Town of Innisfil TOURISM DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN MARCH, 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... 4 BACKGROUND... 9 THE VALUE OF TOURISM... 10 VISITOR-CENTRIC DESTINATION MANAGEMENT... 20 TOURISM DESTINATION MANAGEMENT DEFINED... 24 THE TOWN OF INNISFIL TDMP PLANNING PROCESS... 29 INNISFIL S TOURISM ASSETS... 30 FRIDAY HARBOUR... 48 INNISFIL / LAKE SIMCOE WATERFRONT PROPERTY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY... 54 SPORT TOURISM... 56 INNISFIL S IDEAL GUESTS... 61 SUSTAINABILITY GROWING TOURISM INTO THE FUTURE... 65 INNISFIL TDMP FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS... 67 APPENDIX A: TDMP PLANNING PROCESS... 75 APPENDIX B: RECOMMENDATIONS / ACTIONS SUMMARY... 77 APPENDIX D: EVENT LIST... 83 Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Town of Innisfil, in partnership with Regional Tourism Organization 7 and on behalf of its tourism stakeholders invested in the creation of this Tourism Destination Management Plan (TDMP). Through an RFP process, Brain Trust Marketing and Communications (BT) in collaboration with GM Event Inc. was awarded the contract to develop a TDMP for Innisfil in December of 2015. BT s role was to lead this project working with municipal staff, the Tourism Working Group (TWG) and broader tourism stakeholder interests. We appreciate the dedication and contributions made by the Tourism Working Group: Jennifer Dwyer, Harbour House Grill Peter and Sandi Dickey, Dickey Bee Honey Wes Shedler, Kempenfelt Conference Centre Bruce Barbour, Georgian Downs Suzanne Taylor and Jay Simmons, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation Jeff Stovold, Lefroy Harbour Resorts Kathy Simpson, South Simcoe Theatre Special thanks to James DiRenzo, CEO, Friday Harbour All Seasons Resort We also benefited from the dedication demonstrated by municipal staff including: Marc Seguin, Manager of Economic & Community Development Brennan Kenny, Economic and Community Development Officer Thank you for the leadership and support of Regional Tourism Organization 7: Bill Sullivan, Executive Director Alex Hogan, Project & Administration Manager We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all those whose knowledge and expertise contributed to the iterative and developmental process which led to the findings and recommendations contained in this report. Richard Innes Carolyn O Donnell BRAIN TRUST Marketing & Communications Grant MacDonald GM Event Inc. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 2
ACRONYMS USED IN THIS REPORT B2B BT BIA B&B CSTA DMO FH MNR MTCS OTMPC RFP ROE ROI RTO RV SC TODS TSC SCEDO SMERF SMWPB TOI TWG TDMP VFR Business to Business Brain Trust Marketing & Communications Business Improvement Area Bed and Breakfast Canadian Sports Tourism Alliance Destination Marketing Organization Friday Harbour All Seasons Resort Ministry of Natural Resources Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation Request for Proposal Return on Emotion Return on Investment Regional Tourism Organization Recreational Vehicle Simcoe County Tourism Orientation Destination Signage Tourism Simcoe County Simcoe County Economic Development Office Social, Medical, Educational Religious, Fraternal meetings and conferences sectors Simcoe Muskoka Workforce Planning Board Town of Innisfil Tourism Working Group Tourism Destination Management Plan Visiting Friends and Relatives Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Town of Innisfil continues to demonstrate its desire to enhance the economic well-being of its community and residents by investing in forward-thinking business and community development planning. Innisfil s Council has recognized the importance of tourism promotion and investment and as such it is one of the strategic objectives in the council adopted Community-Based Strategic Plan (Inspiring Innisfil 2020). To that end, the municipality partnered with Regional Tourism Organization 7 (RTO7) to create its own tourism destination management plan. In November 2015, Brain Trust Marketing & Communications, a tourism consulting firm from Mississauga Ontario were retained to develop a Three-year Tourism Destination Management Plan (TDMP) for the Municipality. The TDMP planning process started in December 2015. It was led by the Town of Innisfil staff under the guidance of a Tourism Working Group (TWG), identified leaders in Innisfil s tourism industry. This group played a key role in validating the findings, observations and ultimate recommendations contained in the plan. A three-step process was followed as illustrated below. Tourism destination management is a continuous process of investment and coordination between government, the private and not-for-profit sectors. The process ensures the strategic development of facilities, amenities, activities, services and experiences available to attract visitors while simultaneously providing business growth opportunities within the broader destination and its local communities. Innisfil s TDMP will benefit those who currently or could potentially live, work and play in Innisfil by implementing tourism strategies and actions that enhance the community lifestyle attributes. This is in keeping with the premise of Innisfil s Our Place strategy; the update to the official town plan. The Town of Innisfil is located within provincially mandated RTO7 (BruceGreySimcoe), which is one of 13 provincial travel regions. Tourism Simcoe County (TSC) has led tourism-related activities within the County for seven years and is considered the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Innisfil. Funded by the County, TSC works with the 16 municipal partners and the tourism stakeholders within the County to develop and promote the attractiveness of the area to grow tourism visitation and revenue. An assessment of Innisfil s tourism businesses was a necessary first step to help define what Innisfil must offer. Using an Asset Assessment Template, businesses related to tourism were identified and listed under a variety of asset sectors. The compilation of these assets provided clarity around where the greatest opportunities are and where there is untapped potential for tourism development and promotion within Innisfil. The assessment identified 141 tourism assets and that detail is included in the plan (pgs. 29 46). In addition, the assessment included sports tourism related assets. These included the facilities and venues that are considered necessary to secure business from the highly competitive sports tourism market segment. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 4
Through the assessment process three unique themes were identified that differentiate Innisfil from other destinations: Fast-Paced Entertainment (motorsports, harness racing, gaming, unique sports events) Rural Retail & Arts (agri-tourism, antiques, hands-on experiences, unique/specialty shopping, artists, galleries, studio tours) Friday Harbour All Seasons Resort When fully developed, these assets have the potential to attract increased levels of tourism visitation and revenues. In addition, they have appeal to a specific ideal guest due to the fact they: Have the greatest potential to engage specific visitors emotionally; Generate a higher return on investment (ROI operator) and experience (ROE visitor); Offer experiences that are unique only found in Innisfil, and; Are near to being tourism market-ready. Specific observations pertaining to Innisfil s sports tourism opportunities suggest that there is sufficient inventory of event-ready sports venues. While the facilities exist, the sport specific and technical capabilities may not be readily available. It is also unclear as to community readiness; the capability to engage in the hosting of sports events and service visiting participants and spectators. And, given the limited accommodation in Innisfil, there would be a need to work proactively with accommodations partners in surrounding communities (Barrie, Simcoe County) to ensure that this critical requirement of attracting and hosting successful sporting events can be managed effectively. As an emerging tourism destination, Innisfil has significant opportunity. Therefore, the recommendations contained in the plan call for the Municipality and it tourism stakeholders to take a disciplined approach to development, one that is focused and calls for a series of prioritized tactics implemented over time. Recommendations are grounded in three primary areas of focus: Focused Collaboration Strategic Tourism Development Creating Awareness With each of the areas of focus the planning assumption is that not all actions can happen at once. Collaboration and development occur prior to promotion/awareness. Eleven Findings and Recommendations have been identified in Innisfil s TDMP and are presented here in summary format: Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 5
Finding / Recommendation #1: The Tourism Industry in Innisfil is currently fragmented. Tourism business owner/operators are working independently from one another and there has not been overarching leadership. To compete for today s visitor market Innisfil can identify, nurture and promote what is uniquely theirs. To do that the Municipality needs to take a leadership role and be the catalyst for grassroots tourism development. In addition, sports organizations have the capacity to manage effectively the delivery of programming for local sports activities and on occasion outside events. Recommendation: Town of Innisfil to be a Catalyst for Tourism Growth Including Sports Tourism Development Finding / Recommendation #2: At present, the Town of Innisfil has not identified resources to advance tourism to the point where it is a vibrant sector. Fortunately, through the TDMP process, willing partners have emerged who are prepared to work with the Town to support collaborative efforts designed to raise the competitiveness and appeal of Innisfil through the outcomes presented in the TDMP. Recommendation: Strategically Align with Tourism Agencies (TSC, RTO7), other Municipalities and Stakeholders Finding / Recommendation #3: Most tourism assets within Innisfil lack tourism market readiness; those practices that attract and service guests and provide them with unique and memorable experiences and therefore are underperforming (not operating at capacity, generating sufficient revenue, or operating with a sustainable business model). Businesses may not understand what it means to be a Tourism Business. There is an opportunity, therefore, to provide various levels of industry training to develop the skills of operators. Recommendation: Deliver Tourism Specific Training for Operators Finding / Recommendation #4: At present Innisfil has limited commercial roofed accommodations (128 rooms) and camping/rv sites (107 transient sites). This negatively impacts the ability to grow tourism revenues into the future. The Town has demonstrated a willingness to work with developers, as evidenced by the Friday Harbour project. Innisfil, therefore, is well positioned to attract additional new hotel development given its location on the Hwy 400 corridor and the presence of select tourism demand generators (OLG / Georgian Downs, Kempenfelt Conference Centre). There is demonstrated interest from third party developers for new roofed accommodation in the near future beyond Friday Harbour s planned 200-room hotel and conference centre. Recommendation: Town of Innisfil to Actively Engage Accommodation Developers Finding / Recommendation #5: The majority of overnight guests to the Simcoe County stay with friends and relatives (Visiting Friends and Relatives = VFR). Since overnight guests spend more than day-trippers while in a destination, and Innisfil has limited commercial roofed accommodation, the greatest opportunity to grow economic impact of tourism is to increase the number of overnight stays from the VFR market segment. Increasing the number of VFR visits and encouraging higher-yield spending from this group is the opportunity. Recommendation: Grow the Incidence and Spending from the VFR Market Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 6
Finding / Recommendation #6: Most visitors to Simcoe County are same-day visitors or day trippers (66%). These same-day visitors currently spend below the provincial average ($77 per person per day trip compared to $83). In 2012 there were almost 6 million day visitors to Simcoe County Increasing the amount each person spends to meet the provincial average ($6.00) has the potential to grow tourism revenues to the County by at least $36 million annually, localizing this thinking to Innisfil would have a positive economic impact. Recommendation: Grow Length of Stay and Spending of Day-Trippers Finding / Recommendation #7: Innisfil has a good mix of indoor and outdoor sports infrastructure, however, there has not been a strategic approach to sports tourism development or event attraction. Using existing sports infrastructure and other assets within the community can create a unique selling proposition. There is interest in developing new events bid, outdoor participation events, multi-sport events and sports meetings. Using the defined outcomes for sports tourism, there is a need to establish and implement a consistent means of evaluating or scoring event opportunities. For example, if events are going to be measured by economic impact or increase to GDP because of hosting, a consistent economic impact forecast model should be implemented for consistency, accountability, and transparency. Recommendation: Develop a Five-Year Target List for Sport Tourism Events Finding / Recommendation #8: The Town acquired a 20-acre parcel of lakefront land adjacent to Friday Harbour. This property, not yet developed, presents a significant capital investment opportunity for the Town of Innisfil and the broader community in a tourism context. Utilizing the visitor assets found at neighbouring FH the town should explore investing in the development of complementary infrastructure and programming on this property that provides additional reasons to visit the area while supporting investments made at Friday Harbour. Recommendation: Pursue Possibilities for a Town of Innisfil Lakefront Land Development Investment Concept Finding / Recommendation #9: There is an opportunity to enhance the online presence of Innisfil s tourism operators (websites, TripAdvisor, Facebook). The Town of Innisfil website provides very basic tourism information thereby leaving guests that want to visit with a lack of relevant information (sports facilities are showcased well on the Town website). Recommendation: Improve Innisfil s Online Presence / Customer Engagement Finding / Recommendation #10: In discussions with the TOI and the Working Group it was clear that residents and business owners may not be aware of what Innisfil has to offer and therefore Innisfil s Ideal Guest markets (VFR, day-tripper, and sports tourism) are currently untapped. Recommendation: Equip and Empower Locals to be Tourism Ambassadors Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 7
