tourism planning workshop report hornby and · pdf file30/04/2012 · tourism...

T O U R I S M P L A N N I N G

W O R K S H O P R E P O R T

H O R N B Y A N D D E N M A N

I S L A N D S

T O U R I S M A C T I O N P L A N

March 30, 2012

Tourism BC Representatives: Laura Plant

(604) 660-3754 [email protected]

Jody Young & Dave Petryk Tourism Vancouver Island

(250) 740-1224 [email protected]

Tourism BC Facilitator:

Denise Hayes (604) 709-3533

[email protected]

Tourism British Columbia Hornby and Denman Islands Workshop Report

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction and Methodology ....................................................................................................... 2 Current Situation ............................................................................................................................. 4

Key Travel Trends ...................................................................................................................... 4 BC Tourism Trends ..................................................................................................................... 5 Tourism Trends on Vancouver Island ......................................................................................... 8 Tourism on Hornby & Denman Islands .................................................................................... 13

Hornby and Denman Islands Tourism Vision .............................................................................. 18 Action Steps .................................................................................................................................. 19 Appendix: Notes from One-Day Workshop March 30, 2012 ...................................................... 27

Notice to Reader

This Hornby and Denman Island Action Plan (‘Action Plan’) has been prepared under the guidance of representatives of the tourism community on Denman and Hornby Islands. As such, the Action Plan in its entirety should be viewed as recommendations and an overview of items discussed. While the content of the Action Plan comes from workshop discussions, this does not suggest agreement or commitment from the various organizations associated with the workshop participants. Each organization that is identified in this Action Plan will still need to review the plan and determine which parts, if any, require revisions and follow-up with fellow tourism community members.


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INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY Tourism BC, part of the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation, offers the Community Tourism Foundations (CTF) program to provide resources to communities to assist in tourism planning, with the overall objective of strengthening the tourism industry and increasing tourism’s value to the overall economy. The Hornby and Denman Islands Tourism Action Plan summarizes the results of a one-day workshop involving tourism stakeholders from the community. It presents an overview of the destination, a vision for tourism, opportunities, challenges, and key initiatives that could be implemented over the next two years. The Hornby and Denman Islands Tourism Action Plan is based on information provided by the community in the Expression of Interest, existing plans and research reports provided by the community, and input from stakeholders during the one-day workshop in addition to supplemental research and analysis conducted by the facilitator. The one-day CTF workshops are designed for communities that are at a relatively early stage in their tourism development. The workshop provides stakeholders with an opportunity to help shape the future direction of their destination, focusing on initiatives that can be implemented within a short time period. The Hornby and Denman Islands one-day workshop was held on March 30, 2012. The agenda included:

Overview presentation of the Tourism British Columbia Community Tourism Foundations program and a review of opportunities to work with Tourism Vancouver Island

Discussion of current status of Tourism in Denman/Hornby Tourism trends and visitor characteristics Current tourism organizations and initiatives Financing of tourism Tourism related planning Research and evaluation Key destination attributes – transportation, accommodation, retail, food and

beverage, attractions Community attitudes toward tourism

Discussion of collective vision for Hornby & Denman Islands Identification of Hornby and Denman Islands strengths, weaknesses and opportunities Identification of priority tourism initiatives over the next one to two years.

This Tourism Action Plan for Hornby and Denman Islands outlines some initial next steps to enable the communities to move forward with tourism and should be considered as a starting point. Workshop Participants The following community tourism stakeholders attended the workshop. Jody Young and Dave Petryk represented Tourism Vancouver Island and Tourism BC, and Denise Hayes facilitated the workshop on behalf of Tourism BC.


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Community Representatives Fireweed Graphic Design Andrew Fyson Photography Gallery Margie Gang Hornby Denman Tourist Services Julie Geremia Blue Owl B&B Ralph McCuaig HD Tourist Service Society Melodie Denman Paddling Mike Nestor Enviro Mike Sheldon Rempel Denman Island Guest House & Hostel Veronica Timmons Growers and Producers Alliance Alan Treen Heron Point B&B Bryan Treen President, Arts Denman Linda Nessel-Treen Heron Point B&B Alex Allen Hornby Island Co-op Jake Berman hornbyisland.com Jim Crawford Community member Helene Creugher Cardboard House Bakery Joyce Hookings Tribune Bay B&B Jan Kennedy Jan's Cafe Tony Law Hornby Island Trustee Charmaine Logan Hornby Festival Frances Millan Wind & Waves Vacation Homes Joanne Ovitsland HICEEC Shala Sherafat Hornby Island Tea Garden Jay Sherafat HICEEC Board Donna Tuele Coast Realty Group Ltd. Bonita Wexler Hornby Recreation Coordinator


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CURRENT SITUATION This section provides an overview of key travel trends, tourism to BC, tourism to Vancouver Island, and tourism to Hornby and Denman Islands (where information was available). It includes supplemental research information provided by the facilitator, information supplied by the communities prior to the workshop, and the beliefs of the workshop participants based on their own experience. Throughout this section the source of information is identified. Research on various aspects of the tourism industry is conducted by the Research, Planning and Evaluation team of Tourism British Columbia, providing industry partners with information to enhance the effectiveness of future marketing and development projects. To access this information, visit http://www.jti.gov.bc.ca/research/. Key Travel Trends1 Baby Boomers are Largest Demographic Group among Travellers Baby boomers (born 1946 to 1964 US, and 1947 to 1966 Canada) are expected to continue to be the single largest demographic group among Canadian and American travellers while the baby bust or Generation X (born 1965 to 1980) is the second largest group, although the baby bust/Generation X group has been growing faster.2 Those older than the baby boomers continue to be a significant group of travellers but the numbers are stagnant. Tourism growth is expected to continue to be driven by the baby boomers and the baby bust/Generation X groups. Activity Trends among Canadians and Americans With the aging of the Canadian and American populations, activities that are physically demanding, such as outdoor adventure (summer and winter) or alpine skiing are expected to grow at lower rates than the population of travellers as a whole.3 Activities that require low levels of physical activity, such as wine/culinary and cultural activities, are expected to increase at higher rates than the population of travellers. Mode of Transportation Travel by automobile made up 92% of all domestic trips taken by Canadians in 2003 compared to 4% by air, 3% by bus, 1% by train, and 0.3% by boat.4 Tourism Facts by Travel Segment International visitors, especially those from Europe and Asia, tend to stay longer and spend more. Frequent travellers are higher income, higher education, older, and less likely to have children in their

households. Families with children tend to travel during school holidays. Adults without children travel throughout the year. Most trips made by Canadians are made in their province of residence.

