Town hosting tourism master plan open house in September

NEWS RELEASE

TOWN OF COLLINGWOOD

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We welcome your participation in the development of the Town of Collingwood’s tourism master plan.

The town will be hosting a tourism master plan open house from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, on the third floor of the Collingwood Public Library, located at 55 Ste Marie St., Collingwood. During this time the team at Bannikin, who is facilitating the tourism master plan development process, will be sharing highlights from the research as well as the draft strategy framework. There will also be an opportunity to provide input on possible resources for implementation of the plan.

The open house drop-in format offers flexibility for participants to pass through the library whenever it is convenient for you during the event, to learn more about the project and share your feedback. We look forward to seeing you there.

The draft strategy framework is available online at engage.collingwood.ca/tourism-master-plan. If you are not able to join us for the open house, please send your feedback on the draft strategy framework to [email protected] by Sept. 12, 2024.

Background

Collingwood has a long history as a tourist destination as it boasts a beautiful natural environment, highlighted by its waterfront on Georgian Bay and historical downtown — a destination for tourists and seasonal residents across Ontario.

Tourism is important for the local economy. That is why the Town of Collingwood engaged Bannikin to facilitate the development of an evidence-based and actionable tourism master plan. The plan will provide recommendations about how the town can best support the tourism industry to ensure that Collingwood is developed sustainably, enhancing the experience of both visitors and residents, creating jobs, and increasing local revenue.

This project focuses on the Town of Collingwood while taking the regional, provincial, and national context into consideration, including alignment with other relevant initiatives and work.

The Town of Collingwood’s tourism master plan will identify the roles and responsibilities of the municipality and its partners for local tourism delivery that supports a vision that aligns with the goals and objectives of all the organizations and businesses that contribute to the tourism sector.

Consultation has taken place with local businesses, residents, municipal staff, and representatives of tourism industry organizations through different consultation activities, including an industry and resident survey, key informant interviews, industry table talks, and community focus groups. These insights will help to co-create a vision for tourism in the Town of Collingwood that resonates with the community and will include strategies and related actions that are achievable by the Town of Collingwood within a three- to five-year timeframe. The Town of Collingwood’s tourism master plan will also align with the objectives outlined in the town’s economic development action plan and support the town’s community-based strategic plan, contributing to the continued growth of the local economy.

This project began in mid-February 2024 and is set to conclude by mid-October 2024. There are six phases in the project: project initiation, management, and communications; research and consultation planning; secondary research; stakeholder and community consultation; strategy development and draft presentation; and strategy development and final presentation.

Our goal

By October 2024, the Town of Collingwood will have an evidence-based and actionable tourism master plan to guide its work over the next three to five years.

Our objectives

• To gather insights, input, and feedback from stakeholders in the destination
• To co-create a vision for tourism in the Town of Collingwood that resonates with its stakeholders
• To clarify and confirm the Town of Collingwood’s destination management role and responsibilities
• To develop strategies and related actions that are achievable by the Town of Collingwood within a three- to five-year timeframe
• To consider alignments between the tourism master plan and other relevant work

For more information, please visit engage.collingwood.ca/tourism-master-plan.

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