Tourism Langley gets green light
As many of you may know, I have been working with a committee of 18 volunteers on a plan for Langley tourism. The plan is required by the Township's economic development strategy, and needed quickly as the Chamber of Commerce plans to close its Visitor Centres on Jan. 1, 2008.
The committee included representatives from both the Township and the City, tourist attraction operators, and hoteliers. Facilitated by Tourism BC, the group came up with a plan for a non-profit society, similar to Tourism Abbotsford, to market and promote Langley to tourists. This society, tentatively called Tourism Langley, would have its own budget, board of directors, and be directly accountable to the tourism industry. It would be primarily funded by a 2% tax on hotel rooms (which already exists in the City and many other municipalities). Of the nine hotels in Langley, five supported the tax, two opposed it (including Mr. Martin), and two abstained. The hotels in favour represent almost 80% of the rooms in the Township.
I liked the idea. It reminded me of a Business Improvement Area, a model that has worked well to promote business in geographic locations. I have come to think of Tourism Langley as a Tourism BIA. Our Economic Development Commission and Community Heritage Commission liked it too.
Last week, Wally Martin, who runs the Traveller's Hotel, expressed concerns over the 2% tourist tax and the plan itself.
I, as Township Council's representative on the committee and a supporter of the initiative, wrote a letter to the editor supporting the plan. I'll post that letter at the bottom of this entry, as it lays out my thoughts.
Anyway, the Tourism Langley plan and 2% tourist tax, came up for a vote at both Councils Monday night. In the City, the plan was approved unanimously, although I'll note that their tourist tax is already in place.
Our council first heard from Mr. Martin and another hotelier, Lorena Zigarlick of the Walnut Grove Holiday Inn Express. These two longtime Langley residents couldn't have been mor epolarized--Wally opposed, Lorena in favour.
Township Council, I am pleased to report, voted 6-3 in favour of the plan and the tourist tax (moved by Bateman, seconded by Ward; Alberts, Richter and Ferguson opposed). As a side benefit, we are now eligible for $199,440.71 in Union of BC Municipalities funding for tourism projects promoting Langley. It's a good plan. Over the coming months, a steering committee will work on some of the issues raised at Council last night (solidifying the commitment of both municipalities, looking at the Township's contribution, and ensuring the society's sustainability), but the pieces are all there for success. This thing is going to work and be an important part of Langley for many, many years to come.
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My letter to the editor:
Dear Editor,
Having worked on the Langley Tourism Strategy for more than six months, I read with great interest your story on one accommodation provider's objections to the plan [Hotel tax under fire, Oct. 6, Langley Advance].
I fully support the Tourism Langley plan, and encourage both Langley councils to endorse it. Our tourism community needs this industry-run, not-for-profit society to ensure that the number of visitors to Langley continues to grow in a sustainable way.
More than a year ago, the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce told both Langleys that it was getting out of the tourism business. The Chamber currently runs Langley's Visitor Information Centres, supplying vital travel information for both tourists and locals. They were so successful that the visitor centres began to consume too much of the Chamber's time and resources, and it needed to hand them off.
Tourism BC gathered representatives from the Township, the City, the Chamber, local tourist operators, and hoteliers to hash out a new plan for Langley. Together, we came to the consensus that an industry-run society was needed to properly market Langley as a visitor destination. This model has been used effectively by several B.C. communities, most notably Abbotsford.
A 35-feature plan was drawn up for the next five years, including developing marketing tools, training locals, and creating a significant online presence.
Tourism Langley will also operate a visitor centre. Last year, more than 16,000 people accessed the Chamber's centre, proving that it is still viable.
The plan calls for the Township and City to transfer fees we currently paid to the Chamber for tourism services to the new agency.
The City also plans to contribute $70,000 in hotel tax money to Tourism Langley. After much discussion, the tourism working group recommended that Township hoteliers collect the same two per cent tax.
That idea went out to the hotel industry, and five of seven respondents, representing almost 80 per cent of the hotel rooms in the Township, agreed.
The two per cent tax will be paid by tourists, not residents or business owners, and will only be spent on tourism marketing. It brings the Township into line with neighbouring communities.
In effect, overnight tourists will now invest in improving marketing for Langley. The alternative, using more and more of our residents' money to attract tourists, makes no sense.
Tourism Langley will not be government-run. While both municipal councils will each have a seat on the board, the hotel and tourism industries will have the other ten.
Studies show that, for every $1 invested in tourism marketing by a community, $36 flows into the community from visitors. That is a staggering return.
Furthermore, a not-for-profit agency like Tourism Langley has access to tens of thousands of dollars of senior government and corporate grant programs that municipalities do not.
