Despite bumps in finding enough funding, Tourism Powell River will introduce a host of new programs and practices this tourist season.
“We’re working toward a different model,” said visitor services manager Tracey Ellis. “There’s a level of expectation that people have when they come into a visitors’ centre. That’s fine, but my level is much higher than that.”
Ellis’ initiatives aim to integrate more businesses and residents of Powell River into the organization.
Summer hires are working on a project that would allow residents to become area ambassadors. For $25, locals become a member of Tourism Powell River and an ambassador of the City of Powell River, shown through labels on buttons, T-shirts or hats. Participants are trained as visitor information counsellors, which allows them to volunteer with Tourism Powell River at events. They also receive WorldHost customer service training.
The program will help emphasize that Powell River residents are approachable, said Ellis. “It just makes visitors feel really comfortable to see someone with a button on that says, ‘Ask me, I’m a Powell River Ambassador.’”
In addition, Tourism Powell River is introducing a promotion that allows businesses to purchase a six-month membership for half price. Members can advertise on the organization’s website and put their brochures in the office’s brochure rack.
A complete overhaul of the current website is also on the menu. According to Ellis, the new version will be mobile-friendly and integrate touch-screen technology. Business members will be allotted a full page of advertising, able to be edited by them at anytime. The refurbished website is due to be released in early fall.
Another key change lies in the organization’s hiring process. Limited funding has forced Ellis to be resourceful. “For the second year in a row, we have not received the Service Canada funding,” she explained. Instead, Tourism Powell River received funding from Get Youth Working, a program funded through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Agreement that provides businesses with the resources to hire and train up to three youth for a three-month period. Those hired must be between the age of 15 and 29 and cannot be students.
To make the most of the three-month time period, Ellis staggered her hiring. One worker started on May 1, another started on June 1, and a third is due to start on July 1. This hiring process staffs Powell River Visitor Information Centre until the end of September, allowing the organization to serve an extended season.
This is the first time Tourism Powell River has been funded by Get Youth Working, which began in 2011. “Many of the tourism offices did not get funding [from Service Canada] this year, so I wanted to have something in my back pocket to make sure we were able to keep our service level high,” Ellis explained.
Tourism Powell River was also funded by the Powell River Regional District and Heritage Canada, which allows it to hire two university students.
One youth hired for the summer, Estevan Merlo, said working at the tourism office has given him great experience. “I like to help the visitor find what they’re looking for...to hear what they want to do and then connect them to what we have to offer,” he explained. Merlo’s knowledge of multiple languages adds to visitors’ comfort.
In the end, Ellis said this one-on-one connection that workers provide is the key to happy tourists.
“It’s about being a people person and connecting,” she explained. “We can work with them, talk with them and help them find exactly what they’re looking for.”
