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Resort Municipality Initiative Annual Report 2014
Submitted by:
Village of Radium Hot Springs
Prepared by:
Karen Sharp
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [1]
Radium Resort Municipality Initiative
Annual Report 2014
1. INTRODUCTION __________________________________________________________________ 3
1.1. PURPOSE 3 1.2. OVERALL SUMMARY 3
2. TOURISM OPERATING ENVIRONMENT _______________________________________________ 4
2.1. PROVINCIAL & GLOBAL TOURISM CONTEXT 4 2.2. REGIONAL AND LOCAL TOURISM CONTEXT 7
3. PROJECT PROGRESS _______________________________________________________________ 8
3.1. RESORT MUNICIPALITY INITIATIVE (RMI) CONTEXT 8 3.2. RESORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY VISION 8 3.3. RESORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (RDS) GOALS 8 3.4. PROJECT PROGRESS 10
Events and Festivals 10 Adventure Radium Youth Camp 15 Tourism Signage 17
3.5. VISITOR EXPERIENCE OUTCOMES 19 3.6. ECONOMIC OUTCOMES 23 3.7. COMMUNITY OUTCOMES SUPPORTING TOURISM DEVELOPMENT 26
4. FINANCIAL REPORT FOR 2014 ______________________________________________________ 30
4.1. 2014 EXPENDITURES 30 4.2. OTHER FUNDING SOURCES 30 4.3. BUDGET AND REVENUE OVERVIEW 31
5. CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK ______________________________________________________ 32
Acknowledgements
With gratitude, the Tourism Radium Board, Kent Kebe and staff for providing survey details and stakeholder
feedback in a timely and informative manner.
Thank you to Cheeying Ho, Dan Wilson and the staff at the Whistler Centre for Sustainability, for creating this
reporting template and assisting our smaller community in tabulating the Tourism Data for the outcome
analysis.
We also wish to acknowledge Amy Schneider and Lindsay Muir, Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, for
their insight, comments and continued patience with this process.
Many of the photos provided in this report have been provided by the Village of Radium Hot Springs and the
Photo Library created by Tourism Radium.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [3]
1. Introduction
1.1. Purpose
The Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) is an outcome based program; therefore the purpose of this report is to
summarize outcomes during term one (2007-2011) and term two (2012 to 2016) of the program, while highlighting
the most recent year of program progress. The RMI annual reporting further provides accountability of funding,
demonstrates project progress, allows for outcomes to be tracked, provides consolidated information for other
community reporting needs (tourism stakeholders, municipal staff, Council, public, for grant applications, etc.), and
provides a source for the Province to consolidate all participating RMI communities outcomes into one program
report to fulfill overall program reporting requirements.
1.2. Overall Summary
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Radium Hot Springs has experienced an improvement with regards to Tourism compared to the prior year. The
energy of the new Tourism Radium board members and the streamlining of the Events Coordination position are
two factors that have contributed to the increase. Tourism Radium had an election for board members in October
of 2013. The newly elected board challenged themselves and each other to develop and deliver a more effective,
efficient marketing strategy and marketing tactical plan. In 2014, the results of these new initiatives are showing
positive results and the board will continue to evaluate the progress made. The community had numerous small
volunteer groups trying to organize various different events. There was volunteer burn out and duplication of
many functions. An Event Coordinator was contracted with RMI funds and worked directly with the Village of
Radium Hot Springs to develop a concerted strategy and focus on specific events which would target and attract
‘heads-in-beds’. Although there were obstacles in the 2014 year there were positive outcomes indicating that the
direction taken is the right path.
“The Resort Municipality Initiative seems to have been designed for the Village of Radium Hot Springs.
Without this valuable funding, we would not have the range of amenities and activities to offer our
visitors during the summer busy season, the long weekends, or during the variety of natural and tragic
road closures in our mountain village. There are very few people in our main market in Alberta who don’t
speak of Radium Hot Springs either fondly or wistfully. Since the last census, we have capitalized on
converting tourists into full time and part time residents, filled our storefronts, and real estate is
beginning to move. These new residents had a positive visitor experience! On behalf of the businesses and
the Radium Hot Springs council, I cannot stress enough the value of the RMI program to our small resort
community.”
Mayor Clara Reinhart
2. Tourism Operating Environment
2.1. Provincial & Global Tourism Context
Understanding the provincial and global tourism context provides insight to how these factors may influence at the
local and regional level, including the overall progress of the RMI Resort Development Strategy.
The following table provides a summary of the provincial and global tourism influences for the report year and
from the start year of the RMI program to the current report year. All changes are based on year-to-year results
unless otherwise noted.
