Hotel Tax Boosts Tourism P.G. Budget

Wednesday, February 23, 2011 07:49 PM

Prince George, B.C.- Tourism Prince George is now entering its second year as a true destination marketing organization. Using some funds from the City and some from the hotel tax, Tourism Prince George is ready to move forward with a budget that is just over $1 million dollars.

CEO Aiden Kelly says the year ahead will see Tourism P.G. continue to work on its tourism plan and the development of partnerships with stakeholders and industry.

The primary market which Tourism P.G. will be focusing on this year are first, the residents of Northern B.C, long haul Visitors to northern B.C. and Alaska, Corporations and associations with northern B.C. presence, sporting event organizers, and local residents.

Kelly says there are already 6 or seven events, considered test events, which are being booked for the City leading up to the Canada Winter Games in 2015. The secondary group includes hunting and fishing and guide outfitters.

“What we need to do is develop a balanced marketing portfolio” says Kelly. In addition to getting the word out through attendance at special conferences and tourism shows, he says there will be some focus on e-marketing as that is where many tourists find their information..

The budget has been divided into two separate streams, one for marketing, the other for the two visitor centres operating in Prince George.

Tourism Prince George gets about $327 thousand from the City, which is about 30% of the budget, the hotel tax covers about 50% and the balance is made up of revenue from sales and from the contract with the Regional District of Fraser Fort George. The budget for 2011 is up by about $75 thousand dollars, due to more income than expected from the hotel tax, and a reduction in operating costs of about $35 thousand dollars.

The overall budget for Tourism Prince George for 2011 is $1,035,000.00

Kelly says the hope is to grow tourism in Prince George at the provincial growth rate over the next couple of years, and is expected to exceed that growth rate by 2015.

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Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 07:49 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Harbinger on February 23 2011 8:14 PM

Maybe a true destination marketing organization, but PG? Not so much. Again, just eat here and get gas.

Posted by: northernjoe on February 23 2011 9:30 PM

So true Harbinger... there will undoubtably be an increase in 2015.... Winter games... remember? Kind of guaranteed tourism... not sure that calls for a million dollar budget.... Oh but wait the city will have invested in a privately owned Farmers Market Downtown... that will bring the crowds... oh AND lets not forget the 50million dollar arts center no one will be able to afford to use... that's bound to bring em in as well...

Posted by: acrider54 on February 24 2011 5:32 AM

Of course just keep taxing the hell out of the residences and visitors, the few that come here. High gas prices, hotel tax there will be no tourism. Drive by PG you can get cheaper gas any which way out of the city even 115 at the MacKenzie junction. Not a whole lot of savings but just the same.

Posted by: mwk on February 24 2011 6:59 AM

Complain complain complain......oh and complain some more.

First, did you ever think that because there was no tourism PG in the past is why there really isn't a focus on tourism? You have to start somewhere and finally it sounds like they are getting some of their ducks in a row to start doing something.

Second, let's see any of you guys try and do something with a Million dollars. Sure to the individual a Million dollars sounds like you could live the good life. Yeah for one family maybe. When you are trying to market an entire town it's peanuts. I say good for them to try and make something out of this town.

Third, tax the hell out of the residences and visitors......
That makes no sense. The hotel tax is I believe 2% in addition to the HST. Yup, 2 cents on every dollar. Crazy stuff. The residents pay to have the services such as road maintenance, water, sewer, lights, RCMP, fire stations, 2015 games etc, etc. A typical family only pays probably a couple thousand a year for those services. That's good value if you ask me.

Come on PG, if we had a decent tourism industry that would be more money on our city in addition to Rail, Forestry, Oil & Gas etc. Why do people try and shoot this down????

Posted by: Palopu on February 24 2011 9:39 AM

mwk. Dont kid yourself. We have had tourism in Prince George for many years. Their last location was, and is, with IPG. What the hell do you think the bottom floor of the CN building on first Ave. is??? Its been there for years. Or the building on the junction of 97 and 16.

What is happening here is the fact that they now have the hotel tax, which gives them some extra dollars, so they are going out on their own, to spend the money.

The hotel tax will be paid by people from the surrounding area that come to Prince George to shop, etc;, and basically is a tax on consumers.

People have been living in the Prince George area for over 100 years. All the BS has been tried in various ways, many, many times. The question is. Where are the tourists??? The answer is, they get the hell out of Prince George as fast as possible, because there is nothing here of any interest to a **legitimate** tourist.

The biggest attraction to Prince George is the shopping facilities for people from outlying areas, thats why they come to Prince George, and thats why the big box stores located here. To suggest that these people are tourists, and charge them a hotel tax, is absolute BS.

Posted by: Harbinger on February 24 2011 1:46 PM

People on this site do not complain. They just make observations that are interpreted by you as complaining. Don't whine. Observe.

Posted by: supertech on February 24 2011 8:04 PM

$327 thousand from the city. That will just cover the wages of the three people who work there--sorta like being employed by the city.