Newfoundland and Labrador Product Development Strategy

- 149 -o The review may identify other locations that should be considered for a Provincial orregion/community VIC.o Expanding the program of staff training, particularly for community VICso Developing a point of sale program similar to New Brunswick’s to extend visitorinformation services via tourism businesses and retailerso Developing the Internet-based trip planning tools recommended in the 2002 TourismMarketing Strategy Reviewo Adding Internet-based visitor information terminals to the tourist chalets and othervisitor information locationso Replacing the TDMS with an Internet-based system, using available technologydeveloped by others (trip planning and booking engines)Highway SignageHighway signage designed to assist non-resident travellers is another important issue. Today,the highway signage system in the province falls considerably short of what it needs to be toassist tourists. While the absence of signs in numerous locations may not be problematic forlocal residents who know their way around, it is a serious problem for visitors.The have been several regional initiatives to address tourist-oriented signage. That isproblematic, as the preferred approach would be to develop an integrated, consistent systemacross the province. Any regional initiatives should be linked to the overall provincial system.Needs include:o The highway signage system needs to be fixed first with respect to basic officialdirectional signage (green signs) by adding missing signso Themed route signs should be modified in keeping with the original plan and limited tothose that meet the standards for the different types or routeso Other tourist signage, including tourist establishment signage, needs to be addressed.Current regulations are not being enforced, with the result that the system is chaoticWe recommend the following:1. The Department of Transportation and Works be encouraged to install needed basicdirectional signs2. A committee should be struck under the auspices of the Department of Tourism, Cultureand Recreation, involving tourism industry representatives through HNL, with authorityto plan and monitor the tourist-oriented signage programs including signage associatedwith the themed routes system, in the province and provide direction to Transportation inthis respect.THE ECONOMIC PLANNING GROUP of Canada Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism Product DevelopmentD. W. Knight Associates Strategy and Accommodation Needs Study