GLOBAL AND PROVINCIAL TOURISM INFLUENCES IN 2014
Canada’s ranking by total tourism arrivals has
dropped from 8th (19.6 million arrivals in 2000) to
17th (16.6million arrivals in 2013) amongst global
travel destinations.1 After a few years of fluctuating
growth trends, 2014 international overnight travel
to Canada emerged ahead (3.2%) of 2013,
continuing the upward trend from 2009.
1 Tourism Industry Association of Canada http://tiac.travel/advocacy_global.htm
2-1: Domestic Travellers to BC 2011-2013, Stats Canada. 2014 data and pre-2011 data not available.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [5]
International visits from the US increased by over 120,000 travelers, as compared to
2013; the emerging China market significantly
contributed to the increase (28% increase) by
bringing in roughly 100,000 additional travelers. All
other major markets such as the UK, Australia,
Mexico, France, Germany, South Korea and India
contributed minor amounts to the increase.
Canadian outbound overnight trips to the US or
other countries increased by 1.5% in 2014
compared to 2013. Outbound trips have continued
on a similar growth trajectory during the past five
years; with visits to the US at 14% higher than in
2010, though results are 2% lower than 2013. About 69% of all outbound overnight trips by Canadians were to the
US in 2014.
The majority of visitation to BC is domestic, followed by other Canadian provinces with Alberta visitors leading the
way (see Figure 2-1). In 2013, the number of visitors from Alberta increased by 28.6% and expenditures grew
44.2%. 2 Visitation levels by international and US markets on one or more night trips increased in 2014 by 5.3%
from 2013 to 4.65 million trips resulting in an increase over that year’s recent high. The increase from 2013 to 2014
was observed in both US and other international markets with US markets and other countries increasing 3% and
9.3% from 2013 to 2014 respectively. Despite the positive visitation trends from BC’s largest international
markets, total entries to Canada via BC have declined by 8% since 2000 (see Figure 2-2).
The year 2014 ended with the tenth increase in tourism spending in Canada since 2004 (2009 reported a decrease
of 5%). Compared to 2013, spending increased 5%, which is greater than the increase from 2012 to 2013, but lower
than the 7% annual growth realized in both 2010 and 2011. The increase was reported across all expenditure
categories such as accommodation, transportation, food and beverage etc.3 Like Canada, BC’s total revenue from
tourism increased to 2013, coming in at $13.9 billion or 3.6% greater than revenue results in 2012. Increased
revenues were reported across accommodation and food services, transportation services, retail services and
other services. 4
General economic trends in 2014 showed ongoing recovery from the 2008 recession with consumer confidence
from US markets generally climbing throughout 2014.5 This trend contrasts with 2008 and 2009, where economic
conditions were not very conducive to tourism growth. Gas prices continued a 10 year upward trend with prices
roughly the same in 2014 as 2013.6 Canada’s dollar in 2014 may have played a greater role in Canada’s price
competitiveness compared to other destinations compared to 2013 as the dollar decreased throughout 2014
against the US dollar, EU Euro, UK Pound and the Chinese Yuan. A cheaper dollar generally makes Canada and BC
more affordable for visitors.
2 Measuring the value of tourism in BC, 2003-2013, Statistics Canada, Travel Survey of Residents of Canada (includes travellers
who spent one or more nights in BC) 3 Statistics Canada Tourism Expenditures, 2014 387-0001 Cansim Tables
4 Measuring the value of tourism in BC, 2003-2013
5 CTC, Tourism Snapshots from 2014
6 Stats Canada, CANSIM Table 326-0009
2-2: International Entries to BC 2000-2014, Stats Canada
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [6]
GLOBAL AND PROVINCIAL SUMMARY OF TOURISM INFLUENCES FROM 2014
GLOBAL AND PROVINCIAL SUMMARY OF TOURISM INFLUENCES FROM 2007-2013
2014 Factors Supporting Tourism in BC 2014 Factors Hindering Tourism in BC
• OECD countries managed to gain marginal growth in
Real GDP of 1.8% in 2014, just under the 2.3% forecast.
Overall, the OECD forecasted OECD growth to be 2.3% in
2015.
• A slightly cheaper Canadian dollar especially to visitors
from the US, Europe, Great Britain and China.
• The Canadian government’s recent efforts to ease the
visa application process for emerging markets should
point to continuing growth of these markets.
• In 2014, the recovering global economy and travel
demand, favourable weather conditions.
• Recovering leisure travel demand as the global economy
slowly recovers.
• Growth in US visitation to Canada/BC and emerging
markets such as China.
