraged to take as many pictures as possible of all activities with their guests and send them to our website. The more we have to show of our Municipality and all of its beauty, the more we will entice others to come up and see it for themselves. o 9