'Tourism a 4-letter word': Georgina residents vital to town's post-coronavirus recovery

#futureofwork: The future of tourism is local

Yorkregion.com
May 28, 2020
Amanda Persico

With summer in the air, many local businesses are wondering and worrying what the summer will bring -- more tourists and more community coronavirus spread or no tourists and permanent closure of business.

Right now, “tourism is a four-letter word,” said Chuck Thibeault, Central Counties Tourism executive director.

“No one wants strangers coming into their community,” he said during a Zoom conference hosted by the Georgina Chamber of Commerce discussing the future of tourism in town.

“Now, we have to convince locals to think local.”

The perception of tourism needs to change, he added. Now, it’s not about attracting people from far away, but more about strengthening the fabric of the local community.

But the unchartered waters could be an opportunity for town to create local destinations on main streets and in downtown areas, Thibeault said.

That could mean closing a portion of the road to allow for more pedestrians and patios.

“How cool would that be to sit outside and enjoy a meal or a coffee,” he said. “People are jonesing to get outside. This could be an opportunity.”

Now, more than ever, shopping local and experiencing Georgina from a tourist lens is vital to community recovery and business survival, said Georgina Chamber of Commerce executive director Jennifer Anderson.

“Because we’re a small town, when we talk about a local business we’re talking about a neighbour,” Anderson said.

Since many of the tourism-based businesses are just starting to reopen, financial impact of the pandemic is still unknown.

But what’s clear is Ontarians are advised to say close to home this summer and local Georgina beaches still remain closed to the public.

The buzzword of the day is ‘pivot’, Anderson said. And that means local businesses and residents will have to shift their idea of tourist and tourism.

Tourism and tourist-based businesses are more than just hotels, she said; it also includes restaurants and gift shops.

“Any shop that someone might wander into will be impacted,” she said.

And without the foot traffic, many businesses struggling now might not open later.

And that’s where residents play an important part in the tourism equation.

“Explore our own community before you venture further,” Anderson said. “Stop at a small business and shop locally. In order to sustain our community, think like a tourist.”

“Many head south to work then do their shopping in the south,” Anderson said. “Georgina is such a large place; many don’t venture within our community.”

Explore Georgina from east to west -- shop local, eat local even if you are coming from one kilometre away.

The chamber is also pivoting its thinking with a number of #ShopLocal initiatives geared toward residents -- shop and scavenger hunts designed to encourage residents to explore what Georgina has to offer.

The chamber was supposed to open its third tourist information centre at De La Salle beach this month, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 situation and current beach closures.

Another local initiative to help boost the small businesses in town that rely heavily on foot traffic is the Georgina Tote, a business-to-business #ShopLocal project created by The Keswick Dinner Jacket.

Proceeds from each Georgina Tote go directly to a local small business chosen by the shopper.

Evan MacDonald, the force behind the Keswick Dinner Jacket, created a series of Georgina-specific canvas tote bags with slogans such as “Made for Georgina” and “Small town living” embossed on a lakeside setting.

“Small businesses have been hit a little harder than we first thought,” MacDonald said of the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

“It’s sad. Our local shops have been hit hard. They don’t have the foot traffic.”

Local shops in the area are undervalued, he added.

“There’s a certain experience you get at a small shop that you don’t get with a larger company,” said MacDonald, a longtime Georgina resident, who designed the totes himself. “There’s an experience, a sense of community and a feeling of home.”

WHERETO FIND TOURISM BUSINESS SUPPORT:

Central Counties Tourism

York Region Arts Council

York Small Business

Georgina Economic Development

Georgina Chamber of Commerce

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario hosts an ongoing survey for tourism businesses to help shape dedicated financial aid and tourism recovery efforts.