Newfoundland and Labrador Product Development Strategy

- 210 -Finally and more generally, there is a need to shift focus away from summer, to shoulder seasonsand winter, both in product development as well as marketingAssistance and Support Programs, and FacilitationLooking to the future, pursuing the strategy requires a combination of assistance and supportprograms to help the tourism industry, communities and other stakeholders be effective intourism product development, but it also requires leadership and facilitation. This latter piece islargely missing today. The following illustrates the conceptual approach:Proactive facilitation efforts and customized support to drive progress:o Key development projects for demand generators having multi-season potentialo Key development projects for demand influencers having multi-season potentialo Other development projects for tier 1 and tier 2 destination areas and selected ‘sleeper’opportunities – upgrading/transformations, expansions, new developmento On-going support for non-commercial demand influencers in designated destination areaso Support for demand influencer alliances/teams at the provincial levelSupport programs designed to assist projects and communities, on an ‘open for business’basis:o Designated destination areas (all tiers) and provincial alliances/teamso Corridor/hub developmento Other development projects in destination areas (all tiers) – upgrading/transformations,expansions, new development where warrantedo Traveller services to fill defined gapsSupport programs open to all and designed to assist:o Business planning (models for sustainable/successful businesses)o Training/mentoringo Programmingo Packagingo Market readiness enhancemento Shoulder/winter season initiativeso Linkages to destination marketingThe first approach is to mount a proactive effort, accompanied by customized support programsto drive progress. This should be the approach for key demand generating and demandinfluencing product development, either identified by the strategy, or coming forward forconsideration and meeting a high standard in the context of the strategy. This means actuallyencouraging projects, by doing some advance planning, seeking out qualified proponents andoffering appropriate incentives, assistance and support in making a project happen, and perhapseven designing customized initiatives for particular key projects where warranted. And in caseswhere a proponent comes forward with a project that fits this model, helping the proponentoptimize it relative to the opportunity and the strategy.THE ECONOMIC PLANNING GROUP of Canada Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism Product DevelopmentD. W. Knight Associates Strategy and Accommodation Needs Study