Finding / Recommendation #11: While Recommendation #9 focuses on leveraging internal audiences to promote Innisfil s tourism experiences, there is a need to also focus on reaching external audiences, specifically Innisfil s Ideal Guests that are from away by creating awareness and demand that will attract new visitors. Recommendation # 2 focuses on establishing synergies with key tourism organizations such as Tourism Simcoe County and RTO7. Recommendation: Promote Fast-Paced Entertainment and Rural Retail and Arts to External Audiences and Create a Targeted Sports Tourism Sales Strategy Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 8
BACKGROUND Innisfil is a town in Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe in Simcoe County, immediately south of Barrie and 80 kilometers north of Toronto. It has historically been a rural area, but growth in the Barrie area and the Greater Toronto Area has meant greater residential development in Innisfil over the past several years. In 2011, Innisfil had a population of 33,079, representing an increase of 6.1% from 2006 (slightly higher than the national average growth). Innisfil is forecasting high levels of growth. By 2031, the population is expected to grow by 70% (56,000 residents). 1 Situated on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, Innisfil has miles of waterfront and water-based recreational activities. The growing lakeside community offers country living, breathtaking views, walking trails, parks, marinas, shopping, entertainment, and dining. Simcoe County resides in the provincially assigned regional tourism area known as RT07 or BruceGreySimcoe, which was incorporated in December 2010. RTO7 provides strategic and collaborative leadership to build, sustain and grow tourism in the region comprised of Bruce, Grey and Simcoe Counties. In December 2014, RTO7 completed a 3-year strategic plan, from which the organization s 2015/16 (and future) business plans were developed. Included in this plan were opportunities for the alignment of activities between RTO7 and its stakeholders. Partnership funding was developed as a principal mechanism to accomplish that goal and made the completion of this plan possible in partnership with the Town of Innisfil. Innisfil s Council has recognized the importance of tourism promotion and investment and as such it is one of the strategic objectives in the council adopted Community-Based Strategic Plan (Inspiring Innisfil 2020). The Strategic Plan sets out the overarching goals and strategies that are meant to guide the Town s strategic and policy initiatives. The Strategy highlights that there has been a shift from previous thinking, where Innisfil was a community of communities. Now, Innisfil strives to be one community, connected through shared values and goals to make Innisfil a unified Town and a great place to live, work, shop and play. Our Place will be a visionary Official Plan document, expanding on the existing policies in place today and integrating and embedding the principles of Place Making as identified by the people of Innisfil. 2 In October 2015, RTO7, on behalf of and in partnership with the Town of Innisfil, invited proposals to provide services for the development of a three-year destination development plan for the Municipality. In November 2015, Brain Trust Marketing & Communications, a tourism consulting firm from Mississauga Ontario were awarded the contract. Work on the Tourism Destination Management Plan commenced in December 2015 and continued through to October 2016. 1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/innisfil 2 Our Place Innisfil Official Plan Update. Town of Innisfil. April 2016. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 9
THE VALUE OF TOURISM Definition of Tourism: "Tourism comprises the activities of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business, and other purposes." 3 Tourism is an economic driver and a source of full-time and seasonal jobs. It provides support to governments at all levels through tax revenues generated, which can then be reinvested into infrastructure, health care, education, research, and social service programs among other things. Travel is one of the fastest growing industries in the world; the demand for travel continues to increase and the competition for visitors is fierce, particularly from emerging destinations, some of which are growing at a rate of 13% per year. 4 Innisfil as a community is competing for visitors with other destinations within the province but also nationally and globally. Understanding current global, national and provincial tourism trends is important for Innisfil s tourism industry as they explore tourism development within their community and at the operator level. THE TOURISM LANDSCAPE Global Long-term projections to 2030 see emerging economies garnering 57% of international arrivals (up from 30% in 1980) and advanced economies (which includes Canada) securing 43% of the market. In January 2015, the UNWTO reported that International tourist arrivals grew by 4.4% in 2015 to reach a total of 1.2 billion in 2015, per the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Some 50 million more tourists (overnight visitors) travelled to international destinations around the world last year as compared to 2014. 2015 marks the 6th consecutive year of above-average growth, with international arrivals increasing by 4% or more every year since the post-crisis year of 2010. 5 By region, Europe, the Americas and Asia and the Pacific all recorded around 5% growth in 2015. Arrivals to the Middle East increased by 3% while in Africa, limited data available points to an estimated 3% decrease, mostly due to weak results in North Africa, which accounts for over one-third of arrivals in the region. 3 United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) 4 World Tourism Organization. (2013). UNWTO Tourism Highlights, 2013 Edition. (pg. 2.) 5 World Tourism Organization (2015), UNWTO International Tourism Arrivals Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 10
National Nationally, tourism activity generated $88.5 billion in revenues in 2014 and Canada s tourism sector accounted for $34.4 billion in Gross Domestic Product. The sector employed more than 627,000 people in over 170,000 businesses. 6 Total international arrivals (Year to date July 2016) increased by 11% over the same period last year accounting for 11.2 million visitors and during the same period. From January to June 2016, overnight arrivals from Destination Canada s (DC) 11 global markets (10 overseas markets + the US) grew by 10.2% to 7.0 million visitors. DC s growth from their global markets saw Asia-Pacific (+14.6%) and Latin America (14.1%) leading the way, followed by the US (+10.0%) and Europe (+6.5%). US travellers arriving by air increased 18%. 7 Provincial In 2012 Ontario s tourism industry 8 contributed more ($28.1 billion) to Ontario s economy than mining ($5.6 billion), pharmaceuticals and biotechnology ($9 billion) and advanced medical technologies ($4 billion) sectors combined. In 2015 9 : U.S. border crossings to Ontario increased 9.1%; Entries from overseas markets grew 8.9%; Canadian outbound trips to the U.S. decreased 14.2% but increased +11.6% to overseas international destinations; Hotel occupancy was up 1.1% to reach 65.2%; Average Daily Rate was $138.62, +5.8%, and; 6 Canadian Tourism Commission, Statistics Canada, International Travel Survey, Tourism Snapshot, 2014. 7 Destination Canada, Tourism Snapshot, June 2016 8 Statistics Canada s Travel Survey of the Residents of Canada and International Travel Survey; Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, 2012. 9 Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, 2015 Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 11
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport s (MTCS) mandate is to help build a strong innovative economy in Ontario through strategic support and investments in three key sectors of the economy tourism, culture and sport and recreation. MTCS is committed to protecting and promoting what Ontarian s value: a strong economy that creates good jobs and provides the services that Ontarians need, a province that is an internationally-recognized tourism destination with strong and stable cultural, sport and recreational sectors. 10 The table below illustrates the economic values of the culture, tourism, and sports sectors and shows the economic impacts compared to investments made. While all sectors provide beneficial returns sports programs by far have the highest economic impact to investment ratio at 680:1. Table 1: MTCS 2013-14 Sector Investment and Economic Impact Sector Economic Impact 2013 Estimates 2013-14 Ratio Notes Culture Program $21 B $244M 86 to 1 Tourism Program $23B $135M 170 to 1 2 X Culture Sport, Recreation and Community Programs $17B* (just sport sector) $51M 333 to 1 Sport Programs $17B* $25M 680 to 1 2 X Tourism 4 X Culture 5 X Tourism 8 X Culture According to the Canadian Sports Tourism Alliance (CSTA), sport tourism was a $5.2 billion segment of Canada s tourism industry and is Canada s fastest growing tourism segment in 2012. These are the most recent numbers but with the growth of sports events and activities over the past 3 years, this number is sure to increase. 10 Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Published Results-Based Plan 2014-15. http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/about/rbp_2014_15.shtml#appendix Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 12
In 2012 Ontario residents accounted for the majority of visits (86%) and spending (62%). Table 2 shows visits and spending by visitor origin. Table 2: Visits and Spending in Ontario - 2012 Visits and Spending in Ontario 2012 Origin Total Ontario Other Canada US Overseas Total Person Visits 141,177,700 120,573,500 6,716,600 11,691,200 2,196,400 Length of Stay Overnight 49,537,300 37,587,600 4,340,000 5,883,200 1,726,600 Same-Day 91,640,400 82,985,900 2,376,600 5,808,100 469,800 Total Visitor Spending in Region Total Visitor Spending 22,037,020,000 13,553,107,000 2,234,019,000 3,338,304,000 2,911,591,0 Overnight 14,386,158,000 6,897,953,000 2,006,072,000 2,885,901,000 2,596,232,0 00 Same-Day 7,650,862,000 6,655,154,000 227,947,000 452,403,000 315,359,00 Itemized Visitor Spending in Region 0 Transportation 7,707,535,000 4,677,598,000 849,758,000 781,105,000 1,399,074,0 Accommodation 3,436,958,000 1,547,696,000 440,813,000 938,003,000 510,445,0000 Food & Beverage 6,171,622,000 4,355,663,000 628,027,000 762,319,000 425,613,000 Recreation/Entertainment 1,825,415,000 1,109,955,000 118,483,000 432,768,000 164,209,000 Retail/Other 2,895,492,000 1,862,195,000 196,937,000 424,109,000 412,251,000 0 65% of visits were same-day (day trip) visits driven by Ontario residents and most trips were to visit friends and relatives (VFR) (45%) or for pleasure (34%). Looking ahead, Ontario visits are forecasted 11 to grow an average of 1.6% per year from 2014 to 2018, while visitor spending is projected to increase by an average of 6.4% per year. By 2018, total visits are forecast to reach 154 million with visitor spending of $30 billion. Visits among Ontario residents are forecast to increase between 2014 and 2018, with an average annual growth rate of 1.4%. Other Canada visits are forecast to increase an average of 3.2% per year. U.S. visits declined in 2014, but are forecast to grow in 2015-2018, averaging +1.5% per year. The overseas market is forecast to grow over the next 5 years at an average of 7.5% per year, especially from China with 13% annual growth. 11 Ontario Ministry Tourism, Culture and Sport, 2014. The Ontario tourism outlook is based on an econometric model which includes the following variables: GDP, CPI, Exchange Rates, and Gas Prices. http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/research/business_outlook/outlook.shtml Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 13
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TOURISM IN SIMCOE COUNTY Tourism activities have a positive economic impact on the communities within Simcoe County. The following overview provides a snapshot of the primary tourism performance indicators within the County. Data is based on Statistics Canada s 2012 Travel Survey of Residents of Canada and International Travel Survey released by MTCS in Jan 2015. VISITATION AND SPENDING IN SIMCOE COUNTY Table 3: Visitation and Spending in Simcoe County - 2012 Visits and Spending in Simcoe Origin County 2012 Total Ontario Other Canada US Overseas Total Person Visits 9,176,695 8,947,238 69,713 107,435 52,309 Length of Stay Overnight 3,155,215 2,962,715 69,713 80,444 42,344 Same-Day 6,021,479 5,984,522-26,991 9,966 Total Visitor Spending in Region Total Visitor Spending 1,014,423,323 960,008,862 937,062,942 22,945,920 26,246,047 Overnight 550,157,351 498,026,799 475,080,879 22,945,920 25,682,758 Same-Day 464,265,972 461,982,063 461,982,063-563,289 Figure 1: Spending per Category in Simcoe County - 2012 400,000,000 350,000,000 300,000,000 250,000,000 200,000,000 150,000,000 100,000,000 50,000,000 - Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 14
Simcoe County saw an increase in spending and visits in 2012 compared to 2011. Table 4: Visits and Spending in Simcoe County 2011 and 2012 Comparison Simcoe County Visits and Spending Year: 2012 compared to 2011 2011 2012 Total visits 9,159,940 9,176,695 Total Spending 867,085,892 1,014,423,323 Average per person per overnight visit $127 $174 Average per person per same-day visit $77 $77 VISITOR ORIGINS In terms of origin markets within an Ontario context, the highest number of visitors come from Toronto and within Simcoe County. Other key markets include the regions of York. Peel, Halton, and Durham. Table 5: Visitor Origins of Key Markets to Simcoe County - 2012 Simcoe County: Origin Person Visits - 2012 of Trip - Primary Toronto 1,936,085 Simcoe County 1,864,471 York Region 919,272 Peel Region 877,786 Halton Region 722,055 Durham Region 385,575 Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 15
