Cautiously optimistic. It’s those words city councillor Jason Ryll uses to describe the hopes of tourism operators in the area leading into the start of the season.
Last year’s season was devastating for local tourism operators. The wildfires, coupled with the road closures that blocked access to much of the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, resulted in a loss of $55 million for tourism-related business, according to a wildfire impact report published by the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association (CCCTA).
“We definitely took a hit last year,” said Ryll, who is city council’s liaison to the CCCTA.
While many resorts and operators made it through the wildfires unscathed, he said it was highway closures that did the real damage in many circumstances.
“Some operators are struggling because last year was such a huge financial hit and others are doing what they can to keep the doors open and lights on,” he said.
Still, he’s got high hopes for 2018.
Tourism in the province saw an increase in 2017, and Ryll said 2018 is expected to be another strong year, something the CCCTA is hoping to capitalize on through a variety of new marketing campaigns. The first of which, “It’s your backyard – come out and play,” is live now and funded through $200,000 the province promised the region in tourism dollars following last year’s wildfires.
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Another “arrow in the quiver” adds Ryll, is the new Municipal and Regional District Tax, commonly known as the hotel tax.
The three per cent tax on accommodations in the area will bring the CCCTA in line with what other areas of the province already have, he said, and will provide a much needed boost in new marketing money.
The re-introduction of the direct sailing ferry between Bella Coola and Port Hardy is also highly anticipated, Ryll said.
“We have high hopes, high expectation and from all indications I am hearing now it is looking like those expectations are going to come to fruition,” he said, adding that he understands many of the first sailing are already sold out.
Many operators are taking what he calls a “pragmatic approach” - the challenge lies in the unknown.
“From my opinion what we can look forward to in our region is the curiosity that people are going to have on what our region looks like now,” he said, adding that while wildfire tourism isn’t a real established thing, there may be people who are curious about the region now.
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Add to that the many people who come to the region for wildfire-related work, plus the worldwide attention that stemmed from the wildfires and subsequent recovery efforts, Ryll said there are plenty of opportunities in the coming season.
The 2018 Rural Tourism Summit to be held in the lakecity in April is set to discuss many of these issues.
While he said the lost income from last year may be impossible to make up — tourism operators’ options are looking into the various relief opportunities available, such as the Red Cross — he hopes the updated marketing will bring new people to the region.
“I think I am eternally optimistic. I think people are going to want to come back to do their own exploration in the great outdoors.”
