The Honourable Michael Chan
Minister of Tourism and Culture
Province of Ontario
PART FOUR
Our discussions led to the topic of the newly formed Regional Tourism Organizations. At first the leaders in these regions were apprehensive and a little anxious about the unknown and outcome of this new strategy. Minister Chan believes that the vibe of these regions was “we alone can’t do it, but now we can work together cohesively”. Minister Chan tells us that if the Regions package the best they have to offer, visitors will come to stay and enjoy all that the communities have to offer. Michael Chan said “it is really no use to have people stopping by, snapping a few pictures, then leaving without shopping, enjoying the restaurants, theatres, museums, attractions and so on”. I laughed as I have to confess that I was guilty as charged! I recently “snapped a few pictures from the sunroof of our car while at a red light”. We were heading home from the Canadian International Military Tattoo in Hamilton. It had been a long day and we did not have time to stop and enjoy the Dundurn Castle that day. Minister Chan feels that each Region has diverse skills to contribute to create a great organization. The role of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture is, as Minister Chan states, “not to tell the Regions what to do". He hopes “that the funding from the Ministry will only add to the excitement of promotional efforts in the Regions of Ontario”. He continues, "The role of the Ministry is not to administer the RTO Regions, however, there is a mandate of the RTO’s to advertize and promote tourism and culture".
(To Be Continued)
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