• BC, Alberta and Washington State economies grew in
2014 and BC’s as well as Washington’s growth prospects
look positive for 2015.
• According to the OECD’s latest economic outlook, the
global economy is likely to stay on the path of recovery,
but the recovery is fragile.
• Though most markets increased visitation to Canada in
2014, the sluggish recovery hampered tourism growth
from Europe.
• Currently the cost of air travel to and within Canada is
significantly higher when compared to global tourism
competitors, especially the US.
• Canada’s resources for international tourism marketing
will decrease from $72 million in 2011 to $58 million in
2014, continuing the steady decline from $99 million in
2001. Most competitors are increasing their already
larger investments.
• The visa process for potential tourists from Mexico,
Brazil, China and India has improved, but is still
somewhat onerous and unpredictable, and is limiting
Canada’s ability to maximize opportunities in these
markets at a time when demand is increasing. (Data
compiled by Tourism Whistler and the Whistler Centre)
Factors Supporting Tourism Factors Hindering Tourism
• Business confidence steady since 2010;
• 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games;
• Economic recovery is slow into 2010 and 2011; and
• Exchange rates show slight improvement for
international markets into 2011.
• Global financial/housing crisis leading to overall global
economic downturn in 2008 and forward;
• Declines in employment levels affecting levels of
personal disposable income and discretionary spending;
• Alberta floods in 2013 impacting travel in general;
• Overall declines in consumer confidence continuing to
2013;
• Higher fuel prices up to 2013;
• Significant weakening currency exchange rates relative
to the Canadian dollar making travel to Canada more
expensive from key markets like the US, UK and EU up to
2011;
• Increased border security, airline restrictions,
documentation requirements;
• Declining export sales due to global economic downturn
for countries such as Mexico and South Korea which had
been showing strong growth in overnight visitation to
British Columbia;
• H1N1 pandemic (2009); and
• Olympic aversion up to February 2010.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [7]
2.2. Regional and Local Tourism Context
Understanding significant local and regional tourism influences provides context for both the local tourism economy and
the overall progress of the RMI Resort Development Strategy.
LOCAL AND REGIONAL INFLUENCES
The following table provides a summary of the significant local and regional tourism influences for the report year that
were not in municipal control, such as early snow, major highway construction, etc. These influences are factors that
supported and/or hindered the local tourism economy during the current reporting year.
Factors Supporting Tourism Factors Hindering Tourism
• Improved market positioning through variety of community marketing
initiatives
• Collaborative relationships with regional DMOs and chambers, hot springs,
golf courses and ski resorts
• Stronger Alberta economy
• Introduction of OTENTiks in Redstreak Campground
• Extreme and outdoor adventuring is becoming more prevalent in our area
• Marketing partnerships
• No flooding in Southern Alberta and our region of BC
• Strong support from Kootenay Rockies Tourism
• Superb ski conditions on our local ski hills
• New outdoor recreational businesses starting up
• Very warm summer weather and a very short campfire ban compared to
previous seasons
• Increased guided and self-guided Columbia River paddling trips for family type
canoeing/kayaking
• Hosting major events in community, Car Rally, car show shooting sports etc.
• Bighorn Sheep present in Village and surrounding area
• Catamount Glacier motorized access opened during winter months
• Highway closures due to avalanches and
motor vehicle incidents
• High fuel & grocery prices in our region
• Early closure of 2 major golf courses in
Radium due to improvements for future
seasons
• Closing of hotel in Radium due business
strategy change
• Elimination of temporary foreign worker
program
• Lack of front line service staff at
restaurants & hotels
• High Canadian dollar
• Very late start to Spring weather
• Lack of consistency and frequency of
hours of operation. In the off season
there are many restaurants that do not
keep consistent hours. This is not
appealing to visitors and locals alike.
• Confusion based on the media reports
with regards to location and smoke with
regards to the Whiteswan forest fire
which was actually south of Canal Flats
and the Banff National Park forest fire
along Hwy 93 North towards Jasper.
Some understood Hwy 93/95 was
closed to Radium.
• Closure of pedal bike and motorized
trails in our region
• Lack of highway control on long
weekends. Highway gets so congested
that it can take over an hour or more to
get thru the main and only
entering/exiting intersection.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [8]
3. Project Progress
3.1. Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) Context
Radium Hot Springs has participated in the RMI program since August 2007. Although the RMI program is ongoing, it is
broken up into two terms: Term One: 2007 to 2011 and Term Two: 2012 to 2016, and each term requires the
completion of a Resort Development Strategy (RDS). The RDS identifies the community’s vision, goals, and projects in
support of RMI program objectives for the five-year term. Some projects do not result in immediate outcomes, but
rather support the necessary long-term investment efforts that build over time. It is important to also keep in mind the
global, provincial, regional and local tourism operating environment featured in Section 2 when looking at the RDS
progress and project outcomes.