1 Information in this section is from Provincial Situation Analysis, Tourism British Columbia, October 2009, www.jti.gov.bc.ca/industryresources/Documents/planningresources/Provincial_Situation_Analysis.pdf. 2 TIA Travel Outlook Conference 2005 – U.S. Leisure Travel Trends presentation, D.K. Shifflet & Associates, Ltd., 2005. 3 Opportunities for British Columbia: Activity-Based Tourists in Canada, prepared by Research Resolutions & Consulting Ltd. for Tourism British Columbia, August 2004, a special analysis of the Travel Activities and Motivation Survey (TAMS) conducted from September 1999 and April 2000. 4 Canadian Travel Survey – Domestic Travel 2003, Statistics Canada, Catalogue 87-212-X1E, 2005.


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Internet and Other Digital Usage Important in Travel Planning Over the last 10 years the Internet has created new and important communication and distribution

channels (websites, blogs, podcasts, user generated content, social media, etc.) for the tourism industry.

The Internet is used by many travellers for trip planning. Destination websites are an important source of information for trip planning. The Internet is used by most travellers to book at least some accommodation and flights for a trip;

most do not book tickets for events, attractions or activities online. It is important for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) to provide information on events,

attractions and activities, but less important to provide online booking capability for these. The Internet is an important, but not the only, source of information used by visitors for pre-trip

planning. DMOs need to ensure that detailed content about the destination is available online, but should not abandon other communication channels. Online information should be detailed, frequently updated, and needs to be seen as reliable.

BC Tourism Trends Tourism to British Columbia has experienced steady growth but with fluctuations starting in 2001 due to world events and decline in 2009 due to the economic downturn. BC Tourism revenue for 2010 is estimated at $13.4 billion (an increase of 6.2% vs. 2009). While tourism revenue has been growing in BC, the rate of growth fluctuates as a result of significant factors (primarily external factors) including:

a sharp decline in the growth rate following September 11, 2001; a decline in the growth rate in 2003 as a result of Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome

(SARS); and, a sharp decline in the growth rate starting in 2007 as a result of global economic

pressures.

These fluctuations emphasize how vulnerable tourism performance is to a range of external factors.


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BC Overall Tourism Revenue and Year-Over-Year Change (2000-2009)

Source: The Value of Tourism in British Columbia, 2010, Tourism British Columbia5

BC residents comprise more than half of the overnight visits in BC and are the largest market. Other Canada makes up 18% of visits. The US generated 19% of visitor volume, followed by Asia/Pacific (5%) and Europe (4%). British Columbia and Other Canada generated 57% of visitor revenue. The US generated 20% of visitor revenue, followed by Asia Pacific (11%) and Europe (10%). Domestic markets are clearly critical to BC, particularly in terms of visitor volumes. The US and, in particular the longer-haul markets of Asia/Pacific and Europe, are higher yield markets for BC.

While BC residents make up the largest share of visits to BC, they make up a much smaller share of revenue. However, when lifetime value is considered BC residents may indeed be the most valuable visitors. BC residents may not spend as much per trip as other visitors to BC but they travel in BC more often and explore more areas of the province. So the average BC resident, throughout a lifetime, likely takes more trips and spends more money while travelling in BC than any other market. BC residents tend to travel in BC year-round while visitors from further away tend to confine their visits to the summer months. As tourism experiences in BC are in various stages of development, BC residents are an important group as they are more accepting of varying qualities of facilities, amenities, and customer service levels. BC residents often represent the first wave of visitors as a community or tourism business builds its business.

5 www.jti.gov.bc.ca/research/IndustryPerformance/pdfs/Value_%20of_%20Tourism_%202011.sflb.pdf.


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Source: The Value of Tourism in British Columbia, 2010, Tourism British Columbia6

6 www.jti.gov.bc.ca/research/IndustryPerformance/pdfs/Value_%20of_%20Tourism_%202011.sflb.pdf


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After BC, Alberta was the next largest domestic market for overnight visitors to BC in 2010 at 17% of visits, followed by Ontario at 5%. BC and Alberta combined made up over 90% of domestic visitor volume to BC and nearly 80% of domestic revenues in 2010.

Source: The Value of Tourism in British Columbia, 2010, Tourism British Columbia7 Tourism Trends on Vancouver Island The information in this section is from 2008 Vancouver Island Visitor Exit Survey conducted for Tourism Vancouver Island8. Summary The geographic origin of visitors to Vancouver Island was similar to the geographic origin of visitors to BC in general. BC residents made up about half of the visitors to Vancouver Island, followed by Alberta at 14% and Washington state at 7%. The reasons for visiting Vancouver Island were varied, with visiting friends and relatives the number one reason, followed by scenic beauty. With visiting friends and relatives being a key reason for visitation and with about two-thirds of visitors from close-in markets, it is not surprising that there is such a high percentage of repeat visitors – 82% of visitors had been to Vancouver Island before and 80% having visited in the last two years, excluding the most recent trip.

With 57% of visitors spending at least four days on Vancouver Island, there is an opportunity to encourage them to visit Hornby and Denman Islands.

7 www.jti.gov.bc.ca/research/IndustryPerformance/pdfs/Value_%20of_%20Tourism_%202011.sflb.pdf 8 www.tourismvi.ca/research/pdf/2008Exit-Survey-Final-Report.pdf


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Main Findings Of visitors to Vancouver Island, almost half were from other parts of BC, 26% from other provinces, 19% from the United States, and 10% were from other international markets. Alberta comprised 14% of total visitors while each of Washington state and Ontario comprised 7%.

Of Canadian visitors from outside BC, Alberta residents made up more than half of visitors, followed by Ontario.


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The main reason for making the trip to Vancouver Island was 32% to visit family and friends, followed by scenic beauty.

The information that visitors used to plan their most recent trip to Vancouver Island was their own experiences from a previous trip, followed by the Internet, and family and friends.


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82% of visitors to Vancouver Island had visited previously, with 80% having visited within the last two years, excluding this trip. Only 19% indicated this was their first trip to Vancouver Island.

In this study, 5% of visitors spent time in the Gulf Islands and 16% of visitors spent at least one hour in the North Central region where Comox Valley Regional District is located.


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38% of visitors to Vancouver Island spent 4 to 7 days on the Island, with 25% spending 2 to 3 days, 16% spending 8 to 20 days, 5% spending one day, and 3% spending 31 or more days.


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Tourism on Hornby and Denman Islands At the March 30, 2012 one-day workshop participants provided their perspectives on the current status of tourism on Hornby and Denman Islands. The following section incorporates their views as well as additional information provided by HICEEC and Denman WORKS! and by the facilitator. Visitors to Hornby and Denman Islands The following visitor information is from the Hornby Island Visitors Survey 2008. Visitor information for Denman Island is not available.