LENGTH OF STAY, PERSON VISITS The length of stay is a key indicator of tourism visitation. Successful destinations strive to maximize overnight visitation, especially overnights spent in paid commercial accommodations, as opposed to VFR. Recognizing that all visitors won t stay overnight, those that do have a greater impact on the local economy as they tend to spend more on tourism services. Simcoe County has more same day than overnight visits. In 2012, Simcoe County saw a very slight decrease in overnight stays and a very slight increase in sameday visits. Table 6: Length of Stay in Simcoe County 2011 to 2012 Comparison Length of Stay 2011 2012 % Change Overnight 3,178,548 3,155,215-1% Same Day 5,981,391 6,021,479 +1% The primary focus of the TDMP recommendations and actions will be to positively impact overnight visitation to Innisfil Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 16
ACCOMMODATION TYPE, PERSON VISITS The type of accommodations overnight guests choose determines economic impact. Those staying in paid commercial roofed accommodations like a hotel, motel, B&B, resort or lodge (672,755 overnight person trips in 2012) have the greatest impact. In Simcoe County this accounted for 21% of overnight person trip stays in 2012; 5% of overnight stays were at a campground or RV park. However, the largest portion of overnight stays was in a private home or cottage, representing 2.2 million stays or 70% of all overnight stays. This is shown in Table 7. Table 7: Accommodations by Type (Person Visits) in Simcoe County - 2012 Number of Nights by Accommodation Type Total Ontario Other Canada US Overseas Nights in roofed commercial Nights in hotels Nights in motels Nights in commercial cottage/cabins Nights in other roofed commercial Nights in camping/rv facilities Nights in private homes/cottages Nights in private homes Nights in private cottages Nights in other 672,755 606,633 21,423 27,341 17,359 425,480 382,864 12,234 16,899 13,484 70,914 57,129 9,189 3,624 972 83,638 72,876-6,818 3,943 97,879 96,579 1,301 - - 169,765 155,026 13,411-1,327 2,209,437 2,116,301 34,069 39,812 19,254 1,463,878 1,371,104 34,069 39,451 19,254 747,087 745,198-1,889-111,142 89,145 1,778 14,422 5,797 Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 17
MAIN PURPOSE OF TRIP, PERSON VISITS In Simcoe County, there is an equal split between visitors who are motivated to visit for pleasure and visiting friends and relatives (VFR). Figure 2: Main Purpose of Trip (person visits) 4,500,000 4,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 - Pleasure VFR Business Shopping Other Personal Conventions (Personal) Study Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 18
ACTIVITIES PARTICIPATED IN, BY ORIGIN Outdoor Recreation and Sports has by far the most participation (23% of total visitors) in Simcoe County. Within any outdoor/sports, activity category boating (465,436) and downhill skiing/snowboarding (277,410) have the highest participation followed by fishing and golfing as shown in figure 3. Figure 3: Activity Participation in Simcoe County 2012 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 Hunting 1% Downhill Skiing/ Boarding 25% Fishing 23% Boating 42% 500,000 Golfing 9% - Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 19
VISITOR-CENTRIC DESTINATION MANAGEMENT Tourism destination management is a continuous process of investment and coordination between government, the private and not-for-profit sectors. The process ensures the strategic development of facilities, amenities, activities, services and experiences available to attract visitors while simultaneously providing business growth opportunities within the broader destination and its local communities. The visitor must be at the heart of this collaborative process. This is critical to leverage the contributions from all levels of government, the public and private sector (Figure 4). By understanding the benefits travellers are seeking, combined with their attitudes, values, motivations for travel and their demographic profile, businesses and destinations are in a stronger position to evaluate the alignment of their current offering. Destination management involves many players, from an individual tourism operator through to the national destination marketing organization (Destination Canada, formerly the Canadian Tourism Commission). It s common for the customer to get lost between organizations, initiatives, mandates, and priorities. Further, while excellent research is conducted by these players, the application of this knowledge into the daily operations of individual businesses is less common. Figure 4: Visitors Must Be at the Heart of Destination Management A visitor-centric destination management plan provides the mechanism to synchronize efforts around more tangible objectives, thus making it easier for organizations to collaborate and leverage resources. The goal for Innisfil is to identify and understand the ideal guest with the greatest potential to impact tourism growth. The aim is to ensure infrastructure, activity, and program-based businesses (see Figure 6) collaborate in ways that create a compelling and differentiated invitation for the guest to visit and revisit (Figure 5). It is important to note, not all businesses will share the same visitor profile as the destination s ideal guest. While these businesses may not directly benefit from the activities that evolve out of the destination management plan, they will indirectly benefit from broader tourism growth that will result from this focused and collaborative approach. Figure 5: Destination Potential Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 20
MAKING THE SHIFT Creating memorable travel experiences, engaging activities, and effectively managing the built and natural infrastructure within Innisfil are essential to raising the bar in relation to competitive appeal, pricing, profits and value. This is based on having a range of travel assets from undifferentiated, low emotion and engagement (e.g., a lake, trail, or museum), to those that connect emotionally with visitors to differentiate and influence price point (e.g., storyteller, musician or interpretive guide). All these elements are needed in the mix. To make the shift to a visitor-centric approach, it is important to shift from focusing on: What is there for visitors to do in Innisfil? Who is the ideal guest? To: What benefits are our ideal guests seeking? How do we deliver unforgettable experiences? What can we offer our ideal guest that is uniquely ours? How do we layer on engagement and emotion? Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 21
RAISING THE BAR ON ENGAGEMENT AND EMOTION Things have changed. Over the past century, tourism in Canada was built on putting the infrastructure in place (roads, hotels, restaurants, designating heritage properties, etc.); this created the platform for creating access and opportunities to welcome visitors. Activity based tourism then began to flourish as people looked for ways to enjoy Canada. Then, with time and frequency of travel, demand began to shift towards finding ways to connect with people in ways that were meaningful, relevant, inspiring and engaging (Figure 3). The metrics of success for the types of businesses that own/operate or manage these place and infrastructure assets were highly focused on optimizing a positive return on investment and differentiation was largely based on the quality of services - for example, the star rating system with hotels. By layering activities, then programs and ways to connect with local people, tourism businesses and destinations began to differentiate themselves based on both their physical assets and their emotional appeal, as this occurred, the ability to drive tourism based on return on investment (ROI) and return on emotion (ROE) emerged. This is now creating a new way to look at increasing competitive appeal and adding product lines that deliver on value, where visitors are willing to pay a premium for a personalized and engaging experience. Figure 6: Raising the Bar Place & Infrastructure Assets: High fixed costs, need visitor volume &/or base funding. Examples: Hotels, historic sites, parks, attractions, theatres, restaurants, transportation, sports facilities & tour operators who own their transportation. Activity & Services Assets: Fixed cost related to activity, need steady volume but often smaller groups. Examples: Fishing outfitters/charters, artisans, horse-drawn sleigh rides. Program & People Assets: (1) No or low fixed costs, typically low volume, highly specialized. Examples: Guiding companies, storytellers, musicians, experience brokers (2) Use other s infrastructure; Need volume, e.g., festival and small tour operators. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 22
A MAJOR SHIFT IS REQUIRED In the context of effective destination management, tourism stakeholders within Innisfil must move from supply-side thinking (listing the tourism assets as places to go and things to do) to demand side thinking (creating an invitation to come, discover, and engage). While this may appear to be a challenging task, it has the potential to be a rewarding and fruitful undertaking given that unique tourism attractors and quality infrastructure based assets already exist in Innisfil. Focusing on infrastructure assets through thoughtful experience development along with a clustering of connected and well-themed offerings provides a good foundation for future destination management. To illustrate 12, take the small community of Dawson Creek, located in northern British Columbia (590 km from Edmonton, AB; 1200 km from Vancouver, BC). Their initial invitation was to encourage visitors to come and participate in 17 Things to Do in Dawson by driving along one of three routes that featured things to see and do in geographical places. Stakeholders were thrilled with this approach. However, after much effort and promotion, the results were disappointing as guests didn t accept the invitation in any significant way. In the Dawson Creek example, the places to go and things to do were not targeted to traveller types and the benefits they seek, or to their travel motivations. Marketing and promotion focused on a general approach to informing visitors what is available. This approach didn t work. However, the destination marketing organization (DMO) learned that by focusing on specific ideal guest profiles, Tourism Dawson Creek was able to work with tourism stakeholders in the community and the region to develop their first visitor-centric experience route. By focusing on what motivates a traveller, identifying the tourism assets aligned with those interests and weaving them together with a story, they were able to increase interest in both the VFR (visiting friends and relatives) market as well as their core long-haul markets, such as RV owners and motor coach operators. 12 Example - The Tourism Café, Dr. Nancy Arsenault, used with permission Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 23
TOURISM DESTINATION MANAGEMENT DEFINED A considerable amount of attention has recently been given to a shift in thinking and understanding regarding the role of traditional DMOs. For many, the role has expanded to include more than just the marketing of the destination. The shift has occurred as a result of DMOs, governments, and tourism industry stakeholders coming to the realization that marketing the same reasons to visit year after year is not generating growing levels of tourism visitation or revenue. In addition, the marketplace has become more competitive, prompting astute tourism leaders to adopt a holistic approach to tourism. They ve come to realize creating new or enhanced reasons to visit, along with supporting the enhancement of tourism infrastructure and services is more than marketing. In fact, many have changed the M in DMO from Marketing to Management. That s the approach Innisfil is taking, therefore it is important to have a clear understanding of tourism destination management. Through the steps of the destination management development process within Innisfil, municipal staff and tourism stakeholders have embraced the following definition: Tourism Destination Management: A continuous process of coordinating, investing, developing and marketing the tourism potential of a destination in ways that provides value to visitors, businesses, and communities. 13 More specifically, undertaking proactive tourism destination management in an Innisfil context: Demonstrates the Municipality s commitment to impact its economy through tourism development; Manages expectations; is realistic where Innisfil is at currently and what can be accomplished in 1 5 years; Is specific; identifies strategies / tactics and who does what, when and how, and; Recognizes the TDMP can t meet all industry needs at once and that a timely and prioritized roll-out of actions is required. 13 Brain Trust Marketing & Communications, The Tourism Café, 2014 Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 24
THE TOWN OF INNISFIL S OVER-ARCHING TDMP DIRECTION The TDMP has been built on a foundational direction understood and validated through the industry engagement phase of the project. That direction has led to the creation of this overarching TDMP direction: Innisfil s Tourism Destination Management Plan is designed to prioritize and coordinate the actions required by government AND stakeholders to enhance the appeal and competitiveness of Innisfil in order to drive increased levels of tourism visitation and revenue for tourism operators within the Municipality. Innisfil s TDMP will benefit those who currently or could potentially live, work and play in Innisfil by implementing tourism strategies and actions that enhance the community lifestyle attributes. This is in keeping with the premise of Innisfil s Our Place strategy; the update to the official town plan. Inherent in this process will be the opportunity to link tourism destination management and development with other aspects of municipal responsibility, including culture and recreation. Logical synergies will be a by-product of the work identified in the TDMP. Innisfil s TDMP represents not only an opportunity to establish a prioritized approach for tourism development, it also has the potential to set Innisfil apart from other destinations through the identification, development, and promotion of unique differentiators. The supply side approach sets the stage for positioning the destination like so many others within the Province of Ontario. However, utilizing a demand side approach aligned with the identification of Innisfil s unique tourism assets presents the opportunity for Innisfil to rise above the competition and attract incremental visitation based on the appeal of the unique tourism asset featured. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 25
