Tourism Golden plans ahead

At their annual strategy meeting, the staff and board of Tourism Golden decide on priorities for the year

Tourism Golden has a five-year plan that includes a strong focus on expanded public relations. — Kirsten Armleder photo

The decisions made by Tourism Golden (B.C.) are not made lightly, and the executive director and board of directors don’t rely on luck for their success. The organization has a carefully crafted five-year business plan it first submits to the Ministry of Tourism, then refers to as a guide in choosing its yearly areas of specific focus.

Joanne Sweeting is the executive director of Tourism Golden, and she and the board have been following that successful protocol since she was hired in February 2012.

“We’re a non-profit organization, but I run it in the same way as I would a for-profit company,” said Sweeting. “You have to know what your objectives are, because this is not our money. If we don’t get the best return on our investment that we possibly can, it affects a much bigger picture than just Tourism Golden—there’s the economy and reputation of a whole local industry and this community that feels the impact. The planning element of it is probably the most important thing we do.”

Public relations focus pays off

At its annual strategy meeting for 2013-2014, Tourism Golden raised the profile of its public relations as a specific strategy, and that decision has generated some exciting exposure for the resort community.

“Our focus on PR and media relations has generated some really fantastic high-profile stories for us, including one in Canadian Geographic magazine,” Sweeting said.

As a result of Tourism Golden’s PR work, the North American Ski Journalists Association has decided to have Golden host its annual meeting in January 2016. Sweeting said it’s a great coup to have 20 to 25 very targeted journalists, writers and media people coming to Golden for four days. Tourism Golden intends to showcase all of the facets of being a true winter destination.

“The journalists will ski at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and get the big mountain experience, possibly including heli-skiing for those who want it,” Sweeting said. “We’ll showcase the great snowmobiling that we have, the cross-country skiing, the new focus on snowshoeing in the Dawn Mountain area, and there’s also the backstory of the dining, key personalities and the activity operators.”

Leverage from its friends

Sweeting noted that working with Resorts of the Canadian Rockies and Destination BC gives Tourism Golden a far greater reach than it would have on its own. Golden’s elevated profile has resulted in more traffic to its events and an immediate economic boost for the community.

“Since we started in 2012, we’ve had a massive upturn in visitation, as shown by the increased amount of MRDT revenue (two per cent sales tax charged on short-term accommodation),” she said.

Tourism Golden is working its plan to entice the world to experience the spectacular wild beauty and many recreational joys available year round in Golden.