When Tourism Langley comes up for a Township Council vote on Oct. 18, I will support it.
Councillor Jordan Bateman, Murrayville
The committee included representatives from both the Township and the City, tourist attraction operators, and hoteliers. Facilitated by Tourism BC, the group came up with a plan for a non-profit society, similar to Tourism Abbotsford, to market and promote Langley to tourists. This society, tentatively called Tourism Langley, would have its own budget, board of directors, and be directly accountable to the tourism industry. It would be primarily funded by a 2% tax on hotel rooms (which already exists in the City and many other municipalities). Of the nine hotels in Langley, five supported the tax, two opposed it (including Mr. Martin), and two abstained. The hotels in favour represent almost 80% of the rooms in the Township.
I liked the idea. It reminded me of a Business Improvement Area, a model that has worked well to promote business in geographic locations. I have come to think of Tourism Langley as a Tourism BIA. Our Economic Development Commission and Community Heritage Commission liked it too.
Last week, Wally Martin, who runs the Traveller's Hotel, expressed concerns over the 2% tourist tax and the plan itself.
I, as Township Council's representative on the committee and a supporter of the initiative, wrote a letter to the editor supporting the plan. I'll post that letter at the bottom of this entry, as it lays out my thoughts.
Anyway, the Tourism Langley plan and 2% tourist tax, came up for a vote at both Councils Monday night. In the City, the plan was approved unanimously, although I'll note that their tourist tax is already in place.
Our council first heard from Mr. Martin and another hotelier, Lorena Zigarlick of the Walnut Grove Holiday Inn Express. These two longtime Langley residents couldn't have been mor epolarized--Wally opposed, Lorena in favour.
Township Council, I am pleased to report, voted 6-3 in favour of the plan and the tourist tax (moved by Bateman, seconded by Ward; Alberts, Richter and Ferguson opposed). As a side benefit, we are now eligible for $199,440.71 in Union of BC Municipalities funding for tourism projects promoting Langley. It's a good plan. Over the coming months, a steering committee will work on some of the issues raised at Council last night (solidifying the commitment of both municipalities, looking at the Township's contribution, and ensuring the society's sustainability), but the pieces are all there for success. This thing is going to work and be an important part of Langley for many, many years to come.
----
My letter to the editor:
Dear Editor,
Having worked on the Langley Tourism Strategy for more than six months, I read with great interest your story on one accommodation provider's objections to the plan [Hotel tax under fire, Oct. 6, Langley Advance].
I fully support the Tourism Langley plan, and encourage both Langley councils to endorse it. Our tourism community needs this industry-run, not-for-profit society to ensure that the number of visitors to Langley continues to grow in a sustainable way.
More than a year ago, the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce told both Langleys that it was getting out of the tourism business. The Chamber currently runs Langley's Visitor Information Centres, supplying vital travel information for both tourists and locals. They were so successful that the visitor centres began to consume too much of the Chamber's time and resources, and it needed to hand them off.
Tourism BC gathered representatives from the Township, the City, the Chamber, local tourist operators, and hoteliers to hash out a new plan for Langley. Together, we came to the consensus that an industry-run society was needed to properly market Langley as a visitor destination. This model has been used effectively by several B.C. communities, most notably Abbotsford.
A 35-feature plan was drawn up for the next five years, including developing marketing tools, training locals, and creating a significant online presence.
Tourism Langley will also operate a visitor centre. Last year, more than 16,000 people accessed the Chamber's centre, proving that it is still viable.
The plan calls for the Township and City to transfer fees we currently paid to the Chamber for tourism services to the new agency.
The City also plans to contribute $70,000 in hotel tax money to Tourism Langley. After much discussion, the tourism working group recommended that Township hoteliers collect the same two per cent tax.
That idea went out to the hotel industry, and five of seven respondents, representing almost 80 per cent of the hotel rooms in the Township, agreed.
The two per cent tax will be paid by tourists, not residents or business owners, and will only be spent on tourism marketing. It brings the Township into line with neighbouring communities.
In effect, overnight tourists will now invest in improving marketing for Langley. The alternative, using more and more of our residents' money to attract tourists, makes no sense.
Tourism Langley will not be government-run. While both municipal councils will each have a seat on the board, the hotel and tourism industries will have the other ten.
Studies show that, for every $1 invested in tourism marketing by a community, $36 flows into the community from visitors. That is a staggering return.
Furthermore, a not-for-profit agency like Tourism Langley has access to tens of thousands of dollars of senior government and corporate grant programs that municipalities do not.
When Tourism Langley comes up for a Township Council vote on Oct. 18, I will support it.
Councillor Jordan Bateman, Murrayville