The vast majority of visitors to Hornby Island are from Vancouver Island (58%) and Other BC (36%). Of Other BC, the majority are from Greater Vancouver

30% of visitors in 2008 were first time visitors, 37% had visited two or more times, and 33% had visited more than five times

•37% campgrounds, 27% rented houses, 21% friends (Hornby Island Visitors Survey 2006)

The top attractions for visitors (top three choices of “enjoyed most”) were beaches (77%), scenery (43%) and outdoor recreation (33%)

98% of visitors indicated they were very likely to visit again Products and services purchased by visitors included food/wine (81%), crafts (29%) and

fine art (19%). Tourism Products The following is a preliminary inventory of tourism products on Hornby and Denman Islands provided by HICEEC and Denman WORKS!. (See Action Step 3) Hornby Bed and breakfasts (B & Bs): 8 (only 2 year round) Resorts: 3 (year round) Weekly vacation rentals: approximately 80, no estimate of how many are seasonal Camping: 4 campgrounds (all seasonal) Recreation / activity operators: 6 (including 1 community organization) Winery / spirits: 5 (tasting rooms are all by appointment in off season) Healing arts studios: 4 (all by appointment - 3 seasonal) Retail / shopping: 7 (2 open full time year round / 3 open part time in off season) Art galleries / shops: 4 (1 part time off season, rest seasonal) Studios: approximately 50 listed in the Arts Council studio guide (approximately 10 to 12 open with

regular hours during summer with others open by appointment only). An estimated 75% of those listed are year-round residents

Farmers market: twice weekly, approximately 40 to 50 vendors (seasonal) In addition to the above:

4 to 5 yoga / pilates instructors hold classes at various locations 3 to 4 body workers, work at beach and farmers markets and do house calls 10 cultural / music festivals mid summer ongoing art shows at the community hall all summer regular movies at the community hall


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Denman B & Bs: 12, listed, many of which are open year round. Campgrounds: 1 campground open year round. Restaurants: 2 bistros, open year round. Art galleries:1, open in the summer Studios: 25, half open year round Artists: 25, half are year-round residents Fitness: 4, all but one open year round Culture: 1, year round Accommodation Hornby Island has a good base of vacation rental homes (approximately 80), three resorts, eight B & Bs and four campgrounds (all seasonal). Denman Island has 12 B & Bs and one campground. However both islands are at capacity during the summer season. Vacation rentals are not permitted on Denman Island and its B & B capacity is limited to three rooms per B & B. Denman has become a popular venue for weddings, but the lack of accommodation presents a barrier to growing this business. In addition, housing for workers on both islands is a challenge. It was suggested that a hostel on Hornby would be valuable for housing workers in the summer and could be used for visitors in the shoulder and off seasons. More B & Bs would also be an asset to Hornby Island.

To achieve tourism growth in the shoulder seasons, more accommodation options will need to be developed. Participants identified that this will require changes in the Islands Trust regulations governing accommodation properties, particularly for the B & Bs on Denman Island. Participants also felt that any new development should reflect the unique architecture of the islands.

Retail, Food and Beverage Food and beverage options are limited on Hornby and Denman Islands. There are two restaurants on Denman that are open for breakfast and lunch for most of the year and for most dinners during the tourist season. The restaurants on Hornby are seasonal with the Thatch Pub and Wheelhouse Restaurant opening Thursday and Friday from 4 pm to 9 pm in the winter, and Sea Breeze opening only on the weekends in the shoulder seasons. Other operators are not open year round and it is a challenge to get them to open, or to have consistent operating hours in the shoulder and off seasons. While workshops and retreats are seen as a good opportunity to grow shoulder season business, the lack of restaurants prevents both islands from feeding larger groups, However a commercial kitchen does exist on Denman. In the visitor surveys (2006 and 2008) conducted on Hornby Island, visitors suggested better food services, longer opening hours, and open stores/services (in the off season) as areas of improvement. Workshop participants noted that changes to B & B regulations to allow B & B operators to provide other meals besides breakfast could be seen as a benefit for visitors given the limited restaurant options, however this is limited due to regulations of the Provincial Health Act. The ability to legally provide guests with cooking facilities so they can prepare their own meals could be a viable option with changes to Island Trust regulations, particularly on Denman. Attractions Some of the key attractions for Hornby and Denman Islands are the beaches (particularly on Hornby), festivals and events (Hornby Festival, Blues Festival, Denman September Blackberry Fall Fair, Denman Readers and Writers Festival, Denman Soccer Week, Denman Christmas Craft Fair, Denman Home and Garden Tour) and outdoor recreation activities such as nature walks, biking, beachcombing, hiking,


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diving, boating, fishing, kayaking and canoeing. Both islands are known for their artists, galleries, studio tours, healing and yoga. Food and wine tourism is an emerging area. With festivals and events and larger workshops, more accommodation options are needed on Denman Island and more food and beverage capacity is required on both islands. There may be the opportunity to expand existing festivals and events and/or develop complementary activities to provide more for visitors to do. The Islands offer an outstanding natural environment and great trail system, providing the foundation for the development of outdoor adventure tour product. There is a kayaking tour operator that provides guided tours and kayak rentals on both Islands and one operator that provides rentals only. Bicycle rentals are also available on Hornby Island but there are no organized bike tours originating on the Islands. The opportunity exists to develop numerous outdoor and nature-related guided tours to generate tourism revenue without the impact on the natural environment of built attractions. Transportation Hornby and Denman Islands are faced with significant access and transportations challenges. Visitors from the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island must take several ferries to reach the islands, with visitors from Vancouver requiring three ferries to reach Hornby. The cost of BC Ferries is viewed by workshop participants as a major impediment to visitation and tourism growth. Another challenge is the lack of public transportation, with visitors requiring a car or bicycle to move around the islands. Walk-on passengers bound for Hornby must find their own ride across Denman to reach the ferry dock. While a potential shuttle service has been contemplated by a private operator in the past, plans for the shuttle have not come to fruition. Workshop participants agree that a shuttle would be a highly valued service for visitors and residents alike. It was suggested that in addition to providing transportation to the ferries, the shuttle could also be used for other purposes such as transporting produce and other goods. Discussion included seeking a grant for a shuttle service pilot project. (See Action Step 7 re: tours and shuttle). There is also two water taxi services available servicing both islands and Vancouver Island. Tourism Organization, Structure and Financing The Islands Trust is a federation of independent local governments that is responsible for land use planning and regulates development on Hornby and Denman Islands, as well as the other islands in the trust area. Its mandate is “to preserve and protect the trust area and its unique amenities and environment for the benefit of the residents of the trust area and of the province generally, in cooperation with municipalities, regional districts, improvement districts, other persons and organizations and the Government of British Columbia. This mandate underlies the work of the Islands Trust, including the development of official community plans, zoning and other land use bylaws in each of the local trust areas or island municipalities”.9 Workshop participants expressed the concern that some of the Islands Trust’s regulations are highly restrictive and are inhibiting tourism development. Participants agreed that although the Hornby Island Trust Committee is supportive of tourism in general, the Denman Island Trust Committee has been traditionally less so, therefore, it is important to engage the Islands Trust on both Islands in any tourism planning in order to gain support. Individual businesses, community arts and culture groups, and the community economic development organizations on both islands are currently undertaking tourism-related initiatives. HICEEC has previously developed a “Hornby Island Community Tourism Program and Tourism Strategy” that included a resident survey (2006) and visitor surveys (2006 and 2008). However implementation of the

9 www.islandstrust.bc.ca/about.cfm#mandate, accessed April 4, 2012.