TOURISM ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Figure 7: Tourism Organizational Roles and Responsibilities International marketing efforts. Promote market ready products and experiences. Provides tools and research to Canadian tourism businesses. DC Local tourism development, marketing of the area s tourism to target markets. Visitor information services. Local tourism operators working together under an umbrella for networking, joint marketing, product development and education. International and domestic marketing efforts. Provides research and resources. Promote market ready products and experiences. Strategic marketing, product development, workforce development and investment attraction. Countywide tourism development and promotion activities. MTCS Regional Tourism Organization (RTO7) Countywide Tourism (Tourism Simcoe County) Local Tourism Organization (Town of Innisfil, BIAs, Chambers) Grass Roots Tourism Businesses It is important to consider the Town of Innisfil s relationships with other key tourism organizations in the development of the TDMP. In particular, the opportunities to leverage and influence activities of Tourism Simcoe County and RTO7 have been considered and are reflected in the findings and recommendations. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 26
SYNERGY WITH REGIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION 7 The Town of Innisfil is located within a provincially mandated Regional Tourism Organization 7 (BruceGreySimcoe), which is one of 13 provincial travel regions. As such, Innisfil has the opportunity to work alongside this organization to advance Innisfil s appeal and competitiveness while supporting the region s competitive advancement as well. Map 1 below shows the geographic area of Region 7. Map 1: RTO7 Tourism Area The four core areas of focus for RTO7 (as mandated by MTCS) are: Product Development Workforce Development Investment Attraction Marketing and Promotion RTO7 has been very involved in Innisfil s TDMP process and opportunities to enhance synergies have been stated as a critical outcome of this plan. Moving forward with a collective voice and identified priorities, Innisfil s tourism industry will be in a better position to work strategically with RTO7 to truly leverage opportunities to develop and promote Innisfil s tourism assets. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 27
SYNERGY WITH TOURISM SIMCOE COUNTY Tourism Simcoe County (TSC) has effectively led the tourism-related activities within the County for seven years and is considered the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for the region in which Innisfil is located. Funded by the County, TSC works with the 16 municipal partners and the tourism stakeholders within the County to develop and promote the attractiveness of the area in order to grow tourism visitation and revenue. The County of Simcoe 2014 Strategic Plan states as a priority: Economic & Destination Development Definition: Create and strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders to develop economic opportunities in response to the changing demographics of the County and to provide a rich cultural experience for both local residents and tourists visiting the area. Strategic Priority#1: Expand the role of the County in promoting economic development and tourism. To this end, TSC takes proactive steps to present the many tourism opportunities available through a variety of promotional tools including its tourism website http://experience.simcoe.ca. TSC operates a visitor information centre and attends several, travel-related shows and marketplaces. The County also makes funding available to its municipal partners in order to create grassroots development and promotional initiatives that are in line with the County s strategic directions. Through the consultation phase of the work of the TDMP senior staff at TSC have expressed a willingness to understand and engage in the tourism development initiatives of the Town of Innisfil and will take an active role to support the initiatives detailed in this plan. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 28
THE TOWN OF INNISFIL TDMP PLANNING PROCESS The TDMP planning process started in December 2015 and was led by the Town of Innisfil staff under the guidance of a Tourism Working Group (TWG). Brain Trust Marketing & Communications (BT) a Mississauga based tourism consulting firm, facilitated activities related to the process. The critical steps shown in figure 8 below were part of the planning process. Figure 8: TDMP Planning Process Stage 1: Client Briefing Stage 2: Gathering Evidence Stage 3: Setting Direction Affirmation of work plan and deliverables Literature Review Industry Interviews Draft Plan Communications Plan Tourism Asset Assessment Stakeholder Vision Sessions Actions Details of the planning process are included in Appendix A. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 29
INNISFIL S TOURISM ASSETS An assessment of Innisfil s tourism businesses was a necessary step to help define what Innisfil has to offer relative to the infrastructure, activities and programs and people that visitors can experience. (See Figure 6, Raising the Bar Model). Using an Asset Assessment Template, businesses related to tourism were identified and listed under a variety of asset sectors or types. The compilation of these assets provided clarity around where the greatest opportunities are and where there was/is untapped potential for tourism development and promotion. NOTE: The asset assessment IS NOT an inventory of all tourism assets in the Municipality. It is an attempt to capture the vast majority of tourism assets using a number of sources in order to inform the TDMP process. For example, the majority of tourism assets are listed on the municipal website, in the tourism visitor guide, the Farm Fresh directory or other business directories. These lists were utilized as the foundation of our identification process. Online research went deeper to identify other tourism assets that may not be listed and was done through the lens of a potential visitor. If a tourism business could be easily found through a website search it was included, if it wasn t readily accessible it may have been missed. Information pertaining to Friday Harbour Fours Seasons Resort was obtained through consultation with FH s senior management as well as several site visits on the property. There is confidence among the TWG, municipal staff, and the consultants that the vast majority of assets have been captured therefore providing a solid basis for tourism asset assessment and planning. TOURISM ASSET SUMMARY The assessment template is not to be considered a tourism asset inventory. Businesses that are not effective at online marketing and any newly established businesses may not have been included. Visitation trends are noted in each section. The primary source of the data is from the MTCS Simcoe County Tourism Profile, compiled by Statistics Canada for 2012 (the latest available data). These trends are not available for all tourism asset types but where they are included they provide a context in terms of the levels of participation and visitor spending. The Assessment Template on the following page identifies 141 tourism assets, shown by tourism category. Most of the assets fall into the infrastructure category, followed by activity service based assets and people program based assets. See Raising the Bar graphic, Figure 6, page 21. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 30
Table 8: Innisfil's Asset Assessment Summary - 2016 INNISFIL S TOURISM ASSETS INFRASTRUCTURE- PLACE BASED COMPANIES ACTIVITY-SERVICE BASED COMPANIES PEOPLE-PROGRAM BASED COMPANIES TYPICAL BUSINESSES CHARACTERISTICS INNISFIL ASSETS TODAY Hotels, restaurants, heritage sites, parks, theatre, sports facilities, museums. High fixed costs, typically operate yearround, need volume or on-going base funding (e.g. parks), target mass and niche markets 3 traditional roofed accommodations 2 camping/rv parks 24 non-traditional roofed accommodation options 27 restaurants 15 unique retailers 6 culture based assets 17 heritage based assets 5 natural assets 3 locations offering trails 17 Agri-culinary companies Kayak or canoeing companies, outfitters, tour operators. Moderate fixed infrastructure costs, often seasonal, target smaller niche groups. There is a total of 18 activity based assets Guiding companies, storytellers, artists, musicians, experience brokers, festivals. No or low fixed costs, use another person's infrastructure. Cater to small niche and custom groups, low volume, higher spending per experience required, with the exception of festivals 8 festivals/events People with special talents in the area include: 2 photographers 17 artists * some assets fit more than one category. Not all asset categories are shown in the chart above. More details are provided in the sections to follow. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 31
INFRASTRUCTURE- PLACE-BASED ASSETS The infrastructure-place based category includes many of the typical assets that one would associate with tourism. While these are positioned low in terms of the level of engagement, personalization, connections and value, they are important foundations of a visitor destination. The tables to follow in this section provide a snapshot of Innisfil s assets that fall into the infrastructure-place based category. ACCOMMODATIONS Accommodations are a very important part of tourism infrastructure as they provide the home away from home for the visitor and allow visitors to stay longer in the area and spend more money. In Innisfil, this assessment included year-round roofed accommodations as well as seasonal rental cottages, campgrounds and RV parks. Table 9: Accommodations in Innisfil - 2016 Category # Of Properties # Of rooms /sites Daily Price Range Traditional Roofed Accommodations % Year Round % High Season (May Sept) % Open at least 6 months Hotel/Motel 1 30 $75 100% - - B&B 1 2 $169 100% - - Conference Centre 1 79 $169 100% - - Cabins (at the KOA) 1 17 $76 - - 100% Non-Traditional/Emerging Accommodations Air BnB Listings 6 13 $96-$170 Not posted Private home/cottage rental 18 65 $81-$433* Not posted Camping RV Parks and Campgrounds 2 107+ $32 - $76 - - 100% * Some house/cottage rental prices are for the entire 5-bedroom house or waterfront cottage. Some properties only rent for the week (prices range from $950 to $3,800) Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 32
KEY FINDINGS Innisfil has a very limited number of roofed accommodations (3 year-round). Traditional roofed accommodations include 1 motel, 1 B&B, 1 conference centre, 1 campground offering cabin/studio rentals. Non-traditional accommodations in Innisfil include 6 Airbnb listings and 18 cottage/private home rental listings. There are very limited opportunities to stay at a campground/rv park (2) Photo Source: Kempenfelt Centre (www.georgiancollege.ca) Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 33
VISITATION TRENDS In 2012 there were 9.2 million visitors to Simcoe County. Of these, 3.1 million (34%) were overnight accounting for 7.2 million total nights (overnight visitors stayed an average of 2.3 nights). Table 10: Visitation by Accommodation Type in Simcoe County - 2012 Number of Nights by Accommodation Type Total Ontario Other Canada US Overseas Nights in roofed commercial 672,755 606,633 21,423 27,341 17,359 Nights in hotels 425,480 382,864 12,234 16,899 13,484 Nights in motels 70,914 57,129 9,189 3,624 972 Nights in commercial cottage/cabins 83,638 72,876-6,818 3,943 Nights in other roofed commercial 97,879 96,579 1,301 - - Nights in camping/rv facilities 169,765 155,026 13,411-1,327 Nights in private homes/cottages 2,209,437 2,116,301 34,069 39,812 19,254 Nights in private homes 1,463,878 1,371,104 34,069 39,451 19,254 Nights in private cottages 747,087 745,198-1,889 - Nights in other 111,142 89,145 1,778 14,422 5,797 Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 34
FOOD & BEVERAGE DINING ASSETS Like any destination, restaurants are important to Innisfil s tourism industry. The asset assessment included 27 assets located throughout the Municipality (not including fast food chains). Note: In the tables that follow, the N=x refers to the total number of assets in that category. Some assets fit more than one category therefore totals will not always = N. Table 11: Food and Beverage Assets in Innisfil - 2016 Type # Of Establishments N=27 Catering 2 Family/Casual 11 Fine Dining 1 Coffee Shop 1 Bakery 2 Pub 4 Other 7 Accredited Chef 0 KEY FINDINGS Innisfil has a variety of dining options that are available throughout the year for a variety of price points. VISITATION TRENDS In 2012, visitors to Simcoe County spent $257 million in restaurants/bars. This represented 25% of total visitor spending. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 35
UNIQUE RETAIL Table 12: Unique Retail in Innisfil - 2016 Type # Of Establishments N=15 Antiques 5 Gifts/Collectables 3 Craft Shops 3 Outlet Mall 1 Specialty 2 Other (coffee) 3 KEY FINDINGS There are unique retail establishments throughout Innisfil that celebrate the rural charm of the area. There are 5 Antique stores/malls located in the area. Specialty shops include western apparel and clock repair/restoration. VISITATION TRENDS In 2012, visitors to Simcoe County spent $158 million on retail (16% of total spending). Photo Source: 400market.com and Tanger Outlet Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 36
CULTURE AND HERITAGE BASED ASSETS Cultural and heritage based infrastructure includes venues that are often unique to a destination and showcase the character of a place its people, their history and the landscape that shapes them. The assessment identified 6 assets. These assets play an important role due to the types of people-based experiences they offer. Table 13: Culture and Heritage Based Asset in Innisfil - 2016 Type # of Assets N = 6 Art Galleries 4 Museums/Historical Attractions 0 Historical Buildings 6 Historical Plaques 7 Genealogy 1 Performing Arts Venue 1 Other * 1 * The renovated Innisfil Library Lakeshore Branch in Alcona is a state-of-the-art facility that offers the latest technologies including a computer lab, recording studio and filming equipment, and a maker space. The maker space, known as the idealab, promotes hands-on collaboration, creativity, and learning through the use of digital media and 3D printing technology. The branch also has large open spaces with a stage capable of accommodating a range of live events. OUR STORIES is Historical Database maintained and managed by the library that holds over 4000 photos and videos of local historical interest KEY FINDINGS There are 11 art gallery/studios located in Innisfil that feature a variety of mediums. Examples include: o The Art Unique Gallery features artists works and classes. o Joseph s Art Studio boasts an artist who works with acrylic, oils and airbrushing. o Artsmart, located in the Tanger Outlets Cookstown mall specialize in custom picture framing and ready-framed art. o Sandy Brand is a painter and print-maker who also teaches classes. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 37