The program initially started off as a tax transfer program, but since July 1, 2010, funding is provided annually through a
Transfer Under Agreement (TUA). Each TUA lists projects and the associated funding that will be allocated to each for
the year.
3.2. Resort Development Strategy Vision
The community’s RDS Vision is:
Radium Hot Springs, a pedestrian friendly community with streetscapes harmoniously balanced with our rugged
surroundings, will serve as a year-round home base for visitors seeking to enjoy our natural hot pools, resident
wildlife and cultural amenities in a pristine mountain setting, and, as a gateway to the wider spectrum of wilderness
alpine environments, biologically diverse lakes, rivers and wetlands, and ski, spa and golf resorts.
3.3. Resort Development Strategy (RDS) Goals
Each report year, progress of the RDS is reviewed with stakeholders to understand progress, as well as determining if
goals and projects are still in alignment with the overall RDS vision. Outcome results from sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6 in
this report provide helpful insight to the progress of the initiatives. It is understood that projects will not result in
immediate outcomes, but rather support RDS goals over time. Reviewing these goals allows the RDS to be adjusted if
needed.
The table below lists the Term Two: 2012-2016 RDS goals, which build upon the previous RDS objectives that were
identified during the RDS that was initiated in 2007. The table provides a high level of understanding of the progress of
RDS goals.
Resort Development
Strategy Goals
Progress of Resort Development Strategy Goals
No Change Some indication of
progress
Many indications of
progress
Achieving Goal
1. Sustainable Tourism
a) Maintain or expand market
share of the Alberta tourism
economy.
a) Many businesses
reported growth in
2014.
b) Maintain or expand
service sector employment.
b) There are not
enough people to
undertake the
work available in
our region.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [9]
Resort Development
Strategy Goals
Progress of Resort Development Strategy Goals
No Change Some indication of
progress
Many indications of
progress
Achieving Goal
c) Maintain or expand visitor
traffic and length of stay (VIC,
hot pool and accommodation
#’s)
c) Many businesses
reported growth in
2014.
2. Provide improved access to
information to better inform
visitors, and potential visitors,
of our recreational, natural
and cultural amenities and
opportunities and thereby
promote the increased use
and development of these
features.
This was moving in
the right direction
for 2014 but the
funding model for
the VIC in 2015 is
having a negative
impact on our ability
to serve people
coming to our
community.
3. Support a core list of
programs and events,
sustainable on a yearly basis,
that will enhance visitor
experience and develop
ongoing visitor loyalty and
‘word of mouth’ promotion.
Funding model
continues to be
uncertain.
Potential closure of
existing, well used
trails on crown land
and under provincial
jurisdiction
threatens positive
visitor experience.
4. Provide enhanced care and
maintenance of parks, and
streetscapes, to portray the
high quality appearance
befitting a resort municipality,
and to enhance visitor
experience.
Due to changes in
funding criteria
changes in this area
had to be scaled
back. More
investment is
required to maintain
prior year status.
5. Provide improved pedestrian
access to our major
attraction, the Radium Hot
Pools, and to popular hiking
trails located within Kootenay
National Park.
There is little
change from prior
year. Parks Canada
waiting to fund
their portions in
the Park.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [10]
3.4. Project Progress
The following section describes the progress of the individual projects in greater detail. The financial breakdown for the
projects can be found in Appendix 1.
RMI funding is provided annually and funding is expected to be allocated two calendar years after it is disbursed. Term
Two reporting covers funding received from 2012 to 2014, funding will need to be reported until all funds are allocated.
3.4.1. Term 2 Projects
This section identifies projects that received funding during Term Two: 2012 to 2016.
Project Title Events and Festivals
Project
description A ‘tourism event co-ordinator’ position was created. This individual will organize, facilitate and
manage a schedule of tourism events occurring throughout the year. A portion of the funds
will be used for the purchase of equipment and supplies, necessary rentals, and to pay for any
additional manpower requirements necessary to deliver these events with marketing financed
with the Hotel Tax. The slate and schedule of yearly events will be determined in collaboration
with the ‘Tourism Radium’ board of directors and tourism stakeholders. Some events will
occur on an annual basis while others may be cyclical depending upon special circumstances
and opportunities, i.e. the CP Holiday Train. The current slate of events include ‘WinterFest’,
‘Radium Days’ - a spring festival, ‘Music on Main’ and ‘Market on Main’ during the summer,
the ‘Classic and British’ car shows, the ‘Headbanger’ trail run, ‘Drive In Movie Night’ and the
‘Village Birthday/New Year’s Eve’ celebration and fireworks display.