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plan has been limited. Hornby’s Official Community Plan (OCP) includes the following tourism objectives:

to allow, through appropriate zoning, for a variety of types of small-scale visitor accommodation operations that meet health, safety and environmental objectives

to allow forms of accommodation which have the least impact on the quiet rural character of the Island

to ensure all accommodations can be adequately serviced to allow for recreational opportunities to the citizens of the Province without stressing the

existing natural and social systems and services to encourage a kind of tourism which is compatible with preserving and protecting the

environmental and social qualities of Island life for present and future generations and to discourage large scale tourist accommodation

to emphasize activities which involve quiet, low impact use of existing natural features and amenities rather than man-made ones

to prevent undue cost to the local taxpayers in providing basic facilities for visitors. Denman Island has undertaken limited formal tourism planning or implementation, however its Official Community Plan does make reference to tourism. While there is a Hornby and Denman Islands Visitor’s Guide, produced by the Hornby Denman Tourist Services Society, there have not been any other collective tourism planning or marketing initiatives undertaken by Hornby and Denman Islands. The Hornby Denman Tourist Services Society was formed two years ago for the purpose of extending collective marketing efforts, which have included to date:

Production of logo and HDTSS website Establishing a working liaison with BC Ferries Vacation Centre’s travel agents Media Wall and interactive website Creation of promotional video clip Brochure distribution expansion.

However, Denman and Hornby Islands are not currently working on any collective marketing initiatives. In fact, many of the tourism stakeholders at the workshop had not met participants from the other island. Participants expressed the view that the workshop was very helpful in starting a dialogue among tourism stakeholders from the two islands.

Financing Tourism Currently funds available for the planning and implementation of tourism initiatives are very limited. Funds are provided through HICEEC and Denman WORKS!, which receive their funding from Comox Valley Regional District. Workshop participants provided the following list of tourism-related initiatives and approximate budgets:

HICEEC allocation for tourism, the majority of which is the production and distribution of 60,000 copies of the Hornby & Denman Islands Visitor’s Guide

$19,000

Arts Council studio guide - Hornby $2,000Growers and producers guide - Hornby $1,000Denman Island food directory $500


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Denman Island studio guide, studio tour, home and garden tour $6,000 - $8,000Total $28,500 - $30,500

In addition, approximately $5,000 is spent on the promotion and implementation of Hornby Island’s summer recreation programs for residents and visitors. Community Attitudes toward Tourism The following findings from the Hornby Island Residents Survey about Summer Tourism 2006 were reviewed with workshop participants. No information was available for Denman Island. Workshop participants provided their views on residents’ attitudes on both islands. Residents’ attitudes toward summer tourism:

46% had negative experience, 43% had a positive experience 68% of people receiving tourism income perceived experience as positive 83% perceive Hornby has reached or exceeded capacity in summer 93% report negative impacts 77% report water as an issue (and some visitors) 64% report stress on community as issue 50% + identify policing, stress on infrastructure, waste.

Residents’ attitudes toward off-season tourism:

44% support efforts to develop off-season tourism 28% are neutral and 28% do not support off-season tourism.

Workshop participants agree there is “fear” and “paranoia” among residents regarding any discussion of “enhancing” tourism. Factors that contribute to the negative attitudes of residents toward tourism include a lack of housing for residents (because of so many vacation rentals) and workers in the high summer season, resentment by residents of the crowded summer ferry experience, “yahoos” that party on the beaches, and the fatigue factor of residents after the crowded summer season. Many residents freely share their negative views about visitors with other residents, which may contribute to a less than welcoming atmosphere. There is recognition among tourism stakeholders that more communication is required with residents of Hornby and Denman Islands regarding the importance of tourism to the economic health of both islands and the benefits that new services and amenities provide for residents and visitors alike.


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HORNBY and DENMAN ISLANDS TOURISM VISION Workshop participants agree that Hornby and Denman Islands are at different stages of tourism development, with Hornby receiving far more tourism than Denman Island. Participants were also clear about the level and type of tourism they desire in the future, growing tourism only in the shoulder and off seasons and targeting visitors whose values align with those of residents of the Islands. As Hornby Island has an existing tourism vision, this was used as the starting point in the workshop. The following vision for Hornby and Denman Islands encompasses both islands and is based on input from the workshop participants. This vision will likely be the subject of further discussion and revision as the two islands work together to grow tourism in a sustainable manner. Tourism Vision for Hornby and Denman Islands

In 2020 tourism is an important part of the diverse and thriving economies of Hornby and Denman Islands. Tourism is now actively planned and managed by the communities for the benefit of residents, visitors and the Islands themselves, and the uniqueness of each island is recognized. We foster low-impact, “intentional” tourism and have a manageable, comfortable number of visitors each year. We communicate regularly with residents to foster a better understanding of the value and economic importance of tourism to our communities and to encourage support for tourism.

We prefer the concept of a "visitor" rather than a "tourist". A visitor is someone who comes to the island in the same manner in which they would visit a friend - respectfully and lovingly - and we welcome them and share our community with them accordingly. We have found ways to inform visitors and summer residents about the lifestyles, values and ecology of the island so that tourism is a positive experience for both year-round residents and visitors. We welcome and appreciate visitors who:

come here because they appreciate and share our interests and values walk, bike or use public transportation (if available) purchase local goods, food and services, arts and crafts participate in local festivals and events, workshops and retreats, and studio/winery/farm

and garden tours walk lightly on the land (including water use and disposal) connect with the communities and participate in local activities.


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ACTION STEPS This section outlines the action steps that Hornby and Denman Islands need to employ over the next two years to achieve their tourism vision. These action steps are based on the top opportunities and tourism initiatives identified by participants in the March 30, 2012 workshop (see the appendix for meeting notes). Additional recommended action steps are also provided by the facilitator. Many of these action steps will require significant involvement from HICEEC and Denman WORKS! and a significant amount of time from other tourism stakeholders as part of the proposed tourism working group. The tourism working group will need to determine the action steps that are the highest priority given available human and financial resources. 1. Form a tourism working group to help implement the next steps to develop tourism on Hornby

and Denman Islands.