VISITATION TRENDS In 2012, 62,113 visitors to Simcoe County visited museum or art galleries (this represents only 1% of the activities that visitors participated in while in the area). Photo Source: Innisfil Library, Lakeshore Branch - idealab Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 38
NATURAL ASSETS AND TRAILS Innisfil s location on the western shore of Lake Simcoe and its rural landscapes allow for visitors to experience both water-based and land-based natural assets. The tables below show a summary of the sites (infrastructure) that allow visitor access. Table 14: Natural Assets in Innisfil - 2016 Table 15: Trails in Innisfil - 2016 Type # of Sites / Properties N=5 Beaches 2 Conservation Areas 1 Gardens/Community Parks 4 Type * # of Sites / Properties N=2 Walking/Hiking 2 Mountain Biking 0 Cross Country Skiing 0 KEY FINDINGS Innisfil has limited natural assets and trail offerings. *Some assets fit more than one category VISITATION TRENDS 240,534 visitors went to a national/provincial park while in Simcoe County. Waterfront Trail 1 Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 39
AGRI-TOURISM ASSETS Agri-tourism includes any tourism experience in which one learns about, appreciates, and/or consumes food and drink that reflects the local, regional, or national cuisine, heritage, culture, tradition or culinary techniques. 14 The visitor market is an opportunity for some in the agriculture industry to diversify and expand their traditional operations and make experiences available to the visitor market. Table 16: Agri-tourism Assets in Innisfil - 2016 Agri-Tourism Based Companies # Of Visitor Opportunities Total Number of Companies * 17 U-pick 2 Farm Gate 1 Farmers Markets 1 Garden Centres 3 Orchard 1 Meat market 1 Equestrian 3 Other 3 *Some assets fit more than one category KEY FINDINGS 7 of the Agri-tourism based companies are affiliated with Simcoe County Farm Fresh 14 Ontario s Four-Year Culinary Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2011-2015 Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 40
ACTIVITY-BASED COMPANIES Activity-based assets are often trip motivators for visitors. In Innisfil,18 outdoor recreation activity assets were identified. Outdoor Recreation based infrastructure includes land and water-based assets that provide visitors with a way to enjoy a variety of activities. Table 17: Activity Based Assets in Innisfil - 2016 Activity Based Companies # Of Visitor Opportunities Total Number of Companies 18 Canoeing/Kayaking/ SUP 1 Golfing 5 Harness Racing/ Casino 1 Ice Fishing 4 Marinas 4 Public Docks 4 Motor Sports 2 Skydiving 1 KEY FINDINGS Lake Simcoe provides opportunities for water-based activities that include watersports, (Fun Rentals offers canoe, kayaks, SUPs etc. at Innisfil Beach Park) marinas that service boaters (Lefroy Harbour Resorts has over 500 slips in two separate locations and offer full service to boaters), ice fishing and a waterfront trail. There are 5 golf courses that are open to public rounds (there are 2 additional golf courses in the area but they are private - National Pines and Big Bay Point) and there is a new Doug Carrick designed course opening in 2016 at Friday Harbour. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 41
Recreational boating is a primary reason people access Lake Simcoe. This bodes well from a tourism perspective for both FH and Innisfil. A 2013 study15 of recreational boaters conducted by Boating Ontario revealed some interesting facts about Ontario boaters: Canoes, kayaks, or rowboats are the most common type of boat owned (40%), but the least used on a regular basis (7%). Respondents use runabout boats or cruisers most often on Ontario waterways. Most respondents moor their boat at private marinas (33%) or in the water near their cottage or home (29%). When it is time to get out on the water, respondents stay close to home. Respondents tend to keep to their home boating region when exploring Ontario s waters. Most respondents go recreational boating on the weekend (54%) or during their summer vacation (16%). Only 14% of respondents are weekday boaters. Respondents prefer boating trips of one day or less. One-half (53%) took between one and 10 one-day boat trips in 2013. Georgian Bay (21%), Lake Ontario (14%) and the Trent-Severn Waterway (12%) were respondents top three favourite boating destinations. Favourite boating destinations tend to be where one moors their boat. Visiting a new boating destination is dependent on water conditions (82%), navigation conditions (78%), and distance (72%). Shore-based factors are of secondary importance in attracting respondents to visit a new boating destination. 1 in 10 (14%) plan to buy a boat in the coming year, and 22% are considering it. The boats to be bought are diversified cruiser (23%), a runabout boat (18%), a sailboat (16%) or a fishing boat (15%). Half of the respondents plan to increase the number of boat trips they take in the next two years (46%). In the next five years, 50% of respondents plan to increase their boating activities. VISITATION TRENDS In 2012, 2.1 million visitors to Simcoe County participated in outdoor recreation/sports. This represented 23% of the activities that all visitors participated in while in the area. The most popular outdoor activities were: o Boating (465,436 visitors) o Downhill skiing/snowboarding (277,410 visitors) o Fishing (253,540 visitors) o Golfing (103,283 visitors) In 2012, 477,969 visitors attended a casino in Simcoe County. 15 Boating on Ontario s Waterways, a 2013 Survey of Ontario boaters conducted by Boating Ontario, 2014. Sample size: 2500; respondents were mostly male and between the ages of 45 and 64 living in Greater Toronto Area (48%) and Central Ontario (22%). Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 42
VISITOR INFORMATION SERVICES Destination Marketing Organizations and others involved in servicing visitors are evaluating their future role in delivering visitor information. As technology changes, consumers have a variety of tools to access information especially when they are on the move. Smartphone technology and supporting apps provide relevant and timely information. For this reason, many DMO s are closing their traditional visitor information centres (VIC) and redirecting resources to other areas. Innisfil does not operate a visitor information centre. PROGRAMS AND PEOPLE-BASED COMPANIES Program and People-Based assets are positioned highest in terms of their ability to offer engagement, personalization, connections and value they are what make a destination come alive. Festivals emphasize the uniqueness of the area and often celebrate the history and culture that is unique to the host community. Programs and people assets in Innisfil such as artists, storytellers, musicians and guides have the potential to make the visitor s experience memorable and personal. CULTURE PEOPLE-BASED PROGRAMMING Table 18: Culture and People Based Assets Type # of Assets N = 19 Artists 17 Photographers 2 KEY FINDINGS There are a number of artists who call Innisfil home. Each year the Innisfil Studio Tour is held over 2 days in November and features 18 artists Photo Source: http://www.innisfilstudiotour.ca Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 43
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS For those in the tourism industry, festivals have a positive impact in three parallel areas: attracting tourism, improving the place s image, and supporting the local community 16. In Innisfil 8 festivals/events were identified. Table 19: Festivals and Events in Innisfil - 2016 Total Number of Festival & Events 8 * Length (not available for all events) 1-day 2-3 day 4-7 days 1 week + KEY FINDINGS Community Celebrations 8 4 4 0 0 Arts/Cultural/Heritage Event 3 1 2 0 0 Winter Festival 2 2 0 0 0 *Some assets fit more than one category. A full list of events can be found in Appendix D Most of the festivals and events held in Innisfil are community celebrations. Some have specific themes related to the area's arts, culture, and history: o Innisfil Celtic Festival o Georgian Bay Steam Show o Innisfil Studio o Wing Ding o Light Up the Night Other events celebrate the waterfront and summer fun: o Celebrate Lake Simcoe o Summerfest VISITATION TRENDS 2012, 44,015 visitors to Simcoe County attended a Festival/Event. 16 Ketter, Eran. It s Festival Time: The Role of Cultural Events in the Tourism Industry, Tourism Review, 2010 Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 44
ONLINE PRESENCE / VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER ASSESSMENT A tourism destination and its tourism operator s online presence is critical to its success. It is the primary avenue potential visitors take to search out, understand, plan and book a visitor experience. As such the number of places where tourism destinations and businesses can provide information to travelers and create online engagement is endless. To examine if there is a basic level of online presence and customer engagement with travellers, the Innisfil assessment looked at: Operator websites Specifically, looking through a visitor lens, the online assessment attempted to determine if these organizations were easily found online and if there was a level of engagement and conversation occurring with current, past or potential visitors (through blogs, customer posts, customer reviews/management responses and e-newsletter). Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 45
Table 20: Innisfil Tourism Businesses On-line Activity Snapshot Business Sector # Website 65% TripAdvisor 9% Facebook 27% Roofed Accommodations 4 100% 50% 50% RV & Campgrounds 2 100% n/a 50% Culture Based Assets 6 83% 17% 83% Heritage Based 17 6% 0% 6% Natural Assets 7 14% n/a n/a Outdoor Activities 18 89% 22% 83% Agri-Culinary Attractions 17 88% 0% 53% Indoor Recreation 1 100% 100% 0% Program Based 19 37% 5% 16% Festivals and Events 8 100% n/a 88% Note: This snapshot was completed in January 2016 and is based on the businesses and assets that were identified on the Tourism Asset Assessment Template at the time. Since then, some businesses have been added/deleted but those few changes would not have affected the overall picture regarding on-line engagement in Innisfil. KEY FINDINGS 65% of operators have a website BUT 35% don t, meaning they can t be found by visitors Participation on TripAdvisor, the number one travel resource in the world 17, is very weak (9% of operators). Facebook presence, while better than TripAdvisor, is also weak (27% of operators). Operators in Innisfil are not utilizing valuable communication tools and low-cost vehicles to engage visitors. 17 315 million unique monthly visitors, 70+ million TA members, 200+ million reviews and opinions, 115 million user contributions every minute. Source: TripAdvisor Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 46
ASSET ASSESSMENT SUMMARY Innisfil, like many other rural communities in Ontario, has an infrastructure-based tourism industry that relies heavily on undifferentiated tourism products with low emotion and engagement (e.g., lakes, trails and museums with static exhibits). More diversity with a range of visitor appeal and levels of engagement is needed. The following summary captures the essence of Innisfil s tourism assets. When presented to industry stakeholders during the Vision Sessions it resonated. An untapped opportunity lies in thematically weaving together Innisfil s physical assets to experience a range of people, places, and special activities unique to Innisfil through stories and visitor corridors that encourage travel between communities. Sector Roofed Accommodation (128 rooms) Table 21: Innisfil Tourism Asset Assessment Summary I A P Critical Mass Market Ready Unique Developed / Under-developed Performing/ Under- Performing 4 - I No No No Und-dev Und-perf RV Parks/ Campgrounds 2 - I No No No Und-dev Und-perf Arts / Culture 6 - IP No No No Und-dev Und-perf Heritage 15 - IP No No No Und-dev Und-perf Natural Assets 7- I No No No Und-dev Und-perf Outdoor Activities 18 - A Almost No No Und-dev Und-perf Retail 15 - I Yes Almost Almost Und-dev Und-perf F&B 27 - I Yes Almost Almost Und-dev Und-perf Agri-Tourism 17 - IA Yes Almost Almost Und-dev Und-perf Festivals / Events 8 - P No No No Und-dev Und-perf People and Programs 19 - P Yes No Almost Und-dev Und-perf Sports Venues / Facilities 57 - IA Almost Almost No Und-dev Und-perf Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 47
FRIDAY HARBOUR Situated on the shores of Lake Simcoe in Innisfil, Friday Harbour All Seasons Resort (FH) is poised to become the region s primary tourism destination. Once fully complete FH will be a thriving fourseason destination appealing to a variety of local and visitor markets. (Phase I, scheduled to open in 2017) It will be a stunning lake front village with 2000 residential units, a 1000 slip marina, Lake Club, Beach Club, culture centre, amphitheatre, 200 room hotel and conference centre, 7 km of hiking trails and an 18-hole championship golf course. Ontario s newest and most unique lakefront resort community will attract consumers from far and wide as well as clientele from local communities. The up-market residential units have already attracted 700+ individuals, couples and families from the GTA and beyond who will call FH their permanent residence or their home away from home. The Town of Innisfil has worked very closely with the developers over the past 10 years to help see this ambitious project come to fruition. Wisely, town politicians and officials recognized the magnitude of the project and have done their best to maximize the economic and lifestyle opportunities for the broader community that will come with the completion of FH. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 48
