Special Supplement

Greater. Victoria isa mecca for travellers the world over. From ‘the causeway,
"situated directly next to the Victoria Visitors and Convention Bureau, almost all

THE SIDNEY REVIEW, JUNE 7, 1972

“of the visitors set out armed with maps and other information from that office to =
» enjoy the wonders of the entire community.

“The

not because of them.’

This terse comment ‘comes:
froma man who is himself -ac-
(ively. engaged in catering to
Victaria’s visitors and who takes
time. to travel and see what. ef-

forts. to promote tourism are

provincial capital is as-yet only .

2

made chewhere,

According to this critic,

“potential for attracting and en-

‘promote their interests outside :

the

tertaining. visitors. to the

halfrenlized.:

“Partof the reason is that they .

(local — businessnien) don't

this city, Another reason is that

the support: “piven Lourist
promotion =. bys member,
municipalities ot the Visitor's
Information. Bureau is
deplorable
Although the. provincial

governnient provides (a. $b per,
capita grant for development of
tourist
municipalities such as. Onk" Bay
(population 1,364) gives $1,760 to

the Bureau, Saanich (population

65,052) $3,500 and the township of
ee quimalt cpopulation 2,805)
$500,

City of Victoria
60,807) does oa fine
'Yourisin in Une field of financial
assistance. and in) co-operation,
says this businessman, The

. Vietovia ety council has carn:

tributed $600,000 this year toward
the Tureau,

tourist industry is: ex:
panding in Victoria — but it is in’
_ spite of the businesses concerned,

the. oriented businesses also benefit.”
from. the

dollars, Laundries, gas stations,

“tyicdustry, -

i pal wut at lon :
job. for’

Yet the industry has grown ona —
‘province-wide basis to provide a
revenue of $480,000,000 annually.

“And itis obvious by the growth:
of motels. and -other facilities -
. locally that there is a tremendous

sun af money pour ing into ‘this
community.”

The general public tends to

forget that many. people other

than those employed by tourist

massive “influx of
restaurant) equipment: suppliers

and the thousands. of students

cwho obtain summer jobs are onby,
afew of those affected. by the -
‘pncreased pace of daily business,

“The money. flowing inte’ the

economy locally is earned outside.
Abie
—oildren whe, agcampany their

grea and..the hordes” of

visiting parents are no burden on

local school tayes, emphast nes ;
this erifig .

“Without the buovaney: “of the
(which “ike.

four ist, industry:
‘growing, al consistant. rate),

City Counci) could not be 0°
Keneraus wilh. allocations oof

funds.’ .
To take advantaye av’ the
‘situation, much more education
and planning is needed. Jor ine
stance, one. orestauranteur
suggests that top-quality training
is needed ta provide hotel and
restaurant. management: per:
sonnel, Present vocational school

courses do not fill this need, |
Aesthetic planning of Cacilities
should be controlled by a com

mittee (possibly set cup by City

Hall) of interested citizens. This

© committee should have sufficient.

power to establish standards. of
“sympathetic” building and

“planning.

“The ex xtension of the City Hall
is an example of: snecessttl’
planning but often modern

business segment, in this
for the:
organization aan

OS Rae

PEt es

: on the tourist industry.

atl

‘Bureau and this would

As. Mayor of your City,
-fullsupport to this drive,

and otherwise
Vis itors" Bure Vu.

pe rereeacaiaei

7 | An Open Lette
“from the Mayor of Viewoela

The present drive for financial
i membership in the Greater Victoria Visitors’
and Convention Bureau directed towards the:

continuation

While City Council wishes. to support. the.
7 ‘Bureau finaned ally, iPeannot in good conscience
2 wontinue to do so. without insisting on a major
contribution of funds f rom the businesses relying

-fortheoming from the business segment, then
‘City Counell cannot realistically support the

Capital City of British Columbia.

turn give every assistance possible financially
2 to ensure an efficient Vietoria

Yours
co Peter Pollen
mo ea MAYOR

slate ota metal began ORTOP Or
SNAP? set SABA! wg SOULS

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atte hit take byt
: ats CROC

“functionalism detracts from this
city. We should try to retain the
old world-in the new.’"

The need for such a committec

is made even more obvious by the

sort, of “tourist-trap” establish- >

ments setup by those who: are
simply chasing the dollar with no

MRM MMMM ROM Te Pe)
1 eotatagetenegenstan esteeraeey, weet

support cand

City is very necessary

“of. this” essential

If this support is .not

be a sad state for the

Task that you give your
and your Council will in

truly,

7 eet
SCM PCM MESES tele eee

thought. for the ‘environment;
adds. this. businessman.

A big boost. Lo the «all local
businesses would he given by the
establishment of ao large con-:
vention centre, We are missing
the boat. here, there is tremen-
doug enmpetition ins the con

vention field’

Tete

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