TOFINO RESORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 1 | P a g e District of Tofino 2019-2021 Resort Development Strategy Contents 1. BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................................................... 3 HISTORY ................................................................................................................................................................................ 3 COMMUNITY ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3 TOURISM CONTEXT .............................................................................................................................................................. 3 SWOT ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................................................... 6 2. VISION ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 3. GOALS ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 4. STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION .............................................................................................................. 9 5. LINKAGES TO OTHER PLANS ................................................................................................................... 10 6. RMI PROJECT OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................... 12 7. THREE-YEAR RMI FINANCIAL PLAN ........................................................................................................ 24 8. APPENDIX – STAKEHOLDER LETTERS OF SUPPORT ................................................................................ 25 2 | P a g e District of Tofino 2019-2021 Resort Development Strategy 1. BACKGROUND The District of Tofino is situated at the northern tip of the Esowista Peninsula and is within the Clayoquot Sound region - one of the most spectacular wilderness areas in North America. Clayoquot Sound (a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve) is the largest area of ancient temperate rainforest remaining on Vancouver Island and its lush old growth forests and magnificent beaches abound with both marine and terrestrial wildlife. Access to Tofino from the east part of Vancouver Island is via Highway 4 or via air, either by float plane service from the harbour or from the Tofino- Long Beach Airport. HISTORY The Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations have made Clayoquot Sound their home for several thousand years. The Tla-o- qui-aht Village of Opitsaht (across the water from Tofino on Meares Island) is thought to have been continuously inhabited for at least the past 5,000 years, according to carbon dating of a long-buried stash of discarded clamshells. Tla-o-qui-aht people have occupied the area of Meares Island, Tofino, Long Beach and beyond as far as Sutton Pass, what is now known as Highway 4 west of Port Alberni. The word Clayoquot comes from Tla-o-qui- aht. The Tla-o-qui-aht Nation and its people are a nation with over 1200 members. As a traditionally strong nation, the Tla-o-qui-aht’s teachings continue to honour the traditional governance of their Ha’wiih (Hereditary Chiefs). Post-contact, Tofino developed as a small fishing, timber and mining town. Following the decline in resource harvesting in the 1980s, 'ecotourism' recreational activities have become an important sector in the region's economy, including activities such as whale watching, kayaking, boating, wildlife viewing, diving, surfing, storm- watching, and recreational sport fishing. COMMUNITY Tofino is home to approximately 1932 year-round residents (Census 2016), many of whom are directly employed in the tourism industry. Much of the new growth in population is a direct result of amenity based migration and the lifestyle afforded by the abundance of natural and cultural amenities in the region. In 2016, the median age of Tofino residents was 35.9 years, compared to the BC median age of 43 years. Apart from its spectacular natural amenities, Tofino has a robust cultural scene, playing host to numerous annual cultural events related to the culinary arts, natural environment, and performing arts and visual arts, which are also well attended by the local community. TOURISM CONTEXT The tourism industry continues to play a significant role in the BC economy overall. In 2015, tourism employment grew to 134,300 jobs, and tourism export revenue was estimated at $4.2 billion. The RMI communities, of which Tofino is one, contribute 29% ($265M) of the tourism taxes in the province annually and generate 30% of the Tofino Resort Development Strategy 2019-2021 3 tourism export revenues ($1.97B) annually.1 On Vancouver Island, BC residents account for 66% of total visitation and 41% of spending. Other major markets include US residents, other Canadians, and overseas visitors.2 Visitors to Tofino originate primarily from BC (72% in spring 2016, 71% in autumn). In autumn, 34% of the visitors were 20-29 years, whereas in the spring, the age ranges were more spread out. Beaches were identified as the most visited attraction and participated activity in both spring and fall. The most popular attractions, year-round, were identified as beaches, followed by dining out, and parks and trails; the most popular activity indicated was beach activities (approximately 80%) followed by hiking, self-guided sight-seeing, and shopping (approximately 50%), with participation in other activities such as surfing, whale watching and culinary tasting as approximately 20-25% of activities. For visitors that attended events, the majority of the events identified were ‘other personal/family events.’ When asked to rate performance versus importance of a number of features in their decision to visit Tofino, visitors indicated that performance exceeded the perceived importance of all features, and the overall satisfaction rating was 4.9 out of 5 (spring and fall visitor surveys). The recently released Economic Impact of Tourism in Tofino report3 indicates that approximately 600,000 visitors travelled to Tofino in 2018, spending $295 million. Of these, 522,400 were overnight visitors while 76,600 were day visitors. During July and August Tofino hosted an average of 6,600 visitors each day. Tofino’s tourism industry also supports 2,670 direct jobs, or 1,720 full-time equivalent jobs, which generate $60 million in wages annually. 1 Whistler Centre for Sustainability’s RMI key messages 2018. 2 Destination BC: South Central Island Situation Analysis, 2017 3 Tourism Tofino: Economic Impact of Tourism in Tofino, March 2019 Tofino Resort Development Strategy 2019-2021 4 Destination BC Motivating Experiences4 Destination BC identified the following motivating experiences for visitors to the Tofino/South Central Island region. These trends are important considerations for Tofino in identifying priority investments for the Resort Development Strategy. The marine playground captures the extraordinary range of boating experiences from the relatively placid waters of the Salish Sea to the wild, untamed open Pacific of the Island’s west coast. Islands and archipelagoes are highly conducive to tourism activities, with power boating, sailing, diving, fishing, wildlife viewing and sightseeing drawing visitors from around the world. Nature-based adventures are built around the coastal temperate rainforest, unique biodiversity characteristics and a complete range of land-based visitor experiences from mountain to coastal and back country to front country. The national, provincial and local park systems provide a sustainable land base and are important for drawing visitor interest. Indigenous tourism is in an emergent phase in the region, with numerous destination attractions and the rich cultural traditions of the Nuu-chah-nulth and Coast Salish peoples, it has exceptional potential for expanding the experiences sought by the key Cultural Explorer market. The history of settlement and industry is multi-faceted and ever evolving as the region transitions from the mining, fishing and forestry foundations of the past to new economic activities. Early explorers and settlement activities have their own set of fascinating stories that have strong appeal for US and overseas markets in particular. Coastal creativity refers to the dynamic arts, crafts and cultural sectors that have attracted thousands of entrepreneurs and independent-minded tourism operators over the years. Whether it be world-class artisans, dynamic farmers markets, growing small-scale food production, innovative restaurants or a vibrant performing arts and festival scene, coastal creativity is a foundational experience for South Central Island visitors. Visitors to Vancouver Island and the South Central Island planning area in particular, quickly experience the relaxed, safe and welcoming island-coastal lifestyle. The distinctive small communities have their own charm that resonate with visitors for their genuine authenticity and complement the regional service centre of Nanaimo. 4 Destination BC: South Central Island Destination Development Strategy (March 2018) Tofino Resort Development Strategy 2019-2021 5 SWOT ANALYSIS This SWOT analysis provides an overview of the internal and external factors impacting