Perfect storm

The forest industry may be the prime victim of the economic woes hurting Northwestern Ontario these days, but the tourism industry certainly is a close second.
Back in 2001, the peak year of the past decade, the tourism industry brought in more than $300 million to the area while employing almost 10,000 people, according to figures from the North Western Ontario Tourism Association (NWOTA).
But the rate of Americans travelling to Ontario is down 50 percent since then, with bookings for this year here looking to be down 17 percent from a year ago, NWOTA president Jerry Fisher says.
The DWI and passport issues at the border, the high Canadian dollar, a downturn in the U.S. economy and, of course, soaring gasoline prices have created a “perfect storm” that’s enveloped the industry—and it’s not likely to blow over anytime soon.
Throw in fickle Mother Nature, who seems to have forgotten the first long weekend of the summer season is upon us, and you can understand why tourist operators are decidedly “bearish” on the future.
That doesn’t mean it’s time to throw in the towel. Rather, a concerted effort is needed on several fronts to turn things around. Governments must continue working to ensure security concerns don’t hinder the flow of tourists between Canada and the United States, as well as fund marketing programs and attractions to lure visitors here.
Tourist operators, for their part, must continue to evolve with the changing times to maintain their clientele and attract new ones.
And just as important, local residents and merchants must do a better job welcoming tourists to our region each year—bending over backwards to ensure their visit is a positive one so they’re likely to return.
A healthy tourism industry, after all, is key to a healthy Rainy River District.