Newfoundland and Labrador Product Development Strategy

- 147 -However, the program was implemented without any such differentiation, with the result that wehave a large number of ‘themed routes’ without any sense of the character or quality ofexperience on any of them. There are clearly too many of such routes today and that not all ofthem merit the designation for a ‘touring route’. Having too many weakens the entireeffectiveness of the program to the point where it becomes meaningless, which is close to what ithas become today.For such a program to have integrity and marketplace power, a themed touring route needs tohave, at a minimum, a critical mass of attractions and/or visitor activities, plus one or more tier 1and/or tier 2 destination communities and a decent road. Those that have such features andwarrant designation as recommended ‘touring routes’ include:o Irish Loopo Baccalieu Trailo Cape Shoreo Discovery Trailo Kittiwake Coast – the ‘Road to the Isles’ section onlyo Viking Trail/South Coast of LabradorOthers that potentially could achieve this status in future, in some cases depending on otherrecommendations in this report, include:o Heritage Run plus St. Pierre/Miquelono South Coast by ferryo ‘Road to the Beaches’ (Eastport Peninsula)o Kittiwake Coast – the ‘Road to the Shore’ section, linked to the ‘Road to the Isles’o ‘Island Experience’ addition to ‘Road to the Isles’o Dorset TrailWe recommend that the system originally intended be implemented, with the most rigorousstandards for the touring routes, and lower requirements for the other types.Only the six routes listed as currently warranting the ‘recommended touring route’ status shouldbe recognized as being touring routes today. The second six might achieve this level at somepoint in the future but, in the meantime, they should be promoted as scenic drives or heritageroutes, as appropriate. The other existing routes should be promoted as scenic drives or heritageroutes.Touring InfrastructureVisitor Information ServicesThe system of visitor information centres, including the Provincial tourist chalets, as well as thenumerous other visitor information centres need attention. The situation analysis in Section 3pointed out a number of serious challenges with the system of visitor information in theprovince. The major deficiencies included:THE ECONOMIC PLANNING GROUP of Canada Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism Product DevelopmentD. W. Knight Associates Strategy and Accommodation Needs Study