The backdrop of this emerging property is Lake Simcoe, the fourth-largest non-great Lake in the province and part of the 386 km Tent Severn Waterway. In the 17th century, at the time of the first contact by Europeans, the lake was known as Ouentironk ("Beautiful Water") named by the Wyandot (Huron) people. It was known later as Lake Toronto until it was renamed by John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, in memory of his father, Captain John Simcoe. The Lake Simcoe watershed sweeps across 3,400 square kilometres and 20 municipal borders, from the Oak Ridges Moraine in the south to the Oro Moraine in the north, through York and Durham regions, Simcoe County, the Town of Innisfil and the cities of Kawartha Lakes, Barrie and Orillia. Water, liquid or frozen, is at the heart of Friday Harbour. James DiRenzo, Chief Executive Officer, Friday Harbour All Seasons Resort James DiRenzo said it best; Lake Simcoe will play a lead role in Friday Harbour s success and as a result the Town of Innisfil has been afforded an opportunity to fully leverage FH as a cornerstone to its future tourism development. FH has been positioned as a unique resort for those who choose to live on-site but also to those who live in the surrounding communities who will travel a distance by land or by water to experience the FH offering. While respecting the privacy of those who will ultimately call FH home the developers have made it clear that this is a destination with features and amenities designed to engage both residents and the general public. Those non-resident visitors who want to access the resort for a weekend, week or month will have access to a pool of resort condos, available for short term or seasonal rental. Daytrippers and locals will have access to most of the resorts amenities including the Lake Club and the wide variety of dining and shopping options available there. They ll be free to stroll the boardwalk and embrace the ambiance of water-side living. The Beach Club open to residents and those who choose to become members can enjoy hour upon hour of beachfront lounging and organized activities. The full-service marina, with its 1000 slips, will be available to seasonal and transient boaters. Boat rentals are also an option and FH will feature a fleet of world renowned vessels. The Doug Carrick designed championship golf course will have preferred tee times for residents and times for visitor golfers. The four-season culture centre will feature a range of entertainment options that cater to audiences of all ages. In winter, life in the resort continues with harbour ice-skating and snowmobiling and ice fishing easily accessed on Lake Simcoe. The staff of the resort will go to great lengths to program the resort to ensure there is always something happening to entertain, educate and rejuvenate those who visit. For these reasons, the Town of Innisfil must explore and fully embrace the opportunities associated with Friday Harbour to grow the popularity, attractiveness, and appeal of features available at FH and in the broader community. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 49
FH Opportunities Planning Context Recognizing the potential opportunities to positively impact the Town of Innisfil s economy associated with the eventual completion of FH are significant however they must be set against the backdrop of customer behaviour and current market realities. As FH becomes populated it will be important for both town staff and the local business community (outside the resort) to understand the characteristics of the FH guest. Having insight into their travel, buying, dinning and leisure time activities will be critical to determining where the realistic business building strategies can be found. Businesses may have to adapt to accommodate FH guest preferences and behaviours. Things as simple as business hours may have to change if, for example, FH guests arrive for an extended stay late in the evening. The following realities must be considered: 1. FH has gone to great lengths to build a resort that meets the needs of a discerning customer. They have designed the amenities, services, entertainment, dining options with their resident customers in mind. Many of the essential ingredients of relaxing laid back lake front community living have been incorporated into the plans. This makes it possible for guests to arrive at FH and never leave the site until it s time to return home. Summer and winter amenities and services that are offered are detailed in the site images. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 50
This reality must be considered given that if residents have all the need inside the gate or bring along their essentials like groceries the chance of them contributing to the local economy beyond the confines of FH may be limited. For example, at the Marina Village, guests will have a variety of retail and dining options. Whether looking for an outfit for a night out, sporting equipment to take out on the lake or a fun game for the kids, the Marina Village has an assortment of shops that offer something for everyone. When it comes to food and beverage options guests will feast at a plethora of resto-bars and bistros. Whether a steak or sip of a signature drink guests can watch the water lap against the marina, patio-side 365 days a year. The Lake Club that overlooks the marina will offer three floors of services and leisure amenities. These include; outdoor pool, games room, business centre, change rooms, showers, daycare, spa, and gym. The Pier becomes a centre-piece of FH life where celebrations will be marked with fireworks, where live music happens and where local farmers will come offer their wares. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 51
2. FH s is located on the northeast the town boundary. Vehicle / passenger and GO Transit routes that provide access the site are key factors in determining leveraging opportunities. If travelling by personal vehicle most FH guests will access the resort from Hwy 400, whether traveling from the south or north, utilizing one of two routes. Innisfil Beach Road or Mapleview Drive East / Big Bay Point Road will be the preferred access routes. The Mapleview Drive East route is the most direct; 16.6 Km or 18 minutes. The Innisfil Beach Road route is less direct passing through Alcona; 22.7 Km or 22 minutes. What s most important is that the Mapleview Drive East route provides guests access to a significant number of useful retail, service and food and beverage establishments. These include a large LCBO store, Beer Store, banks, drug stores, several grocery stores, big box stores like Walmart, Costco and Rona. Conversely, the Innisfil Beach Road route that passes through Alcona has similar establishments but they are limited in that they are smaller and fewer in number. Given this situation, without question, the preferred access to FH among most guests will be the Mapleview Drive / Big Bay Point Road route. 3. Given the scenario described above the task of getting FH guests to patronize Innisfil based business establishments will be a challenge unless current and future reasons to visit are enhanced and the offering differentiates from options available on the road more traveled. The good news is that there are plans to add 150,000 sq. ft. of retail space to Alcona s existing offering. Planner and developers must be encouraged to ensure this space differentiates from the retail offering found along Mapleview Drive and Big Bay Point Road. Alcona can position itself as a village as opposed to a typical strip mall. The village should feature locally owned and operated specialty shops including butcher, baker, cheese, fish and deli shops for example. It could also include any number of non-chain restaurants, cafes and coffee shops. Emphasis should be given to connecting this plaza not just to roads but to bike and walking paths and feature landscaped outdoor seating areas. With this type of offering FH guests will be more inclined to shop and dine in the charming setting of a local village as opposed to a big box store or roadside strip mall. As an example, the Shops at Don Mills, Toronto (see image) provides outdoor public space with attractive landscaping and seating areas among shops, cafés, and restaurants. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 52
Innisfil / Friday Harbour Connecting Opportunities The Town of Innisfil has the opportunity to fully leverage investments being made at FH. Consideration should be given to exploring these connecting strategies: Ensure wayfinding signage provides clear direction from FH to Alcona (LCBO / Beer Store, financial institutions, grocery stores, library), OLG Slots / Georgian Downs, Sunset Speedway, Tanger Outlet Centre, OLG Slots, 400 Market, Dickey Bee Honey, Skydive Toronto and other sites and attractions FH s Tourism Oriented Directional Signs (TODS) will be erected at locations of their choice, as they pay for them, therefore through consultation explore ways to have Innisfil Beach Road as an alternative route to FH in addition to the more direct Mapleview Drive route Encourage new Alcona based retail to adopt a village feel by attracting specialty, local owner operated shops, restaurants, cafés, and services as opposed to chain or big box businesses, in addition consider positioning Alcona s retail establishments under the umbrella theme of the Village Shops of Alcona ; this is consistent with the existing streetscape design of Alcona Ensure Alcona retail developers and potential tenants know about the Town s Community Improvement Plan grants to encourage local owner operators to locate here (butcher, baker, cheese, fish, deli shops and restaurants, cafés) Explore expanding current Hwy. 400 / Innisfil Beach Road TODS signs to include FH Via the Village Shops of Alcona Develop a FH Innisfil Visitor Information Services strategy that considers having an Innisfil Concierge on site at FH, bi-monthly What s Happening in Innisfil orientation sessions with FH s front line retail, restaurant, service staff, electronic What s Happening in Innisfil electronic signage in FH public areas Make it easy for FH cyclists and walkers to access the retail, F&B and service businesses found in Alcona through new / expanded bike / hike path / lanes that connect to the FH trail system see Active Innisfil Trails Master Plan, June 2016 which includes proposed new trail / road routing from FH to Alcona Ensure FH s shuttle service includes Alcona and other sites and attractions on its route, as noted above Expand Innisfil transit conversations to include transportation options to and from FH to supplement the FH shuttle think about non-traditional transit solutions like 12 or 24 passenger vehicles, ride sharing services like Uber etc. Include FH day trip and VFR residents and guests in strategies; see recommendation # 5 and 6 (increase spending from VFR and day-trip markets) Incorporate Innisfil specific FH guest info on the expanded Innisfil tourism web pages; see recommendation # 9 Future FH plans include a 200-room hotel conference centre, therefore, the meetings and conference market represents opportunity; FH sales staff will no doubt sell this facility to the SMERF market (Social, Military, Education, Religious, and Fraternal groups), this sector represents some opportunity for pre/post meeting experiences that can be found in Innisfil Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 53
INNISFIL / LAKE SIMCOE WATERFRONT PROPERTY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY In 2016 the Town of Innisfil acquired a 20-acre parcel of lakefront land adjacent to the soon to be completed Friday Harbour Four Season Resort on Lake Simcoe. While at present there are no plans for the site there is an opportunity to consider utilizing this prime piece of lakefront property for a tourism-centric economic driver for the broader community. Consideration should be given to exploring the possibility of creating a vibrant four-season water based activity hub that fully utilizes its access to Lake Simcoe, capitalizes on the infrastructure and services available at FH and provides an atmosphere for learning, competition, and water-based recreation. Initial thinking suggests a core attractor like a wakeboard park could anchor the site. The Lake Simcoe Centre for Aquatic Excellence Concept Based on its waterfront location and proximity to FH this land could become a provincial hub for water sports events, training, and competitions. It could use the FH marina to house related watercraft sail boats, power boats, PWC s, canoe/kayaks, fishing boats etc. It could use the FH conference centre/hotel for water sports meetings, symposiums, AGM s etc. It could use the FH conference centre/hotel for water sport related trade/consumer shows (boats, angling, watercraft etc.) Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 54
The site could: Have a self-contained wakeboard park / training facility (*see sample image below) House the offices of the provincial water sports organizations Boating Ontario, Water Ski Wakeboard Ontario, Canoe Ontario, Ontario Sailing Association, Row Ontario etc. Have training facilities for all of the above water sports Host events and competitions in partnership with FH Have an angling connection training facility, tournament headquarters Have a retail component sales offices / display centre for water sports related equipment and gear Have staging areas for competitions and events All these activities would clearly position Innisfil as Ontario s water sports capital. In addition, it would deliver significant economic impact to the community through activities and events that attract out of town visitors and guests. *McCormick s Wakeboard Park, Florida Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 55
SPORT TOURISM Sports tourism is defined by the Canadian Sports Tourism Alliance as Any activity in which people are attracted to a particular location as a sports event participant, an event spectator, or to attend sports attractions or business meetings. According to Statistics Canada, sports tourism is a $5.2 billion per year industry in Canada and is growing as a share of the tourism economy. As sports tourism tends to be resistant to economic or other world events, it is a sustainable way for host destinations to generate economic, social and environmental impacts. THE CURRENT SITUATION In Innisfil, there is a sufficient inventory of event-ready sports venues that have been developed for recreational programming amongst residents. These facilities can serve as host venues for the attraction and staging of sports events and specifically, Innisfil has the required assets to attract and host field sports, gym sports, arena and ice sports and several specialty sports that utilize specific facilities. This asset mix can also be augmented by other entertainment facilities within the region and with horse racing and auto racing assets that can support sports tourism. While the facilities exist to capitalize on the opportunity represented by sports tourism, the sport specific and technical capabilities may not be readily available. It is also unclear as to the community readiness to engage in the hosting of sports events and serve as ambassadors for visiting participants and spectators and leverage hosted events for maximal return. Given the limited accommodation in Innisfil, there is a need and opportunity to work proactively with accommodations partners in surrounding communities (Barrie, Simcoe County) to ensure that this critical requirement of attracting and hosting successful events can be managed effectively. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 56