Project
rationale Events are a key driver for tourism visitation and to entice new visitors to experience our area.
Yearly events garner visitor loyalty and repeat visitation, thus becoming a critical element in
our sustainable tourism objective.
Milestones Actual Start Date Each Event has its own scheduled date.
Completion Date Day of Event
Operational Date Day of Event
Project Goals RDS Goal 1: RDS Goal 1: Support a core list of programs & events, sustainable on a yearly basis
(sustainable tourism goals apply), that will enhance visitor experience and develop ongoing visitor
loyalty and ‘word-of-mouth’ promotion.
Project Goal: The goal of these events is to attract visitors to the Village, provide activities for
the enjoyment and interest of visitors, and to increase tourism traffic during the shoulder
seasons.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [11]
Project
activities for
the reporting
year
Classic Car “Show & Shine”:
This year the Classic Car Show had 850 vehicles registered, however there were at least 1000 cars on
display. Spectator attendance was estimated at 10,300 people. Due to the co-operation of the
weather the registration numbers were up. This event financially impacts the Village in a very positive
respect. Hotel rooms were at capacity and restaurants were fully staffed for the weekend to serve the
visitors.
Stakeholder
Involvement:
Tourism Radium and the Columbia Valley Car Club collaborated on marketing strategies and marketing
tactics. Efficiencies were accomplished by both parties.
Project
outcomes to
date:
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [12]
Project
activities for
the reporting
year
Radium Days: This event targets tourism for the shoulder season and attracts the secondary home owners out to
their cabins earlier. The tourism component of the event included attracting car owners to register for
the Brits Best car show. By adding supporting activities such as a parade, a kid’s zone, a market, music
and a local business sponsored free breakfast, the event demonstrates the community is ‘connected
with friends and family’ ambiance which the secondary homeowners then can feel a part of.
Stakeholder
Involvement:
Tourism Radium collaborated on marketing. Local businesses, Radium’s volunteer Fire Department and
other regional volunteer groups partook in the parade. A local business sponsored the pancake
breakfast and the Radium Rotary club provided the volunteers for the cooking and distribution of the
food. A wood carver who lives in the community created a wood spirit and donated the proceeds of
the auction to the event.
Project
outcomes to
date:
This is a weather dependent event so when the weather is poor, it is too cool to be outside and people
do not attend. In 2014, the weather was cooperating with sunny, beautiful blue skies and warm
temperatures of 18o to 22o C.
Project
activities for
the reporting
year
Larch Festival: This event is hosted in the fall, strategically targeting tourism for the shoulder season. This event is in
its infancy stage. The concept is to attract artists from outside the region who are interested in
learning more regarding a medium of their choice. Sessions with locally acclaimed artists are provided
for the registrants (ie. Photography and painting).
Stakeholder
Involvement:
Tourism Radium collaborated on marketing. Local businesses provided discounts or specials or
sponsored the event.
Project
outcomes to
date:
As this event is in its infancy stage, there were many lessons learned. For example the marketing was
introduced too late to attract the numbers, however, the feedback from those who had attended was
very positive.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [13]
Comments from the Event:
“We painted just north of the Elk Park east side turn off standing in a pullout on
the west side of the highway. While it was quite busy yesterday with traffic and
the odd visitor the day was amazing as the fog lifted, sun shone and the
temperature rose. It was a good session for the 3 of us and so I sent you some
photos of what the students did.” Lynne Grillmair, Artist Instructor
"From the feedback that I've gotten, I think that everyone had a great time this
weekend! Both participants said they had lots of fun and learned lots about
photography and about places in the valley. I think there is lots of potential for
future workshops, and I think more people will come as the word gets out!"
Ryan Bavin, Photography Instructor
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [14]
Project
activities for
the reporting
year
Other Events: The key purpose of the Event Co-ordinator is to focus on events that would increase accommodation
rental in the shoulder season. A secondary purpose was to assist with the events that had been
formally organized by the Radium Events Committee (REC). The REC was formed by a group of
volunteers who saw a need to inject more community spirit. This was a small group of volunteers who
organized five to six events each year over an eight year period. Eventually this group faced volunteer
burn-out. Towards the end of the eight years, businesses were stepping forward and expressed
interest to support an event that they connected with. A third component to the Event Co-ordinator’s
position was to guide other outside groups interested in offering events in the area.