There was discussion during the workshop of the need to formalize a group or organization to bring together the various entities currently involved in tourism on Hornby and Denman Islands. While the idea of a not-for-profit society was discussed, such a formalized structure is not a requirement and a less formal tourism working group could be established at this initial stage of collective tourism planning. In other communities such tourism working groups include a broad cross-section of tourism stakeholders encompassing members from the following areas: accommodation; local government; festivals and events; retail, food and beverage; outdoor adventure operators; festivals and events; arts and culture; among others. The final makeup of the tourism working group will likely be the subject of further discussion by the communities. Following are the organizations that workshop participants felt should be represented on the tourism working group:

Hornby Island Community Economic Enhancement Corporation (HICEEC) Denman WORKS! Hornby Denman Tourist Services Society Hornby Denman Growers and Producers Alliance Hornby Arts Council Arts Denman Hornby Festivals Denman Pottery Tours Home & Garden Tour Hornby Island Blues Festival Real estate office/visitor centre Islands Trust (Workshop participants agreed that it is important to ensure a member of

the Islands Trust is engaged in tourism planning in order to gain support). Paid Tourism Coordinator Workshop participants also expressed the need for a paid coordinator to assist in implementing tourism initiatives, as many stakeholders are already involved in numerous other volunteer committees. The tourism working group will need to assess available resources, both human and financial, to determine its priorities, and if a paid coordinator is one of these. Matching funds may be available through the Tourism BC Community Tourism Opportunities (CTO) program for project coordination (limited time contract only) for approved incremental tourism projects. See Action Step 11 for more information on CTO.


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Responsibility: HICEEC and Denman WORKS! to initiate Budget: stakeholder time

2. Meet with tourism-related businesses to inform them about the new tourism working group and establish regular communications. Once the tourism working group is established, it will be important to meet with tourism-related businesses to inform them about the new tourism working group and its purpose and planned activities. Regular email communications could then be initiated to provide ongoing information and to encourage tourism businesses to participate in the working group’s initiatives and to volunteer their time on the working group. These activities are meant to achieve a number of purposes:

Educate tourism-related businesses about the tourism working group’s approach to tourism and reduce the “fear” factor

Educate tourism-related businesses and potential entrepreneurs about the types of opportunities for growing tourism sustainably, focusing on priority products including outdoor adventure activities and tours, workshops and retreats, art/studios/galleries, festivals/events, farm/garden/winery tours, with a focus on the shoulder and off seasons

Encourage tourism-related businesses to upgrade their tourism experiences, customer service and hours of operation to meet the needs of visitors.

Initially, face-to-face communications will likely be needed to establish the tourism working group with its tourism-related businesses. Email addresses (with permission) should then be gathered to create an email list for ongoing communications. Responsibility: tourism working group Budget: stakeholder time

3. Develop a tourism product inventory for Hornby and Denman Islands.

This inventory of tourism products would include existing and planned accommodation, retail/food/beverage, attractions, and festivals and events and will be useful as the foundation of any promotional efforts. HICEEC/realhornby.com and Denman WORKS! currently have much of the information and further information is available on hornbyisland.com, denmanisland.com and the Hornby Denman Tourist Services Brochure. These sources can be used as a starting point to develop a comprehensive tourism product inventory. Tourism BC and Tourism Vancouver Island can provide tourism product inventory templates that can be used to organize the inventory information. These templates are consistent with the categories in the Tourism BC product data base. This tourism product inventory can be used not only for Hornby and Denman Islands tourism planning and promotional purposes, it should be shared with Tourism BC and Tourism Vancouver Island for their promotional efforts. Responsibility: tourism working group to initiate, with assistance from Tourism BC and Tourism Vancouver Island Budget: tourism working group time


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4. Increase understanding among the Islands Trust, the regional district, and residents of Hornby

and Denman Islands of the importance of tourism to the economic health of the communities. Workshop participants agree that work with the Islands Trust needs to continue in order to encourage and maintain their support of tourism. The Denman Island Trust Committee has traditionally been less supportive than their counterparts on Hornby. A positive attitude among local governments and residents contributes to a more welcoming environment for visitors and tourism workers. The first step is to estimate the value of tourism to Hornby and Denman Islands using resources available from Tourism BC and Tourism Vancouver Island. Data gathered through the Tourism BC Value of Tourism model can assist in developing conservative and a credible estimate of visitor volume and direct tourism expenditures within a community, but accommodation properties must be willing to participate. For further information on estimating the value of tourism, visit www.jti.gov.bc.ca/industryresources/monitoring_evaluation/value_tourism.htm or contact: [email protected] or [email protected]. The next step is to communicate the value of tourism information to both Island Trust Committees , the regional district, local opinion leaders, and residents. Presentations could take place to the Islands Trust and the regional district. For residents, communications could take the form of public meetings, speeches at local clubs and associations, and articles and editorials in the local newspaper. Responsibility: tourism working group to initiate, with assistance from Tourism BC and Tourism Vancouver Island Budget: tourism working group time ($1,000 honourarium is available from the Research branch at Tourism BC)

5. Encourage tourism businesses to prepare for tourism by taking advantage of the tourism education and training programs available through Tourism BC. While visitors have been coming to Hornby and Denman Islands for many years, the destination is still in the early stages of development particularly as it relates to shoulder season tourism and the level of accommodations and food services. This industry development activity will help tourism businesses maximize the potential of tourism. Tourism Business Essentials Tourism BC has a series of education and training tools available to assist tourism-related businesses, using workshops and guides. They include the following:

Fundamentals for Tourism Businesses Employees First Sustainable Tourism Mountain Bike Tourism Travel Media Relations Ads & Brochures that Sell Online Marketing


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Online Reputation Management guide and workshop (workshop is free to the tourism working group if meeting space is provided and a minimum of 10 workshop participants is confirmed).

Visit www.jti.gov.bc.ca/industryresources/Guides_and_Workshops.htm for further details on all workbooks and workshops.

WorldHost® WorldHost® (formerly Superhost®) workshops are also available through Tourism BC and include:

Fundamentals Customers with Disabilities Solving Frontline Management Solutions Customers with Disabilities Service Across Cultures Sales Powered by Service Solving Problems through service WorldHost Ambassador Workshop

Visit www.worldhosttraining.com for further details Responsibility: tourism working group. Budget: tourism working group time Other Tourism BC Programs and Resources Following are two other important links to resources and programs provided by Tourism BC: www.jti.gov.bc.ca/industryresources

Resources designed for communities and operators www.jti.gov.bc.ca/industryprograms

Information on Tourism BC programs.

6. Encourage tourism businesses to increase packaging of complementary tourism products. To provide more for visitors to do (particularly adults outside the peak season), encourage the packaging of tourism experiences with accommodation, as well as the “bundling” of experiences to create longer (one or two-day) itineraries – both guided and self-guided – for specific demographics or interest groups. Examples might be a day of hiking and kayaking, with a gourmet picnic provided, for active outdoor adventurers; or a nature walk combined with a visit to winery and organic food producer, for less energetic visitors. Packaging of activities can encourage people to extend their stay and spend more money in the area. Packaging and promotion of activities with accommodation will help increase awareness of the many tourism experiences available on Hornby and Denman Islands. The working group could support local accommodation operators and attractions in developing packages and itineraries. Packages could be promoted by the business themselves, by Tourism Vancouver Island and Tourism BC, and via hornbyisland.com, realhornby.com and other websites. Responsibility: tourism working group Budget: 2K allocation for promotion of packages


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7. Encourage entrepreneurs to create new tours and tourism products.

In addition to opportunities for packages of complementary experiences, there are opportunities for standalone tours. Hornby and Denman Islands currently lack organized and guided tours for many priority tourism products, particularly in the areas of outdoor adventure, food and wine, and arts and crafts. These organized activities provide reasons for visitors to stay longer and to visit outside the peak season. Workshop participants identified the following potential organized tours and activities:

Guided nature walks and interpretive tours Bird watching tours Guided bicycle tours Guided tours of studios and galleries Guided tours (including bicycle tours) focusing on a specific theme or area, e.g. a

culinary tour that includes organic produce growers, local wineries and distilleries Eco tours combined with sustainability/green living workshops.

As tours are developed, there may be the potential for one or more of the tour operators to also operate a shuttle as part of a tour business. For example, in the Okanagan Valley, wine and culinary tour operators often offer shuttle services to and from the Penticton and Kelowna airports. The tourism working group should explore successful examples with the help of Tourism Vancouver Island and Tourism BC, and communicate these to potential tour operators. These guided tours could take place in the high season as well as the shoulder seasons, bringing greater economic benefit to the communities by increasing the average expenditure of visitors who are already at the destination or planning a visit. The tourism working group should engage tourism businesses and entrepreneurs in the community in discussions regarding this Tourism Action Plan (Action Step 2) and encourage them to learn more about tourism through education programs (Action Step 5). The tours could be promoted as described under Action Step 6 above. Responsibility: tourism working group, tourism businesses Budget: tourism working group time, private sector operators to cover cost of tour development, 2K allocation for promotion

8. Develop and promote workshops, retreats festivals and events to increase visitation during the shoulder and off seasons.

The tourism season for Hornby and Denman Islands is short and intense, with the majority of activity concentrated in July and August. According to the 2006 Hornby Island Residents Survey, 93% of respondents reported negative impacts from summer tourism and 83% perceive that Hornby Island has reached or exceeded its capacity during the summer season. One of the key challenges in developing shoulder and off-season tourism is ensuring that operators are willing to open and provide the services that visitors need. It was agreed that one of the best ways to start is to develop and promote time-limited workshops, retreats and festivals and events, and obtain agreement from accommodation properties, restaurants, and other attractions to open during the specified time period. With this approach tourism capacity can be built up in the communities,


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with the goal of having a larger number of tourism businesses staying open during the shoulder seasons and eventually year round. Workshop participants identified a number of opportunities to work collectively to increase tourism during the spring and/or fall shoulder seasons. Further investigation of the various options will need to be conducted by the tourism working group to determine the opportunities that the communities have the capacity to implement (i.e. existing facilities, enough volunteers) and those with the greatest potential. Suggestions included:

Mid-week tours for Vancouver Island seniors groups Joint island arts and crafts fair “Feed the Soul” spring rejuvenation week Harvest food festival, and/or mari culture and wine festival Artists workshop retreat Theatre festival Wellness workshops Herring run festival.

Tourism BC can help promote festivals and events. See Action Step 11. Responsibility: tourism working group, volunteers, festival organizers, tourism businesses Budget: tourism working group time, volunteer time and $10K to $12K for marketing and promotion of new workshops, festivals and events

9. Support further development of biking and walking trails, and explore the potential to develop a ferry-to-ferry biking trail.

Workshop participants identified the trails as a strength for Hornby and Denman Islands, and Denman Island has been working on enhancing its trail system. These trails are an important tourism asset for outdoor recreation activities and provide the communities with the opportunity to generate economic benefits through bike rentals, bike tours, guided nature walks, and hiking tours, all of which could utilize the trail system. The development of a ferry to ferry bike trail was among the top tourism initiatives identified by workshop participants. Comox Valley Regional District was suggested as a potential source of funding. Volunteers could be recruited to build the trail. These trails would not only enhance tourism activities but also enhance the quality of life for Island residents. Responsibility: tourism working group, Islands Trust Budget: to be determined

10. Develop and integrate online tourism information and explore the potential of consolidating

current marketing initiatives to increase efficiency of marketing funds.

Workshop participants identified that Denman Island requires a comprehensive tourism website (similar to Hornby Island’s), and that the two websites should be linked. A single integrated website for the two islands was not considered feasible by participants. However, further discussions are required to come to a final decision implementing this action step in order to minimize duplication


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and efforts. Tourism BC offers two guides to assist the working group as it further develops its online information and marketing – Online Marketing and Online Reputation Management. The tourism working group could also hold an Online Reputation Management workshop, which is offered by Tourism BC free of charge to communities for groups of 10 or more. Stakeholders also suggested combining a number of collateral pieces including the artists’ studio guides and the growers and producers guides that are currently being produced separately by each of the islands. Once the tourism working group is formed all current tourism marketing initiatives should be examined with a view to eliminating overlap and duplication of effort, thus freeing up time and budget for new or expanded initiatives. Responsibility: tourism working group Budget: tourism working group time, website development and enhancement budget to be determined