Table 22 outlines the readiness of Innisfil specific to venues, sport and technical leadership and volunteer or community readiness. Table 22: Innisfil's Sports Tourism Readiness* *Legend: = meets criteria x = does not meet criteria? = unknown, further investigation required SHORT-TERM WINS Based on the assessment performed the following opportunities have been identified for sports tourism in the Town of Innisfil: Utilize existing mix of event-ready sports infrastructure that has the capacity to serve as host competition and training venues; Align the sport tourism assets with the other entertainment offerings in the community, specifically Friday Harbour, Georgian Downs and Sunset Speedway; Engage the existing sports organizations in the town to grow the sport and technical capacity to host new events, and; Develop outside the box training camp and competition offerings for sports and teams that may be seeking a unique setting that is off the beaten track. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 57
Additionally, it is recommended that the following other opportunities be examined to determine how they can be leveraged: Given its ideal location and mix of amenities, Innisfil could serve as a four-season destination for sports tourism as it is within proximity to the Greater Toronto Area and Central and Southern Ontario communities; While there is existing infrastructure to serve as host venues for sport tourism events, expectations of regular local users must be managed proactively so that dislocation does not become a negative that detracts from the benefits of sports tourism; Based on the successful staging of the shooting competition at the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, the potential to serve as a site for high-performance shooting training should be explored, and; Through attraction and hosting of successful sport tourism events, Innisfil s success stories should be told to engage residents and positively influence their pride of place and create positive perceptions to future competitors and spectators. THE PATH FORWARD While there is an opportunity to develop new sports tourism connected businesses, experiences, and products that can serve to engage new audiences and provide an additional platform for the promotion of Innisfil as a travel destination, a measured approach is recommended and must include a degree of engagement with local stakeholders. There are existing sport tourism events as well as annual festivals and events that are part of the community fabric. To ensure that existing events are strengthened and able to align their activities and outcomes with any venture into the sports tourism segment; an emphasis should be placed on engaging operators of existing events to enable all to benefit from this renewed approach. When embarking upon a sports tourism mandate, an event-based approach to community development can yield the greatest returns while not expecting too much too soon. This approach has three phases as shown in figure 9. Figure 9: Sports Tourism Development Phases Host Successful Events Leverage Events for Brand and Economic Impacts Integrate Events in Community and Maximize Return Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 58
Lead Group Community groups, local business and facility operators need a lead group or agency to identify, develop, execute and measure the performance of sports tourism. Given the makeup of the various groups that has an interest in sports tourism, the Town of Innisfil is the most logical organization to lead this effort in the near and mid-term. Areas of Emphasis The recommended segmentation of sport tourism events is in the following three categories: Existing sport tourism events New sport tourism events that are or will become open for bid Unique sport tourism events Outcome Based Sports Tourism The primary measure of performance for Innisfil will not be hotel room nights sold, therefore having a clear and transparent set of outcomes will help to inform decisions about which events Innisfil can pursue or develop and how the performance of those events can be effectively and transparently measured. Measures or impacts can include: Economic economic impact, growth of GDP, number of business supported and the incremental amount of jobs and municipal taxes that are created Tourism number of same-day visitors, average spend, spending by sector Brand Unpaid media value, number of impressions and return on investment Social Number of volunteers, market value of their contribution (hours worked) and indexes for pride of place / quality of life Culture The showcasing of local entertainment and support of local culinary or dining experiences Potential Differentiators Given both the topographic and demographic makeup of Innisfil and surrounding areas, there may be an opportunity to develop and stage some unique and, or created events such as: Bubble Soccer Geo-Caching Mudder and similar experiential events Urban Chase events Canoe-Kayak Ultimate Frisbee Water-based events Sports Meetings and Conferences With the Kempenfelt Centre and other facilities in the Innisfil area (i.e. soon to be Friday Harbour conference facilities), the opportunities around sports meetings, conferences, and professional development clinics should be examined as a potential driver of new business and visitors to the area. Photo Source: Innisfil Recreation Complex, www.placesofinnisfil.ca Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 59
UNIQUE TOURISM THEMES / CLUSTERS IDENTIFIED FOR INNISFIL Through the TDMP process three unique themes were identified that differentiate Innisfil from other destinations: Friday Harbour All Seasons Resort Fast-Paced Entertainment (motorsports, harness racing, gaming, unique sports events) Rural Retail & Arts (agri-tourism, antiques, hands-on experiences, unique/specialty shopping, artists, galleries, studio tours) These assets have the potential to attract tourism when fully developed and have appeal for specific ideal guests market segments since they: Have the greatest potential to engage specific visitors emotionally; Generate a higher return on investment (ROI operator) and experience (ROE visitor); Offer experiences that are unique only found in Innisfil Are, or are close to / could be tourism market ready Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 60
INNISFIL S IDEAL GUESTS The desire of most destinations and operators is to understand their ideal guest. Being able to accurately identify customers who, when prompted and motivated, will positively respond to the invitation to come and visit is the ultimate goal of tourism developers and / or marketers. Understanding the ideal guest within the context of Innisfil s current tourism assets is critical in terms of positively impacting the goals of increasing tourism visitation and revenues. The reality for Innisfil is that there is a lack of roofed overnight accommodations, therefore, attempting to attract overnight guests using a traditional tourism model is not feasible. However, we know at present Innisfil is seeing a high volume (3.7 million to Simcoe County in 2012) of visiting friends and relatives (VFR). These VFR customers are already coming to the area and therefore offer potential to be a tangible tourism growth market for tourism operators. Encouraging them to come more frequently, stay longer and spend more is the immediate opportunity. Day-trippers are also another high-volume market for Innisfil but are currently spending below the provincial average when they in the Innisfil area (Simcoe County figures show $77 per person day vs. $83 average in the province) For these reasons, Innisfil s ideal guests for a tourist related experience are residents who host VFR and day trippers. For the sports tourism audience, those event organizers and sports bodies that align with Innisfil sports tourism infrastructure represent the logical target audience. Strategies to attract the attention of these entities are discussed later in the report. Local Residents / Empty Nesters who host VFR Day Trippers Sport Tourism Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 61
VFR Empty Nesters and Day Trippers Empty Nester (VFR) and Day-trippers are broad tourism markets. To effectively identify the visitors who would be most likely to be interested in Innisfil s unique tourism products/experiences, we use valuable information available to Ontario s tourism industry. The Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC) undertook a comprehensive visitor segmentation study in 2012 18, in partnership with the provinces 13 travel regions/rtos. The study identified 12 traveller types or segments based on the travel motivations and behaviours of domestic and U.S.-based travellers within an Ontario destination context (Figure10). This work was done to help inform each RTO s decisions related to their tourism destination management process, including product/experience development and marketing. This information can also be a valuable tool for destinations and operators within a particular region and we have, therefore, utilized the province-wide segmentation study to help identify Innisfil s ideal guests. Figure 10: Ontario's Market Segments A thorough analysis of the visitor profiles for RTO7 was a key element in Innisfil s strategy development process undertaken by the consultants. This assessment and application to Innisfil s tourism assets resulted in the identification of Connected Explorers as the primary traveller type or ideal guest to Innisfil: 18 TNS. Consumer Insight Research Segmentation Overview. (2012). The research was conducted across Ontario, the main Quebec and Manitoba markets, as well as U.S. near and mid-markets. Conducted from April -June, 2012, primarily a mail survey of a representative cross-section of individuals 18 years or over was used, yielding 50,322 travelers, defined as individuals who took any out-of-town trips of one or more nights away from home for pleasure in the last 12 months. http://www.tourismpartners.com/publications/research/reas_segrpts_consumerinsightresearchsegmentationoverview.pdf Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 62
Innisfil s Ideal Guest Connected Explorers Connected Explorers are couples 35-54 both with and without children. They are a confident, youthful, optimistic group. They have a deep-seated need to travel and expose themselves to many new experiences. Travel for them is about expanding their horizons, and they are looking for a fully packed schedule of activities. Travel behaviours/values: Connected Explorers rank well above average for almost all activities (museums, galleries, shopping, parks, landmarks, culinary, spa, beach). Connected Explorers want to do what the locals do. 68% are completely open to diverse cultures (compared to a 46% average); 60% believe travel is a break to escape from the every day (compared to 40% average) Connected Explorers media use and booking habits: Technology is a key part of travel. They use it at all phases of a trip including researching, booking, planning and especially when sharing their travel experiences once back home Trip planning sources include brochures, travel books, magazine travel articles, travel TV shows, accommodation websites, online travel agencies Active newspaper and magazine readers when it comes to travel (especially online) Heavy online media users across all types of sites 90% share their travel stories on social networks 80% use smartphones and tablets when travelling Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 63
Sport Tourism The sports tourism market segment is a unique one in that each sport has its own stand-alone market segment. Based on this, and the shift toward a more outcome-based approach to sports tourism. By determining the specific and desired outcomes within the sports tourism segment, these outcomes can help to inform the decisions about which types of events to develop and which specific events to bid for. In recent years, sports tourism has evolved in several key areas: Female based sports events at the youth level tend to skew to a larger average party size as the entire family unit tends to travel with their daughters to sport events. Masters level sports are emerging as a key segment. Masters are very active and social and are seeking new experiences. With available disposable income, they are seeking high-quality experiences and tend to come early and take day trips to engage in new experiences. Young professionals seek unique sporting experiences (i.e. Mudder and Bubble soccer type events) that may not necessarily require overnight stays but can include the dining and retail that is reflected in the day-tripper segment. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 64
SUSTAINABILITY GROWING TOURISM INTO THE FUTURE There are several factors to consider for Innisfil s long-term tourism industry sustainability. It is critical that Innisfil is able to thrive into the future by having in place plans and programs that contribute to the destination s long-term success. Discussions with tourism stakeholders and Town of Innisfil staff have revealed the following: Labour Labour issues will be a challenge in Ontario in many sectors in the coming years and the tourism industry will be faced with the challenge of finding the right people with the right skills. Human resources conversations acknowledge that area businesses are already facing the dilemma of finding enough workers to meet the demands. Given the hire-up required for FH, this could be a real challenge. It is important the Municipality work closely with the County of Simcoe and the Simcoe Muskoka Workforce Development Board to share information so that they can continue to understand and develop initiatives that can retain and attract workers who will allow Innisfil tourism businesses to remain competitive. In terms of addressing labour challenges, consideration should be given to working more closely with Georgian College and the faculty and students of the various hospitality-related programs. We have a workforce of graduating students on our doorstep who could be working in our tourism related businesses. In addition, the college's management of the Kempenfelt Conference Centre could also be of importance as they offer accommodation and conference facilities to groups that are serviced by students who are enrolled in hospitality-related programs. This local on-the-job training is unique and could be a pipeline for ongoing hospitality talent. The Town should explore how a potential partnership, perhaps one that includes senior management from Friday Harbour, could serve to provide trained workers to fill the labour needs of those businesses that have a desire to grow tourism in the community. Infrastructure There are several infrastructure requirements that are important to the success of the tourism industry. The following is a snapshot of Innisfil s infrastructure: Innisfil boasts new, well-equipped sports and recreation facilities; The Municipality has made substantial investments in the beautification of Alcona and the Innisfil beach and waterfront area; Similar beautification programs should be considered for other communities within the Municipality; Getting to and travelling around the Innisfil area typically relies on visitors having their own vehicle. The most popular access from the GTA is via highway 400. This route reaches high capacity and does have access challenges at peak times during the year due to its route from the GTA through Barrie and north to cottage country. There are, however, additional highways that provide visitors with alternative routes, especially with the 404 extension to Aurora and the ability for visitors to travel cross-country and link up to Innisfil via Yonge Street on the East side of the Municipality. Access from the west is possible using highway 27 and linking to highway 89; Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 65
