REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: September 04, 2015 Report No. DEV-15-044
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Bill Brown, Director of Development Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Request for funding to feature Esquimalt on the 2016 edition of the "Victoria BC Official Destination Map"
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council allocate $8,400.00 from the 2015 contingency to pay to have Esquimalt featured on the 2016 edition of the "Victoria BC Official Destination Map".
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Official Community Plan policy 8.1.2 (e) states, "Working with other organizations, the Township will continue to promote Esquimalt's visitor attractions, including waterfront parks, the Gorge Waterway, West Bay and Esquimalt Harbour, the Navy Base/Museum and military history and related recreational activities."
Economic Development Strategy actions:
- "Promote marine recreational opportunities and events in the Township."
- "Support development of tourism opportunities in West Bay."
- "Promote recreational and sporting opportunities for visitors from around the CRD."
- "Promote Esquimalt as a "place to visit" using online channels."
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
This program supports the "Implementation of the Economic Development Strategy".
BACKGROUND:
On October 27, 2014, Council passed the following resolution:
Although staff cannot provide Council with a statistically valid cost-benefit analysis to prove that the "one year trial period" was successful, anecdotal evidence from municipal staff suggests that the map was quite popular - in fact more had to be ordered.
Over 500,000 copies of the map were distributed throughout Greater Victoria in 2015. In addition to municipal facilities (e.g. Municipal Hall, Municipal Archives, Public Safety Building, and the Esquimalt Library), the maps were distributed by Attractions Victoria to the tourist information centres, major hotels, the cruise ship terminal, and ...
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