After reading several articles in the Bruce Peninsula Press about crowds and how tourism is out of control, I decided to do some research and reflect on some ideas that have worked elsewhere. We have heard the problems over and over, but I think we need to focus on solutions. Not everything will work but how do we know unless we try?
Yes, over-tourism is harmful to our UNESCO designated environment, it puts extreme pressure and unnecessary, additional aggravation on local people, who do have rights! Yet, it is still important to accommodate visitors to ensure businesses survive and are successful. So let’s start this ball rolling, as we think about solutions!
So what can be done?
I strongly encourage the municipality to think outside the box and consider different options! (That does not mean hiring another consulting firm!)
Commit to being “proactive” NOT “reactive”!
In this technological age, we need to reach out to visitors online! Could we not use live streams, blogs or apps to provide an “educational entry” or an “orientation type” entry, before coming to our area? This online approach could give visitors an opportunity to educate themselves! The Chamber of Commerce/Visitors Centre could encourage, suggest and/or ask tourists to visit such sites. Limited billboard advertising could help introduce the idea. In the beginning, why not offer a discount if a tourist could show evidence of visiting such sites? “My Tours” is a number one tourist app that engages visitors.
A “visitor shuttle” idea works in other high tourist communities. Start small, secure a site and shuttle on! It will eliminate people carting coolers, bbqs and inflatable toys to a given spot. Increase signage telling people to walk facing traffic and that it is a finable offence otherwise!
Apparently, we are number 1 in every Toronto tourism blog, so social media has taken over and that should redirect our thinking and our action plans! It is a known fact that advertising proper behaviour, like no littering or fines will be written, actually does make a difference!
We need to identify how full every site can be and limit the numbers to a given area. More importantly, we need to redirect visitors and encourage tourists to enjoy a variety of activities, not just the typical, popular activities.
Rent more kayaks in different locations, hike trails like the Green Belt Walkway (do you know where it goes to and from?), promote cycling trails (like the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, specifically the Bruce Road 9 tour from Lion’s Head to Wiarton), encourage activity on the trails at Singing Sands, rope climbing at Little Cove Adventures, or promote guided tours like the Eco Adventures company offers. All of these would get people away from the over burdened, existing tourist attractions!
Stokes Bay and the likes – any potential opportunists who want to get a piece of the pie and share the wealth? The Chamber and/or “brucecounty.on.ca” offers small business setup/working sessions. Help exists.
Ideas like charging day visitors, adding a tourist tax to hotel guests, boat tourists and campers (which are in excess of 1,200 sites excluding Cyprus Lake) would surely bring in the needed revenue to build our infrastructure. We need to deal with waste management, vehicle parking, pedestrian safety and bylaw enforcement. Without any change/improvements, there’s only one place the money can come from and you know what that means! We need to seriously promote activities in the off season months – why not offer discounts on things like potential tourist taxes?
Parking costs and fines need to be increased significantly! People have flatly claimed that “the fine, if they are caught, is cheap for a free day on the water!” We are being taken advantage of and it must stop!
If short term accommodations have to pay for a hospitality license, so too should the campgrounds. We all need to work together and realize that visitors need to help pay for infrastructure costs.
I’ve read that Nepal’s natural flower is often described as a discarded plastic water bottle! Sad, but if we don’t act now… What do you think our natural flower might be seen as? A water bottle, Timmie’s cup, or a beer can?
The ball is in our court. What are we prepared to do?
Respectfully,
Deryn Harkness