GoTrain from Union Station to South Barrie (Yonge and Mapleview), currently this service is offered Monday through Friday year- round and weekends from late June to early September. A new GO station is proposed for Innisfil in the near future and expanded service is planned from 70 weekly trips from Toronto to Barrie to over 200 weekly trips in the next five years; As Friday Harbour and new Innisfil Go service comes on stream residents of FH may choose to travel by Go train as opposed to their own vehicle, therefore, shuttle service to and from the Go station to FH will be required. In addition, shuttle service could be of value to FH residents who want to visit Georgian Downs/OLG and Alcona and other sights; Innisfil has made substantial investments in gateway and wayfinding signage throughout the Municipality. This program has been an excellent addition to the tourism infrastructure; The Kempenfelt Centre has potential to positively impact future overnight visitation if property upgrades are made by Georgian College or a potential partnership group that includes the Town of Innisfil; Friday Harbour Four Season Resort offers significant future potential to grow tourism, its inclusion of a 200-room hotel along with availability of short-term condo rentals will positively impact overnight visitation to the community, and; The 20-acre parcel of lakefront land owned by the municipality and adjacent to FH represents an opportunity for tourism related development by the Town and other partners. Natural Resources The significance of Lake Simcoe to Innisfil is a key consideration for the future Innisfil in terms of its health and long-term sustainability as a recreational asset. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) evaluates the health of Lake Simcoe. It is important for the Municipality to ensure on-going communication with the MNR to ensure they are aware of any issues or concerns related to water quality and overuse. Destination-wide Collaboration There are a limited number of tourism-specific operators within Innisfil and therefore efforts to collaborate have been minimal. Among those who were connected to the TDMP process all seemed willing to work together to grow tourism within Innisfil. As the Town rolls out the TDMP it will be important to engage as many stakeholders who are directly or indirectly impacted by collaborative tourism development. Strategic Alignment with All Levels of Government Cooperation from and alignment with Tourism Simcoe County and RTO7 is an imperative. This TDMP is designed to be driven by the Town of Innisfil and its staff. However, working in partnership with Simcoe County and RTO7 will enhance the Town s ability to implement the plans and strategies recommended in the plan. There is a willingness at the County level to engage in this process. At a regional level RTO7 is also prepared to be of assistance to the Town and its operators demonstrate a cohesive approach to tourism development. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 66
INNISFIL TDMP FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS RECOMMENDATION CONTEXT Several factors impacted the development of the specific TDMP recommendations. These factors were identified and validated throughout the TDMP consultation process with the Working Group. There are several considerations to a holistic approach to tourism destination management within an Innisfil context. They included: The need for municipal leadership, working in partnership with industry to drive tourism growth; Recognition there is a desire to grow tourism among a limited number of tourism stakeholders; Rallying operators around a unified approach, one that requires collaboration will be fundamental; The realities of the soon-to-be-completed Friday Harbour and all it will bring to the area; A review of municipal staff resources and budget aligned with the recommendations contained in the TDMP is needed; In the short-term, tourism destination development is primary, while marketing and sales are secondary; Key performance metrics must be established and monitored, and; An enhanced collaboration with Tourism Simcoe County and RTO7 is a cornerstone for success. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - MUNICIPALITY LED WITH INVOLVEMENT OF INDUSTRY LEADERS The TDMP recommendations are the result of a municipally led tourism development process with industry involvement coming from the Working Group. By listening to municipal staff and industry stakeholders, the consultants were able to apply their expertise and experience in tourism destination management to create Innisfil s plan on behalf of tourism stakeholders and the Town. Implementation of the plan is the responsibility of all who will benefit from increased levels of tourism visitation and revenue. Organizations will lead, partner and/or support depending on the action. Leader: The leadership role requires the organization to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the action. Partnership: Partnerships are relationships that involve the sharing of work, support and/or information with others, to achieve common goals or mutual benefits. Supporter: A supporter can assist leaders and partners by providing resources (human, financial or in-kind), expertise or capabilities to achieve the desired action. Participant: A participant takes part in an action, such as a tourism owner/operator attending a training session. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 67
The role of the Municipality: With the TDMP plan complete and a course of action charted, implementation will be a shared responsibility of the Municipality and the tourism industry. The Municipality must, however, take the lead role in facilitating the implementation of the TDMP and draw in its industry partners throughout all phases of implementation. Leadership role: Approving, facilitating, tracking and reporting on the progress of the implementation of the TDMP; Leadership role: Assigning appropriate municipal resources to undertake implementation of the TDMP; Leadership role: Rallying the industry and public behind understanding the value of tourism and the need for a tourism development plan; Leadership role: Engaging industry and providing direction and assistance to help them become viable and appealing tourism demand generators; Participation role: Enhancing relationships with tourism organizations (TSC, RTO7, Tourism Barrie etc.) in order to align Innisfil activity (where appropriate) with the development and promotional efforts of these entities; The role of the tourism industry: To be successful, those in the tourism industry for and not-for-profit owners and operators, are responsible for understanding Innisfil s TDMP, demonstrating a willingness to work in partnership with the Municipality to develop and deliver compelling and appealing tourism products, experiences and services. It will be essential for industry stakeholders to engage in the TDMP implementation steps if Innisfil is to get to the next level of competitiveness and appeal. Leadership role: Developing the products, services, activities and experiences consistent with the recommendations contained in the TDMP to attract and welcome more visitors to Innisfil; Participation role: Engaging in industry training and community tourism development; Partnership role: Promoting the destination through collaborative marketing initiatives, and; Supportive role: Measuring and reporting on results and contributing to destination research. The role of Sports Organizations: To be successful in the sports tourism space, local sports organizations, sports franchises, and community organizations will be a key component to Innisfil s success. These groups often have the relationships within their sport at the provincial and national level to help in the identification of opportunities and to help ensure financial and operational success. The sports community in Innisfil can leverage the equity that they have within their respective sports and leagues by: Being an advocate for their sport and sports tourism; Provide background detail on researching and prospecting sport tourism events; Help to establish partnerships within the sport and its technical and officiating fields; Engage local volunteers that have sport specific knowledge; Provide advice and leadership on technical specifications for facilities within their sport; Provide technical direction to bid development; Support the operational planning; Leverage the hosting of events to grow sport participation; Identify opportunities for planned legacy within the sport. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 68
Innisfil s Tourism Working Group The ad-hoc group of industry stakeholders came together to represent the industry during the development of the TDMP. The TWG, or a form of it, should continue to support the implementation of the Innisfil TDMP by taking a: Partnership role: Monitoring progress of the implementation of the TDMP with the Town of Innisfil s staff; Participation role: Supporting by example participation in industry training and community tourism development; Partnership role: Promoting the role of tourism and engaging fellow stakeholders, Support Role: Serving as a voice for tourism at the municipal level; Simcoe County Tourism Tourism Simcoe County has the goal of supporting the tourism industry within the County and to positively impact tourism visitation and revenues. As a lower tier Municipality within Simcoe County, Innisfil has an opportunity to ensure that it benefits from the tourism activities that are taking place on a countywide basis. This will allow Innisfil to leverage those programs for the benefit of Innisfil s tourism businesses. Open two-way communication between Innisfil and Tourism Simcoe County has already begun, enhancing this relationship will ensure that tourism operators in Innisfil can take part in destination development and marketing initiatives that feed into the goals at both Innisfil and the County. It is the role of the Town to ensure that the County is aware of the tourism assets and unique themes that Innisfil should offer. Leadership role: Fostering collaboration with Innisfil and RTO7; Partnership role: Providing guidance and strategic input to tourism development and investment attraction; Partnership role: Providing partnership funding for County aligned tourism development and promotion; Partnership role: Delivering industry training and workforce development, and; Partnership role: Taking developed Innisfil experiences to market, through TSC specific communication strategies. BruceGreySimcoe (RTO7) The regional tourism organization has the mandate to build and support a competitive tourism region through industry engagement, workforce development, product development and marketing in collaboration with tourism organizations and municipalities. BruceGreySimcoe can support the Innisfil TDMP by taking a: Partnership role: Encouraging and assisting Town staff, where feasible in the implementation of the Innisfil TDMP; Partnership role: Assist in taking developed experiences to market through RTO7 specific communication strategies and channels; Partnership role: Providing access to provincial / regional research, and; Partnership role: Industry training and workforce development. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 69
A FOCUSED, PRIORITIZED APPROACH As an emerging tourism destination, Innisfil has an opportunity to embark on its tourism destination management process starting with a blank slate. This is a consistent approach with other aspects of the municipalities planning and development strategies. Therefore, the recommendations contained in this plan call for the Municipality and it tourism stakeholders to take a disciplined approach, one that is focused and calls for a series of prioritized tactics implemented over time. In following this approach Innisfil increases it chances to become a viable and sustainable tourism destination that leverages its unique attributes to growing tourism visitation and revenues. Recommendations pertain to increasing tourism holistically and / or by specific market segment (leisure travel = tourists or sports tourism = events/tournaments). The recommendations are grounded in three primary areas of focus (shown in Figure 11 on page 60): Focused Collaboration Strategic Tourism Development Creating Awareness With each of the areas of focus the planning assumption is that not all actions can happen at once. Generally speaking, collaboration and development occurs prior to promotion/awareness. The recommendations have been developed for the following timelines: Immediate-term (2016/2017) Mid-term (2017/ 2018) Long-term (2018 +) How recommendations are presented: A Key Finding is written as a statement of fact designed to capture the essence of an important discovery. Based on the analysis of quantitative information each key finding statement is followed by a summary description of the finding, then specific recommendations to address the finding. Each Recommendation is outlined in a series of actions with appropriate performance metrics, timing and suggested roles and responsibilities. Role / Responsibility is designated using the following acronyms: TOI = Town of Innisfil, TSC = Tourism Simcoe County, RTO7 (Regional Tourism Organization 7) A Summary of the recommendations, actions, performance metrics and timing are included in Appendix B. Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 70
Figure 11: Innisfil's Recommended TDMP Approach Snapshot Friday Harbour Resort Town of Innisfil Tourism Destination Management Plan - 2016 71