2016 UPDATED SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS & ECONOMIC PLANNING REPORT ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE COMMITTEE JUNE 2016 2016 UPDATED SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS & ECONOMIC PLANNING REPORT ECONOMIC VIABILITY Our Shared Future Whistler is a bustling resort community with stable year-round visitation and business activity. Local businesses flourish and generate sustainable livelihoods for our residents and economic returns for investors. Tourism remains the primary driver of Whistler's economic success, supported by compatible activities that provide a healthy diversified marketplace. Whistler was designed as a destination resort and the community supports building on that foundation and continues to expand into ventures that complement tourism to increase its attractiveness as a destination resort. Whistler has proven to be resilient through collaboration and partnerships. The resort’s success continues to be based on its ability to promote meaningful and vibrant experiences and offerings, from the core recreational activities to shopping and dining along with numerous festivals and events, arts and cultural activities, educational experiences, corporate conferences, spa and wellness retreats. Whistler’s resilience is due in part to its ability to track and adapt to external trends such as globalization, demographic change, upward pressures on energy and transportation prices, and growing competition. Through proactive strategies and commitment to community values, Whistler maintains its position as a global leader amongst destination mountain resort communities. OCP AMENDMENT BYLAW, 1983, 2011 ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE 2016 UPDATED SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS & ECONOMIC PLANNING REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR ____________________________________________________________________________ 4 MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER ________________________________________________________ 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY __________________________________________________________________________________ 6 1 INTRODUCTION ___________________________________________________________________________________ 9 1.1 EPI BACKGROUND ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 9 1.2 PLANNING CONTEXT _________________________________________________________________________________________ 10 1.3 KEY GLOBAL & CURRENT ECONOMIC TRENDS ________________________________________________________________________ 11 2 PROGRESS AGAINST THE 2012 PLAN _________________________________________________________________ 17 2.1 2012 - 2015 PROGRESS REPORT ________________________________________________________________________________ 17 3 KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS __________________________________________________________________________ 19 3.1 THE WHISTLER ECONOMIC MODEL _______________________________________________________________________________ 19 3.2 KEY PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS _________________________________________________________________________________ 21 4 DETAILED PERFORMANCE ANALYSES_________________________________________________________________ 23 4.1 TOTAL COMMERCIAL SECTOR SPENDING ___________________________________________________________________________ 23 4.2 TOTAL VISITORS BY SEASON & TYPE ______________________________________________________________________________ 26 4.3 VISITOR DAYS BY TYPE AND SEASON ______________________________________________________________________________ 29 4.4 VISITOR ACCOMMODATION SPENDING BY SEASON _____________________________________________________________________ 32 4.5 POPULATION EQUIVALENT _____________________________________________________________________________________ 35 4.6 RESIDENT SPENDING ________________________________________________________________________________________ 37 4.7 GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT BY SECTOR ____________________________________________________________________________ 38 4.8 LABOUR BY SECTOR _________________________________________________________________________________________ 40 4.9 VISITOR EXPENDITURE DETAILED REPORTING ________________________________________________________________________ 42 4.10 SECTOR EMPLOYMENT & GDP DETAILED REPORTING___________________________________________________________________ 49 4.11 TAX REVENUE IMPACT SUMMARY ________________________________________________________________________________ 58 4.12 TOURISM EXPORT REVENUES ___________________________________________________________________________________ 58 5 STRATEGIC PLAN FOR WHISTLER’S CONTINUED ECONOMIC SUCCESS ______________________________________ 59 5.1 COMMUNITY PRIORITIES ______________________________________________________________________________________ 59 5.2 ECONOMIC PLAN GOAL ______________________________________________________________________________________ 60 5.3 KEY FOCUS AREAS __________________________________________________________________________________________ 61 5.4 PLAN ON A PAGE ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 61 5.5 RECOMMENDED ACTIONS _____________________________________________________________________________________ 64 6 IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH _____________________________________________________________________ 77 7 MEASURING PROGRESS ___________________________________________________________________________ 79 7.1 TRACKING IMPLEMENTATION AND EXECUTION ________________________________________________________________________ 79 7.2 MONITORING KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS _______________________________________________________________________ 79 8 CLOSING COMMENTS _____________________________________________________________________________ 80 9 APPENDIX A- BENCHMARKING ASSESSMENT __________________________________________________________ 81 9.1 RESORT COMMUNITY OVERVIEWS _______________________________________________________________________________ 81 9.2 INDEXED COMPARISONS OF BENCHMARKED REORT COMMUNITIES __________________________________________________________ 84 The Resort Municipality of Whistler 3 | P a g e 2016 UPDATED SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS & ECONOMIC PLANNING REPORT MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR This Updated Summary of Key Findings and Economic Planning Report builds on the strategic plan established by the Economic Partnership Initiative Committee in 2012 and its continued work over the past two and a half years. Thank you to the Hotel Association of Whistler, Tourism Whistler, Whistler Chamber, Whistler Blackcomb and at large, staff and council representatives who have served on the committee. As a member of the committee, I am proud of the work done to continue to position Whistler as a successful world class destination. I would like to acknowledge the group’s strategic focus on long-term outcomes, and the members’ commitment of time and expertise on behalf of their respective organizations and the resort community. I would also like to thank the many businesses and residents who have contributed to the completed and ongoing projects identified in the 2012 report, and the development of this updated plan. Thanks also to our regional and government partners who contribute to and enable many of our initiatives. This report provides both an update on progress since the 2012 report, and a review of our economic performance since that time. Some key findings arising from specific economic metrics have led to a revised plan, which takes into account the ever changing external environment, as well as the successes and learnings from within the resort over the past few years. Whistler Council and partner representatives conducted a fact finding mission to Colorado in Fall 2015 which has also provided insights and background for our economic planning. The committee’s updated analyses indicate that Whistler has a gross domestic product (GDP) of $1.5 billion per year, which represents growth of 5.6 per cent per year since the 2012 report. From this GDP, nearly $500 million per year (or $1.37 million per day) in tax revenue is generated for the federal and provincial government and the Resort Municipality of Whistler. Whistler is responsible for an estimated 25 per cent of the entire annual tourism export revenue of British Columbia, up from 21.5 per cent in 2012. Whistler has contributed a true community effort to achieve these strong growth results. The plan provides concrete recommendations for collaboration for Whistler’s continued economic success, and defines key metrics for ongoing performance measurement. The recommendations place additional emphasis on leveraging all of our resort assets, including our talented and committed community members, who are essential for our continued success. I am especially pleased by the recent announcement regarding Whistler Blackcomb’s planned $345 million investment in Renaissance—the largest investment in the company’s history—showing exuberant confidence in the resort’s future. Renaissance will add new, year-round attractions and activities, see major on-mountain winter and summer improvements, and revitalize Blackcomb’s upper and lower base areas. This Updated Summary of Key Findings and Economic Planning Report is aligned with Council priorities and the Resort Municipality’s Corporate Plan, the organization’s key strategic planning document. The Resort Municipality of Whistler is committed to contributing towards our goal of a prosperous resort economy and continued collaboration with our resort partners to ensure Whistler’s success. Sincerely, Nancy Wilhelm-Morden Mayor RESORT MUNICIPALITY