Stakeholder
Involvement:
Local businesses sponsor or become core organizers of events. Tourism Radium collaborates with the
marketing efforts. Other organizations from outside the region were assisted with organizing events
within the community and region. Tourism Radium continues to organize and operate the Market on
Main and Music on Main events.
Project
outcomes to
date:
In 2014, three of the events were organized by a business with assistance from the Event Co-ordinator;
the Drive-In Movie was hosted by the local Kootenay Savings Credit Union; the Headbanger Trail
Challenge was hosted by Crazy Soles, a local trail running store, and as previously mentioned Radium
Days has support from the local sawmill, Canfor Forest Products. The Headbanger Trail Challenge faced
some issues when the trails that had been used for the previous three years were being threatened
with closure. Due to the uncertainty of where the run could be hosted, delays were experienced,
resulting in the lower attendance numbers for the event in 2014.
As these events target the visitor experience and are not the ‘head-in-bed’ events that the Event Co-
ordinator focused on, Tourism Radium received direct funding from the Village of Radium Hot Springs.
Due to the reduction of funding directly from the RMI program there were less performances
scheduled however participation of the Market on Main has grown in numbers. There are revenues
collected from vendors to help offset any additional costs incurred.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [15]
Project Title Adventure Radium Youth Camp
Project
description An eight week summer youth camp running three days per week providing recreational
opportunities for youth ages 5 to 12. Camp curriculum includes team and individual sports,
adventure activities, nature education, arts and crafts, and games.
Project
rationale This program will introduce youth to activities and pursuits that are representative of the
wider landscape of recreational opportunities thereby ‘sowing the seeds’ for sustainable
future use and visitation.
Milestones Actual Start Date Summer 2014
Completion Date Ongoing program.
Operational Date Scheduled during the school vacation period.
Project Goals RDS Goal 1: RDS Goal 1: Support a core list of programs & events, sustainable on a yearly basis, that
will enhance visitor experience and develop ongoing visitor loyalty and ‘word-of-mouth’ promotion.
Project Goal: The goal of the program is to provide recreational opportunities for visiting youth so as to
promote awareness and appreciation of local natural amenities while providing a skill base to foster
further development of recreational pursuits. A secondary goal is to provide parents with the
opportunity to enjoy shopping, golfing or other activities while their children are enjoying themselves
in a supervised environment.
Project
activities for
the reporting
year
The activities started on the first scheduled day after Canada Day. In 2014, the program started on a
Wednesday rather than the Tuesday. Parents are welcome to register their children for the full
summer or are able to have the children attend on a ‘drop-in’ basis. There are two sessions on
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The first session is from 9:30am to 12:00pm for ages 5-7 and the
second session is from 1:00pm to 3:30pm for ages 8 – 12. Each day has a theme and the activities are
designed around this. The program usually opens with ice breaker games which assist the children to
overcome any of their shyness and then it is designed to address a variety of interests such as fun,
easy-to-join games, competitive games, crafts and free play.
Stakeholder
Involvement:
Tourism Radium and the local accommodators and businesses all display rack cards and inform all
visitors of the program. Accommodators also promote the program when visitors are making their
bookings.
Project
outcomes to
date:
Each year the number of participant days changes slightly due to the variation in the start of the
summer holidays. In 2013, there was an additional participant day which is an average of 33
participants per day. In 2014 the average participants per day was an average of 34. The difference of
26 participants between 2014 and 2013 is not as great as the average 33 from 2013 because in 2014 an
additional overnight camp was added which increased the 2014 participants.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [16]
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [17]
Direct Feedback from Parents:
“We just wanted to thank the Village of Radium for offering such a wonderful drop in program for
children in the summer. Our twins loved it and were happy to make new friends. The staff were great
and we are looking forward to coming again next year. It is a really affordable program. All the families
we talked to were happy with the program.” Alberta Resident Homeowner
“My kids attended the final week of Adventure Radium. I am writing to let you know how much my
kids liked the program and how thankful I am that the program was run. My one son loved the first day
so much that he could not sleep that night because he was so excited to go the next day. My other son
said that it was awesome. The staff at Adventure Radium were wonderful and the volunteers were
fantastic.” J Koch
Project Title Tourism Signage
Project
description This capital component will consist of the design and construction of three new ‘Welcome
to Radium’ sign kiosks, strategically located to intercept visitors.
Project
rationale The current situation, consisting of a disparate array of entrance, way-finding, facility,
parks/trails, Highway, streets, directional, commercial and arts, cultural and recreational
amenity signage, needs to be improved to enhance the visitor experience, capture missed
opportunities, improve the visual aesthetic, create a lasting impression and reduce
traveler and resident frustration in finding desired locations.
