Title: BIAs and the Tourist Market: Highlights from an Exploratory Study of Ontarios BIAs
1BIAs and the Tourist MarketHighlights from an
Exploratory Study of Ontarios BIAs
Andrew Giraldi agiraldi_at_gmail.com
2Why Should BIAs be Interested in Tourism?
- It presents an opportunity to...
- Increase the vibrancy of the BIA
- Increase the number of shoppers in the area
- Partner with neighbouring businesses/attractions
in promotion efforts to a wider market - Make the BIA the place to be for visitors and
locals - ...All with the intention of increasing business
revenues
3Why Should BIAs be Interested in Tourism?
- The Ontario Governments recent report (Feb
2009), Discovering Ontario A Report on the
Future of Tourism, mentions a number of things
that should interest BIAs. - E.g. Revitalizing tourism marketing with a
regional focus
4Why Did I Study BIAs and Tourism?
- BIAs are an example of active place management
- So if tourism is taking place in the
neighbourhood they are likely involved - BUT very little is known about the tourism
involvement of BIAs - NO study in North America has directly addressed
the subject
5The Study Purpose
- To explore the involvement of BIAs in tourism,
collecting broad knowledge about - Place promotion methods
- Tourism development Investments?
- Tourism management Plans? Staff?
- Types of tourism experiences offered
- Positive and negative impacts of tourism
6What do we Mean by Tourism?
- A broad definition is needed
- Tourism is
- the temporary movement of people to destinations
outside their normal places of work and
residence, the activities undertaken during their
stay in those destinations, and the facilities
created and services provided to cater to their
needs (Wall Mathieson, 2006, p.1)
7Where the Data Comes from...
- Mailed-out survey to all BIAs in Ontario (259)
- Worked with TABIA, OBIAA on survey design
- Offered an executive summary of the results to
participants - 35 response rate showed BIA interest
- Allows for the findings to be generalized to all
Ontario BIAs
8What Proportion of BIAs are Involved in Tourism?
9Why Are Some BIAs Not Involved in Tourism?
10What Prompted BIAs to Work to Attract Tourists?
11Number of Events and Festivals that Attracted
Tourists
- In 2007...
- Average 4.6 (4-5 festivals/events)
- Highest number was 100
12What Other Tourist Attractions have been Created?
- Most frequently-mentioned attractions
- Murals often historic
- Other outdoor art displays/public art
- Various tours and guided walks - restaurants,
historic, etc. - Lighting displays (often seasonal)
- Parks and parkettes
- Flowers and floral displays
- Skating rinks
13What Other Tourist Attractions have been Created?
- Other appealing attractions that have been
created - Convention centre
- Promenade
- Pavilion
- Town mascot
- Walk of fame
- Renovated market square
- Renovated theatre
- Boutique hotel
- Maritime discovery centre
- Tourist information booth
- Free concerts
14Methods of Promotion to Tourists
15Most Important Activities/ Experiences/Features
to Tourists
- Top 6 in the very important to tourists
category - Water bodies (70)
- Festivals and special events (67)
- Fine dining (61)
- Performance theatres (58)
- Speciality shops and heritage structures (tied at
51 each)
16Types of Specialty Shops that Attract Tourists
- Clothing (mentioned 22 times) lingerie, formal
wear, kids, seniors, ethnic, designer, etc. - Specialty Foods (mentioned 13 times) chocolate,
cheese, candy, local foods, organic foods,
vintage wine, etc. - Giftware Art (mentioned 13 times)
- Recreation Sports Gear (mentioned 11 times)
camping, hockey, golf supplies - Hobby Shops (mentioned 10 times) collectibles,
crafts, custom iron work, needle point,
embroidery
17Other Stakeholders that are Marketing Partners
Other includes municipalities, local community
organizations, chambers of commerce, other
attractions (convention centre, museums, art
gallery, etc.)
18Tourism Management Tourism Committees? Tourism
Strategies?
19BIA Accessibility
20Problems from Tourism Development
21Positives from Tourism Development
22What BIAs Plan to do to Improve their Tourism
Offering
- Improve and increase their marketing efforts
(mentioned by 24 BIAs) - Form and strengthen partnerships (mentioned by 22
BIAs) - Improve and increase festivals and events
(mentioned by 21 BIAs) - Improve the streetscape (mentioned by 15 BIAs)
- Invest in attractions (mentioned by 11 BIAs)