11. Maximize Tourism BC and Tourism Vancouver Island marketing opportunities.

Community Tourism Opportunities – Cooperative Funding Program Workshop participants expressed interest in accessing funding through the Tourism BC Community Tourism Opportunities (CTO) program. CTO is a province-wide program that provides cooperative (i.e. matching) funding for eligible tourism activities in communities throughout BC. The program is designed to assist communities in implementing their own tourism building initiatives. Tourism Vancouver Island is responsible for reviewing community proposals within the Vancouver Island Region, making recommendations to Tourism BC. To be eligible for funding support, a Hornby and Denman Islands project proposal must contain new or enhanced elements compared to the existing activities, and a strategy and mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness of the CTO investment in these incremental activities. In addition, communities must have sufficient funding to pay project-related expenses in full prior to claiming their allotted reimbursement. Tourism BC provides Tourism Vancouver Island with the funds to reimburse communities in their region for their approved CTO projects. Hornby and Denman Islands should work with Tourism Vancouver Island on their project proposal for matching funding well in advance of the deadline for proposals - March 1, 2013. Contact: Jody Young, Tourism Vancouver Island at [email protected]. Other Marketing Opportunities There are other free and low-cost marketing opportunities currently available to Hornby and Denman Islands through Tourism BC and Tourism Vancouver Island, that will allow Hornby and Denman Islands to capitalize on marketing activities that are already taking place. The HelloBC.com website receives over 9 million web visits annually (all languages combined) and the Tourism BC visitor centres throughout BC receive over 3 million visitors. Denman and Hornby Islands and the tourism businesses in the area can benefit from the millions of marketing dollars in advertising that drives visitors to these sources of information. The marketing opportunities that are recommended include:

Community web pages on HelloBC.com. The Hornby Island www.hellobc.com/hornby-island.aspx and Denman Island www.hellobc.com/denman-island.aspx community pages received more than 7,000 organically-searched page views between March 2010 and April 2011. The tourism working group should review the community descriptions for Hornby Island and Denman Island to ensure they are up to date, and then continue to


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provide new content to Tourism BC and Tourism Vancouver Island when the tourism product inventory is completed and as new tourism products are developed.

The HelloBC® Listings Program, where tourism businesses and organizations can maximize the power of all of the Tourism BC websites, call centre, and visitor centres. Tourism BC also uses the listings as a resource for requests it receives about media relations, from meeting planners, and to advise potential visitors. Costs for a base listing vary by category. A base listing for activities and attractions starts at $95 and a base listing for accommodation starts at $200. “Special Offers” can be made by businesses that have listings on HelloBC.com and these have proven to be very successful at attracting page visits on www.hellobc.com. More information on the listings program is available at www.tourismbc.net

Festivals and Events can be listed for free on HelloBC.com and must be added by the community or event organizer. More information is available at www.tourismbc.net

There is a fee to participate in the reservations program and commission is charged. User-generated content using blogs on www.hellobc.com. Stakeholders on Hornby and

Denman, as well as visitors, can add blogs to increase the content on the website about the Islands. This is a free service. There is the ability to have any Hornby and Denman blogs appear on a community website.

Participation in media relations activities such as familiarization tours that are coordinated through Tourism Vancouver Island.

Participation in travel trade activities such as familiarization tours that are coordinated through Tourism Vancouver Island.

Responsibility: CTO - tourism working group to consult with Tourism Vancouver Island on project proposal. Other opportunities – tourism working group to disseminate information to tourism businesses and organizations on Hornby and Denman Islands Budget: tourism working group time


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APPENDIX: NOTES FROM HORNBY AND DENMAN ISLANDS ONE-DAY WORKSHOP MARCH 30, 2012 Notice to reader: these are notes from a brainstorming session and represent ideas from those in attendance. These notes do not suggest that any parties named in the notes have committed to undertake any of these ideas. These notes are merely a starting point for further analysis and discussion. Tourism Organization and Structure Workshop participants confirmed the following organizations were identified in the EOI as organizations involved in tourism: Hornby Denman Tourist Services Society (was formed two years ago) Hornby Island Community Economic Enhancement Corporation (HICEEC) Hornby Denman Growers and Producers Alliance (working to develop agri-tourism, produces a

growers and producers guide) Denman WORKS! In addition, workshop participants identified the following groups that should be included in tourism planning initiatives: Arts Denman Hornby Island Arts Council Hornby Festivals Denman Pottery Tours Home and Garden Tour Hornby Island Blues Festival Real estate office/visitor centre Should have a representative from the Island Trust on any tourism working group Tourism Planning Hornby – Tourism Action Plan exists with limited implementation, OCP has defined tourism objectives Denman – Discussions among community leaders and tourism operators but little formal

planning/implementation There is competition among businesses that have carved out their own niche and a particular piece of

business and there will be resistance to change The ability to communicate and work together will enhance tourism There is a culture of paranoia around tourism and people on the islands do not like the word “tourism” Financing Tourism Funding for tourism on Hornby and Denman Islands is limited There is a need to leverage existing organizations’ dollars How do we fill the gap related to funding as we do not have a Chamber of Commerce but rather the

Islands Trust, which has restrictive policies? Current sources of funds for tourism include:

Contract with the Comox Valley Regional District – total budget for HICEEC is approximately $40,000 with around $3,000 allocated for tourism, the majority of which is the Hornby and Denman Islands Visitor’s Guide.


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$2,000 for Arts Council studio guide $1,000 for growers and producers guide $5,000 for summer recreation programs for both visitors and locals (includes both

promotion and implementation) $6,000 - $8,000 for studio guide, studio tour and marketing (Denman) $500 Denman Island food directory $500/year from BC Ferries in the past (Hornby/Denman ferry schedule included on

Visitor’s Guide). Tourism BC’s Community Tourism Opportunities program through Tourism Vancouver

Island provides matching funds for approved programs Transportation The cost of BC Ferries is a huge challenge There is no public transportation across Denman to get to the Hornby ferry on the other side, and no

public transportation to get people around on either of the islands Need a car to get around Shuttle proposed that could be non-profit. In addition to providing transportation to the ferries, shuttle

could be used for other purposes such as transporting produce, etc. Could Hornby/Denman get a grant for a shuttle service pilot? There are challenges with the way buses are licensed by the provincial government There is a water taxi from Comox but not sure how expensive it is, but it is an option for people flying

into the Comox airport Bike trails on Denman need work There is a float plane in the summer from Vancouver to Tribune Bay on Hornby Island Denman Islanders are concerned about the negative impact of cars that rush across Denman Island to

catch the Hornby ferry on the other side, making the roads dangerous There is a new dock on Denman Island so boats are now able to dock Accommodation Hornby and Denman is at capacity during summer season Current regulations governing accommodation and B & Bs on Denman are very restrictive do not

support tourism, no more than 3 rooms are permitted per B & B, and no cooking facilities are allowed Big challenge on Hornby in the summer is housing workers to service the visitors Illegal use of auxiliary housing for agricultural workers on Denman is also a big challenge Hostel is missing on Hornby and would help to accommodate workers during the peak season and

could provide accommodation to visitors in the off season Weddings are popular on Denman but there is a challenge in finding accommodation for all the guests,

big months are June and September as well as the summer Retail and Food & Beverage Food and beverage options are very limited on both islands Very difficult to feed large groups for events and there is not a good commercial kitchen on either

island In addition, the selection of food options at the existing restaurants can be limited


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There are only two year-round restaurants on Denman and these may have restricted hours, especially in the evenings and especially over the winter.