Milestones Actual Start Date Spring 2012
Completion Date Summer 2014
Operational Date Summer 2014
Project Goals RDS Goal 1: Provide improved access to information to better inform visitors, and potential
visitors, of our recreational, natural and cultural amenities and opportunities and thereby
promote the increased use and development of these features.
Project Goal: The goal of this component is to enhance visitor’s and resident’s ability to
navigate in the community and to find desired destinations; to improve the visual
aesthetic of directional signage in three strategic locations; to support economic
development and the retail and commercial sectors; and to begin to develop a unique,
and authentic community appearance for our signage.
Project
activities for
the reporting
year
The Village has developed new welcome and directional signage templates. Installation of the
signage occurred in the Spring of 2014. In 2015, the project will continue with informational
kiosks within the core business center for visitors to visually see what the community has to offer.
Stakeholder
Involvement:
The initial design parameters were developed by a committee comprised of municipal and
business representatives which was then finalized by a consultant to comply with our
brand. Permitting with the Ministry of Transportation had been completed in 2012.
Project
outcomes to
date:
The changeable sign is available to organizers of events to let people know of an event when
entering the community from the east, the Kootenay National Park route. Tourism Radium has
utilized this sign many times.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [18]
“The RMI Program is very important to the Village of Radium Hot Springs and the addition of the
new changeable copy sign has not only created a level of professionalism but it also is very
important in promoting all our Village events and activities to the thousands of visitors passing by
the new changeable copy sign. It keeps our promotional cost to a minimum and is situated in a
key location with in the Village. The new sign is a very welcome addition to our busy, growing
community.”
Kent Kebe, Manager of Tourism Radium
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [19]
3.4.2. RMI Projects Completed 2007-2012 – Successes and Lessons Learned
As projects are planned, implemented/constructed, and completed/operational, various successes and lessons learned
emerge. Reviewing these success and lessons learned from projects that have been complete for at least two years
provides an opportunity to profile the continued success of RDS projects and allows knowledge to be shared amongst
stakeholders to add value to future projects.
Project Name Successes Lessons Learned
Highway 95 Pedestrian Pathway
Lighting • Much safer and pleasant
experience walking from the
North to South areas of
Radium Hot Springs
• Provide signage that new
lighting was installed to
warn drivers. Motorists
were accustomed to ‘dark’
highway and tended to look
at the lights when driving.
Events and Festivals • Two events – the
Headbanger Trail Challenge
and the Drive-In Movie
Night each now have a local
business organizing and
funding the event.
• Need to be very careful of
volunteer burn out.
• Need to keep the focus on
the shoulder seasons to
increase head n’ beds.
Event Co-ordinator • Transition from a volunteer
group to a dedicated
individual to avoid volunteer
burn out.
• Need to work closely with
the accommodators.
Adventure Radium • Families returning each year.
• Returning leaders provide
for curriculum stability.
• Continuous disruptive
behaviour requires short
suspension from the
program
• Returning leaders provides
for a level of continuity &
familiarity which is
welcomed by the
registrants.
3.5. Visitor Experience Outcomes The data in this section is collected by both the resort community or local Destination Marketing Organization, and the
Whistler Centre for Sustainability (WCS). Positive visitor experience outcomes create a strong foundation to support
longer-term economic outcomes. Visitor experience outcomes are more influenced by local factors and projects, and
are therefore more sensitive to displaying year-to-year trends compared to other outcome reporting.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [20]
3.5.1. Summary of Visitor Experience Outcomes Includes WCS writing an overall summary of the chart results reported below;
Anecdotal Comments received at the Radium Hot Springs Visitor Information Centre:
They were so helpful and friendly. They even gave us updates as to where the
goats and sheep were spotted some mornings. So very helpful!
Very informative and comprehensive.
I visited the July long weekend to check out what was happening for Canada Day.
Staff was friendly.
Very good - lots of brochures & very helpful staff
We have in the past a few times. They've been very helpful to us & our friends or
family visiting.
Beautiful Centre!
Wildlife display is incredible.
The Radium Hot Springs Visitor Information Centre (VIC) is a direct link to a visitors experience once a visitor arrives.
The VIC requires a fully staffed centre where the employees are provided quality training and support. This level of
service must have sustainable financial resources. The VIC is working towards a sustainable model.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [21]
3.5.2. Outcome Reporting
Visitor Satisfaction Visitor satisfaction with their overall experience in a community is essential for ensuring long-term tourism growth.
Capturing perceived experience reveals visitor's feelings about their entire trip from start to finish and influences
whether the visitor will return and promote the resort community via word of mouth.
