Tourism

We cannot keep working as splintered groups running to the provincial government looking for dollars. The City needs to do a better job, as does the groups such as Downtown Summerside, The Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Summerside, of working together to develop a comprehensive tourism strategy. What is Summerside Area’s position in regards to Tourism? What is the desired position? The path to reach this desired position is set out with the development of a tourism strategy. A sound strategy can only be developed with the aid of proper research. It must have involvement of all major stakeholders, and the definition of clear goals. The ultimate strategy leads to an improved business model and sustainable destination development.

Summerside needs 'common vision' for tourism
CBC News
Posted: May 17, 2011 7:42 AM AT
Last Updated: May 17, 2011 7:42 AM AT
Organizations with an interest in attracting tourist to Summerside, P.E.I. need to find better ways of working together, says Coun. Cory Thomas.
'Who is promoting Summerside as a tourism destination? I couldn't tell you.'— Coun. Cory Thomas
Thomas says there are about half a dozen different organizations that focus on bringing in tourists — the city community services department, culture and heritage, Tourism Summerside, downtown business association, the chamber of commerce, Summerside Regional Development Corporation, the College of Piping, Harbourfront Theatre — but all those efforts are diffused because they are not working together effectively.
"Who is promoting Summerside as a tourism destination? I couldn't tell you and I've been on council for five years," Thomas told CBC News Monday.
Thomas wants city hall to take the lead in bringing these groups together. He raised the idea of cooperation at Monday night's monthly public meeting of city council.
He is not promoting the idea of a merger, but said working together could be helpful in many ways, including when going to the province for money.
"I'm sure this would be music to the provincial government's ears to hear that all the groups are going to work together in Summerside and come up with a detailed tourism strategy where we're going to work together with a common vision," he said.
Old rivalries have likely prevented the groups from working together in the past, he said, but it's time to bury those grudges. People need to look at the big picture and realize they all have a common goal of bringing more tourists to Summerside.