Osoyoos awards tourism contract

Castanet Oct 3, 2009 / 4:30 pm:

The Town of Osoyoos announced recently it will award a three-year contract to the Destination Osoyoos Development Society for the provision of tourism marketing and visitor services from 2010 through 2012. The contract, for $120,000 per year, is the result of four months of negotiations between Town Council and Destination Osoyoos, as well as input from a major community forum held in April to determine the public’s wishes on the future of economic development services in Osoyoos. Since the late-1990s DO has provided tourism and economic development services for the town. The most recent five-year agreement – for $226,000 per year – ends December 31, 2009. The new contract, which eliminates economic development from DO’s services for the Town, will begin January 1, 2010.

Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells says the Town’s review of DO’s services, along with submissions from citizens and groups at the community forum in April, has led the town to consider operating economic development services directly from Town Hall. “As a result of that public input session, Council has made the decision to move in a different direction for economic development on behalf of the community,” says Wells. “At the same time, we look forward to a continuation of the strong results Destination Osoyoos provides in the areas of tourism marketing and visitor services. We recognize the excellent work that DO has done over the years to position Osoyoos as a destination of choice, with greatly improved visitor experiences.” Wells says the new agreement with Destination Osoyoos confirms Council’s commitment to ensure that Osoyoos’ $70-million tourism industry will continue to receive tax-based support. At the same time, he says, Council feels that the development and marketing of the local tourism industry is best carried out by an organization which is driven by the business community and which has flexibility in delivering services.

Destination Osoyoos Board of Directors Chair, Derek Noske, says their organization has enjoyed the opportunity to oversee economic development on behalf of the town. “Over those years, our town has seen numerous changes and we sincerely thank the town for the trust they placed with Destination Osoyoos. We wish Council every success as they embark on a different path for this vital community service.” Barry Romanko, the Town’s Chief Administrative Officer, says contract negotiations between the town and Destination Osoyoos included a review of the services provided, the benefits of different service models, the reporting processes between the two organizations, strategic plans for each service area, and the provincial Resort Municipality funding of approximately $200,000 per year for local tourism-related improvements, which has been administered by DO. He says as of January 1, the town will take over administration of those monies. “DO will continue to work with the local tourism industry to co-ordinate spending of the approximately $200,000 raised each year in Osoyoos by the two-per-cent Additional Hotel Room Tax (AHRT) for tourism promotion. DO also retains its long-term contract with Tourism BC to operate the BC Visitor Centre in Osoyoos.”

Romanko says details of the town’s new contract with DO for tourism marketing and visitor services have not been finalized. “We will work out the definitions of services to be provided to the town, reconfirm communication systems between our two organizations, and we will both commit to work together in a spirit of collegiality for the betterment of our community.” He says public accountability for the public funding to Destination Osoyoos will be achieved by Town Council having two non-voting members on DO’s Board of Directors, with one of them on the Board’s executive.