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The Okanagan Cultural Corridor Newsletter
No. 2
July 2001
A communiqué from Steven Thorne, Executive Director
The Okanagan Cultural Corridor Project
Dear Friend
The Okanagan Cultural Corridor Project is now one year old. During the Project's first year, almost 200 agri-tourism, arts, and heritage attractions have been inventoried and catalogued. The inventory includes 42 wineries, 28 other agri-tourism attractions, 17 museums, 14 heritage attractions, 19 art galleries, 12 performing arts groups, 15 cultural festivals, and 45 artist studios. The inventory catalogue is four inches thick, and contains more than 400 pages.
Now that the inventory is substantially complete, the Project will shift its focus to the development of the Corridor Marketing Plan. Devised in cooperation with Tourism BC, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association and other Project stakeholders, the Corridor Marketing Plan will direct the promotion of the Cultural Corridor in our domestic and international markets.
After the Marketing Plan is completed later this year, I will revisit each attraction that was inventoried in this first year of the Project. At that time, I will outline the Corridor marketing Campaign, along with the investment required from each attraction that wishes to participate. Our intention is to take the Corridor to market in early 2003.
Year one of the Project has been a busy one. I spent a good of time on the road, visiting cultural attractions and introducing the Project in communities from Enderby to Princeton. In addition, I made presentations on the Project to local governments throughout the Valley, and to a variety of other interested parties.
Currently, I am attempting to secure a full-time assistant to help me in the office. The Project is a large undertaking for one person. My day hasn't enough hours for the work that needs to be done!
Corridor captures interest of Canadian Tourism Commission
The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) -- the federal Crown Corporation that markets Canada to the world -- has chosen Kelowna for the next meeting of one of its executive committees. The Industry and Product Development Committee (IPD) will meet in Kelowna on the weekend of September 22. Kelowna was chosen for this meeting largely because of BC's leadership in cultural tourism as evidenced by the Cultural Corridor Project.
While in town, the IPD will visit local wineries and explore the Kelowna Cultural District -- key components of the Cultural Corridor. Joining the IPD for two days of meetings will be the CTC's Cultural Tourism Sub-Committee, which reports to the IPD.
Tourism research will assist Corridor
How much cultural tourism occurs in the Okanagan? What do cultural tourists spend when they visit the Valley? Where are they coming from? How long are they staying? ... It's important that we know the answers to these and other questions. Then, by asking the same questions again after the Corridor is marketed, we can track the growth of the Valley's cultural tourism industry. At the same time, we can quantify the Project's economic impact.
With the help of the research department of Tourism BC, important research to assist the Corridor Project will soon be undertaken. The first phase of the research will be conducted over the nest year, with early findings anticipated in late 2002.
Study cities U.S. demand for cultural experiences in Canada
In 1999, 5.1 million U.S. overnight travelers visited BC. In turn, these travelers were responsible for about $2.3 billion in revenues -- one-quarter of BC's total tourism revenue.
According to the study, Americans as International Travelers, BC's "best prospects" in the international travel market are Americans who have traveled for pleasure in the last three years, who say they are extremely or very interested in visiting Canada, and who plan to visit Canada in the next five years. Of this group, 60 percent report they would, "extremely or very much enjoy an educational trip focused on different cultures and traditions". Not surprisingly, almost half of these "best prospects" are classified as mature baby boomers (age 45 to 54), or young senior (ages 55 to 64). "Best prospects" are highly educated. Almost half enjoy an annual household income of US $75,000 or more.
With respect to the U.S. market, these well-educated American boomers seeking cultural experiences are the travelers we will lure to the Cultural Corridor.
Corridor a part of Cultural Cascades
The Okanagan Cultural Corridor is one of several cultural tourism initiatives underway in the Pacific Northwest. For several years, Portland has employed a director of cultural tourism. More recently, Vancouver has launched a cultural tourism initiative, while the Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau hired a cultural tourism specialist earlier this year.
In an effort to capitalize on the growing interest in cultural tourism throughout the Pacific Northwest, I met in Vancouver recently with my colleagues from the aforementioned cities. The outcome of our meeting was a decision to create a shared marketing vehicle to promote our region -- dubbed the "Cultural Cascades". This marketing vehicule will include the Cultural Corridor after the Corridor is up and running in 2003.
Outgoing NPD invests in cultural tourism
In March of this year, the NPD government announced a one-time investment of $400,000 to support cultural tourism development projects throughout BC. In that BC governments have long neglected the province's arts and heritage assets, this investment in cultural tourism -- however modest -- is very good news. The $400,000 has now been disbursed to Tourism BC's regional marketing partners. Hopefully, the new organizations and heritage assets that constitute BC's cultural attractions.
Corridor catches media attention
The Okanagan Cultural Corridor is a BC pilot project in cultural tourism. Because of the scope of the Project and its connection to the Valley's high-profile wine industry, magazine writers sometimes contact me proposing to do a story. This year, an article on the Project appeared in Communiqué, a trade magazine published by the Canadian Tourism Commission. The same article was reprinted in Tourism Monitor, published by the Canadian Tourism Commission. The same article was reprinted in Tourism Monitor, published by the consulting firm, Grant Thornton. For your interest, I have attached the Tourism Monitor article to this newsletter.
The marriage of wine and art
Recently, I had the pleasure to meet Dr. Don Gertz, who teaches in the Faculty of Management at the University of Calgary. Don is an expert in the fields of wine tourism, and the author of the recently published Explore Wine Tourism. Don's book, which is based on his studies of wine tourism around the world, has much to offer the Okanagan as we develop the "New Tourism" of wine, art, culture, and cuisine. Writing on the marriage of wine and the arts, Don observes:
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The fine arts are a particularly important aspect of culture that is often linked to wine tourism. This relationship in part reflects the cultural traditions of Europe where cultural tourists can easily feast on art, heritage, and gastronomic delights ...
Wine regions must stress authentic cultural and lifestyle experiences in which wine is an important ingredient. That is what sets them apart from other destinations.
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Don Getz
Explore wine Tourism |
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Already, a number of Okanagan wineries are partnering with local artists, musicians, and chefs to celebrate our art, culture, and heritage. As we move forward, I have no doubt that the marriage of wine and culture throughout the Valley will lead us to a remarkable success. ...
Looking ahead
The coming year will be very busy. Much work lies ahead as we prepared to market the Corridor in 2003. Of course, I will need your support to bring the Project to fruition. Should you have any questions about the Project, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Best regards,
Steven Thorne
Copyright © 2000, Steven Thorne. All rights reserved. Please contact Steven Thorne for permission to reproduce this speech in whole or in part.
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