REGIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION LOOKING TO ENGAGE BRUCE, GREY AND SIMCOE
TOURISM INDUSTRY

COLLINGWOOD, ON, Nov. 29 /CNW/ - The group that is working with the provincial government to establish the new organization that will represent Bruce, Grey and Simcoe counties (Region 7) under the province's new tourism funding and management strategy is looking to engage the area's tourism industry leaders and organizations in its efforts.

"Perhaps our most important job is to put a strong industry-led board in place to lead our regional tourism organization," said Bev Philp of Blue Mountain Resort, who is chairing the transitional governance committee. A nomination process is currently underway, says Philp, with the objective of having a board in place by January.

The RTO7 Transition Team (Region 7 Regional Tourism Organization transitional board) has just concluded a series of ten industry forums across the region in support of the board nomination process, which is open until December 10^th. Adds Philp: "Because the board will represent the entire region it is vital that it benefit from the leadership of experienced directors who reflect our key tourism sectors."

Information about the board structure and application process can be found on the RTO7 web site at www.region7transition.ca.

The RTO7 Transition Team is also administering a number of initiatives that have been funded by the Ministry of Tourism under a 'priority projects' framework the province introduced to help the 13 developing RTOs across the province begin working toward increasing the overall economic impact of tourism.

RTO7 projects include development of a strategic tourism plan for the region, evaluation of the economic impact of winter tourism, and a media and public relations project to enhance consumer awareness of key experiences and attractions, says Kathleen Trainor of Tourism Barrie, who is a member of the project steering committee.

"These projects will have an enormous impact not just for RTO7, but also for the region's tourism operators," says Trainor. She notes the group also has projects underway that are looking at waterways and at green tourism that have excited a great deal of interest, particularly in Bruce County. "Our goal with all these projects is to create a strong foundation from a regional perspective that will support development and growth of our tourism industry."

The Transition Team is actively soliciting participation and input from stakeholders and the tourism industry in its projects, and wants to encourage interested parties to take advantage of opportunities to get involved by visiting its web site to find out more.

For further information: