Tourism down sharply?

[livewire]

http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/news/171211481.html

My question for CEO Jessie Campbell is 'What are you doing about it?" And further to that, what is this PHA that has several million dollars that's been collected to market our city doing about it?

It's a terrible situation but what's the plan going forward???

[southy]

LIvewire, have you considered emailing Jessie directly? You could also use that old technology called a telephone. Not sure what it is you are after by posting your question to Jessie on Castanet.

[livewire]

My point is, no one seems to know what the plan is and we should. The article was the perfect opportunity to tell the community how they are going forward and there was no mention. Sure I could call her and ask but shouldn't the whole city be in the know?

[southy]

Sure it would be nice for the whole city to know, EXCEPT the WHOLE CITY isn't reading your thread on Castanet.

[livewire]

Exactly - a lot of people read the Western though. Missed opportunity on their part.

[fluffy]

It makes me a little nervous when I see what could be interpreted as a veil of secrecy around the disposition of the room tax funds. The PHA pretty much held council earlier this year over the use of these funds, and this resulted in the loss of the new management group that had been awarded the contract for tourism services, some of the finest, most energetic minds in Penticton. Now we are back to the same-old-same-old old girls club in their Wine Country club-house with a lot of money going who knows where without tangible results.

[OnTheRoadAgain]

Sure it would be nice for the whole city to know, EXCEPT the WHOLE CITY isn't reading your thread on Castanet.

try a letter to the editor - published in the heartbeat of the local newspaper

[livewire]

Nail on the head Fluffy.

[DblDwn11]

I think this new group bit off more then they could chew. Tourism marketing isn't easy and it's ultra competitive. Penticton's group was so busy in-fighting and trying to keep their jobs, that they forgot to DO their jobs.

So other communities scooped up the tourists dollars.

I too am curious what the new plans are for 2013 and beyond. I have to think that Jessie Campbell is on a short leash. Hate to see her made the scapegoat. My best advice for her is to get an exit strategy organized.

[fall]

Just wait until next year minus the ironman!!!!

[livewire]

Fall, have you heard about the Challenge Family race replacing it? Over 1000 signed up and a week long event instead of a couple days?

[johnhenry]

Fall, have you heard about the Challenge Family race replacing it? Over 1000 signed up and a week long event instead of a couple days?

So half the people then? That is a downturn in my calculations.

[glassmaster]

The number of participants that the Challenge Race has already been able to attract is far higher than in the first years of IronMan. This is not a downturn ... it is an incredibly promising trend.

[XT225]

The number of participants that the Challenge Race has already been able to attract is far higher than in the first years of IronMan. This is not a downturn ... it is an incredibly promising trend.

I think what they are getting at, is that compared to last years Ironman signup by this time, registrations are way down. It has to do with what Ironman decides to do. Lets hope that the WTC moves the race to Whistler or Huntsville and NOT Kelowna on the same day as the Challenge Penticton race. If not, it will take years to ever get the Challenge race here up to the levels that Ironman was. The decision has been put off til the end of this week; obviously not an easy choice.

[Darkre]

If WTC wants revenge for Penticton dumping them it will end up in Kelowna. However each race would have a hard time being successful directly competing with each other in such close proximity. Whistler might actually be the biggest threat to Penticton. Totally new high profile area, closer to Vancouver. It's already a huge tourist draw, far bigger than Kelowna. What all of these locations have as an advantage is they are a new challenge and these athletes want to prove themselves with new challenges.