Some operators are not open year round and it is a challenge to get them to open in the shoulder seasons due to low business levels.

Attractions There is a kayaking tour operator that provides guided tours on both islands, on East Road on Denman

and by the Thatch on Hornby. This operator also rents kayaks but prefers to do guided tours Kayak rentals are available from one other operator Bike rentals are available Arts Centre on Hornby offers workshops, healing, yoga There is a big opportunity to do guided nature tours but these are not currently well developed on either

Island Community Attitudes toward Tourism Community attitudes from the Hornby Island visitor studies (2006 and 2008) were reviewed with workshop participants. The following comments were provided in addition: Lack of housing for residents and workers contributing to negative attitudes toward tourism Want visitors whose values are aligned with those of the island Working on getting rid of the “yahoos” Resentment by local residents of the summer ferry experience There is a culture of paranoia toward any talk of tourism “enhancement” Need to change residents’ attitudes toward “visitors”, many people talk in very negative terms about

visitors Don’t like to call visitors to the island “tourists” There is a real fatigue factor after the summer as it is very difficult for the local residents to go about

their daily life in the summer Need more communication with residents on Denman and Hornby about the importance of tourism to

the community

Common Strengths Denman/Hornby Great beaches - different types of beaches on Denman and Hornby but both have their own strengths Great trail system, scenery (beauty, variety, great views), mild year-round weather, peace and quiet,

nature viewing, small island/rural experience Outdoor recreation – diving, biking, boating, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, beachcombing Arts, crafts, artists studio tours Wellness and healing, yoga, pilates Farmers’ markets Strengths Hornby Parks – 3 provincial, 1 nature park, crown land Preserve and protect mandate of Islands Trust Local character, interesting community, funky architecture, island lifestyles Cultural – Hornby Festival, Blues Festival, other performances Fair range of accommodation, long history of hospitality


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Wineries, distillery, meadery Strengths Denman 3 provincial parks, 3 Denman Island Conservancy parks Trail systems being enhanced Vibrant educated community Arts Denman (workshops), artisans galleries, Art Gallery and museum Saturday Farmers Market Events: Christmas Craft Fair, September Blackberry Fall Fair, Summer Soccer Week, Readers &

Writers Festival, Home and Garden Tour Graffiti wall Market gardens and nurseries Weaknesses Denman/Hornby Funky infrastructure Limited year-round services Lack of coordinated approach to tourism Denman only – lack of official tourism website (Denmanisland.com taken over by real estate

company). Multitude of websites that are easily outdated and inconsistent. Lack of good information services Some local resistance to tourism Limited development potential Season intensity – short summer peak/near capacity Lack of food and beverage options High cost of BC Ferries compared to destinations like Parksville/Qualicum and Cumberland that don’t

have the additional ferry costs and easier access Lack of transportation across Denman to Hornby ferry makes it difficult without a car Lack of public transportation in general Shortage of legal affordable housing Highly restrictive regulations limit development potential Threats Denman/Hornby Aging population Beach “yahoos” create resentment among local residents (working on dealing with the yahoo problem) Increasing competition from other destinations Increasing ferry fares Climate change Peak oil Opportunities Opportunities – Group 1 Development of agri/culinary tourism

Harvest food festival


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Mari culture food and wine festival Develop more off season events

Denman dances, sings Joint island arts and crafts fair Summer arts fair Theatre festival Week-long festival Workshop retreats

Website – develop a comprehensive website for Denman Island similar to Hornby Island’s More Denman accommodation – sharing inter-island Work with Denman Island Trust Committee to support tourism Denman Hornby block party Two island studio guide Recording facilities by invitation Change IT sign at Buckley Bay Information stand at new dock Large map in downtown Commercial community kitchen on Hornby to be able to cater large events B & Bs to be allowed to provide cooking facilities Develop eco tours and green living workshops Mini bus/shuttle Designated hitch hiking spots Ferry to ferry biking trails Nature tours

Walking, hiking, bird watching tours Guided, interpretation Photographic Guided beach walks Guided kayak, canoe, boating, diving tours

Improve marketing Enhance Denman’s Saturday market Tour packages – cross promotion Active tourism group Opportunities – Group 2 Midweek senior tour opportunities

Tours, restaurants Link business websites for both islands, as well as on island Capitalize on herring run Join together (Denman/Hornby) to coordinate for events

Spring rejuvenation – “Feed the Soul” Bird watcher paradise – develop bird watching tours Sustainability tours or workshops


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Paid coordinator to implement tourism initiatives Naturalist tours or tours by other experts Bicycle tour promotion to Denman/Hornby

Connect with other communities i.e. Cumberland Encourage more B & Bs on Hornby, especially near waterfront Community calendar more coordinated Promote events on community calendars and radio stations Market to nearby communities (such as Comox Valley) to come to Denman/Hornby Chamber of Commerce – Comox Valley branch Event organizers Rainwater workshops Conference – saving small towns, e.g. Cumberland Enhance the unique architecture of Island style Wellness workshops Alcohol tours Nurture and interact with young for the future so they return as adults Beach party that is organized and controlled Walking or hiking tours Promote safe, no bear islands Initiatives

Initiatives – Group 1 Joint Island arts & crafts fair

Spring and/or fall Responsibility: Denman WORKS!/HICEEC

Workshop retreats Nature and eco tours

Research grant funding Work with Islands Trust to change regulations on Denman, very important for Denman

Responsibility: Volunteers Marketing

Responsibility: Denman WORKS! and HICEEC Update content on Tourism BC community pages Denman Island to develop tourism website and Denman and Hornby websites to be

linked Seek grant funding for marketing

Develop artist workshop retreat Responsibility: Denman WORKS! and HICEEC

Develop ferry to ferry bike trails Look for grant funding from Comox Valley Regional District, Tourism Vancouver Island Volunteers

Develop tours (for purchase) that include both islands


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Wine, food, agriculture, tours Initiatives – Group 2 Form an entity for joint tourism marketing

Hornby Denman Tourism Services Review guidelines and mandate Provide constitution to Joanne

Request funding from Denman WORKS! and HICEEC 30% tourism, 35% HICEEC, 35% Denman WORKS!

Tourism coordinator duties Develop and promote “Feed the Soul” spring week Coordinate websites Marketing Wellness workshops Sustainability tours

Public relations to inform residents about the importance of tourism – hire a public relations contractor Complete a tourism resource inventory – hire a contractor Focus development on spring and fall shoulder seasons

For Hornby spring season is better because of summer burnout after the summer season, however weather can often be better in the fall

Fall shoulder is better for Denman Fall shoulder has the benefit of the ability to market to summer tourists to make a return

visit in the fall Develop seniors tours, weekly for multiple weeks during off-season periods