Newfoundland and Labrador Product Development Strategy

- 132-Adventure Tourism Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (ATANL)This association has been established for the purposes of professional development, standard andmarketing. The key features of ATANL’s 3 year strategy include:o Professional development and Quality – criteria and standards for membership, mysteryshopper program, workshops on first aid, interpretation, risk management, businessdevelopmento Destination Stewardship – environmental practiceso Marketing, including website www.guidetoadventures.com, consumer research, a showbooth and collateral materialsA coordinator to work in support of ATANL’s activities is provided through HNL and weunderstand that it has been proposed that this coordinator play a similar role in assisting thecampground sector (the Campground Operators have their own separate association). We arealso suggesting that this coordinator also play a role in facilitating the development of destinationhiking trails, where appropriate. In the case of the East Coast Trail, this may involve playingmore of a liaison role with the tourism industry, since the East Coast Trail currently has its ownstaff.The adventure sector alone, while it may be relatively small at present, has a lot of growthpotential for the future. It may well be that the association will require dedicated support in theform of professional staff and funding.Standards and Professional DevelopmentStandards, consistently applied are important in this sector. ATANL has been setting standardsfor its membership, based on insurance, wilderness first aid and other relevant matters.A ‘Voluntary Code of Conduct’ has also been established for tour boat members of theassociation.The new Gros Morne Institute of Sustainable Tourism (GMIST) will be a major asset in assistingwith professional development and standards in future.Once these standards are fully in place, all operators should be encouraged to become membersand to meet standards to be eligible to be listed in the travel guide and to participate in othersupport programs.Hiking TrailsThere are essentially three kinds of trails of interest to travellers; ‘destination’ hiking trails thatwill generate travel from dedicated hikers and be an attraction for other tourists, regional andcommunity trails that will used by tourists more generally, and special purpose trails such asATV and snowmobile trails. The first of these is of particular interest as it has a relatively highpriority ranking.THE ECONOMIC PLANNING GROUP of Canada Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism Product DevelopmentD. W. Knight Associates Strategy and Accommodation Needs Study