Our visitor survey has a comment section which asks this open ended question. A couple of responses were very
common:
“The only place that I can totally relax and feel at peace”
“Always love our trips to Radium, have been coming for 25 years.”
Another factor of a visitor’s satisfaction is the cleanliness and attractiveness of the community. The Village of
Radium Hot Springs continues to maintain high standards as a designated Resort Municipality.
Visitor Promotion Visitor promotion scores reflect the net volume of past visitors promoting the community as a place to visit as well
as the overall visitor experience. The majority of first time visitors select a travel destination based on these word
of mouth references and so promoting a destination through word of mouth increases the likelihood of future
visitation by others.
Word-of-mouth remains the highest form of promotion of visitors surveyed at 48.4%, however, Internet and Social
Media has doubled from 2013 to 2014 from 10.2% to 21.9%
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [22]
Value for Money Like other industries, customers, in this case visitors, like to get good value for the money spent. Good value is
often a primary driver reflected in overall satisfaction with an experience.
Although this question was not in the DMO survey, the comments in the survey indicated the average visitor feels
there is good value for their money. A sample of the comments made were:
• We love to drive through Radium and go to the hot springs on our way to Panorama Mountain village.
The views and the quaint town is beautiful!
• We (me and my wife) visited Hot Radium Springs during a one-day loop tour from Banff in August 2014.
We took a fantastic bath in the public pool and really appreciated Radium Hot Springs people's kindness:
they were so delighted for being visited by Italian tourist coming from so far away.
• Had a lovely time as usual. Brought a friend who has never been. We loved exploring the area and
checking things out. We would go in search of animals every morning and evening. We took advantage of
the restaurants and shops in the area. Love the candy store. So much fun was had and everyone was so
helpful and kind from Radium and the surrounding area. I would love to live there....such a beautiful
place!
Length of Stay Average length of stay (ALS) is an important economic indicator because additional hours spent in the resort lead
to greater contribution per visitor to the local economy. It is also an indication that visitors are finding enough to
do or not do in a community. Longer stays generally reduce tourism’s negative transportation impacts (per night
stayed).
The average length of stay of visitors as per
stats from the the visitor centre was 2.9 days.
This results in a:
• 36% increase compared to the previous
year.
• 8% increase compared to the base year.
Comparisons:
Invermere recorded the greatest number of
days at 4.6, with Golden recording the fewest
days at 1.67.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [23]
3.6. Economic Outcomes The data in this section is collected by both the resort communities and the Whistler Centre for Sustainability (WCS) and
is reported by the WCS for this year. While specific projects can impact these results, the results in this area only show
trends over time and should be considered as a long-term impact of investments in infrastructure, projects and
programs.
3.6.1. Section Summary Despite an increase in room revenues in 2014, economic outcomes measured by room revenue have decreased since
the base year. Non-market change in the value of commercial property reflects minor decreases from the start year.
The number of visitors to the visitor centre defies provincial trends and increased in almost every period since the base
year.
Resort Municipality Commentary on Community Outcomes
The Village of Radium Hot Springs is a unique community with regards to tourism. The economic outcome
measurement of non-market change in the value of commercial property is not a direct comparison to the conditions
occurring in the Village. During the base year of 2008, the economy was strong and Radium Hot Springs was
experiencing growth in permanent shadow accommodations ie. construction of condos and strata units. Since 2008
there has been the decline in the overall economy, however the Village has maintained its shadow population. These
residents visit and ‘vacation’ in the valley. They use the local businesses in the valley, not just Radium. Since 2008 the
valley has had major chain stores open such as Canadian Tire and a No Frills grocery store. The shadow population
frequently invites friends or extended family members to join them, or they rent out their place. These rentals are not
being recorded in the accommodation statistics. These guests to the community continue to use the core services and
tourism services like the Visitor Information Centre provided by Radium. The Radium Visitor Information Centre is also
the first centre visitors to the Columbia Valley encounter when arriving from the North or the East. Thus the numbers
reflected at the Radium Visitor Information Centre incorporate visitation to the entire Columbia Valley.
One of Radium Hot Springs’ main challenges is finding sustainable funding for the vital service provided by the Visitor
Information Centre. This is a common issue within the region and key stakeholders are coming together to explore
potential solutions to this concern.
Radium’s Visitor Information Center
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [24]
3.6.2. Outcome Reporting
Accommodation Sector Performance Accommodation sector performance provides an indication of the size and health of overall tourism economy
(more specifically the accommodation sector), by tracking changes in room revenue or room nights sold.
Overnight visitors to the communities tend to participate in more experiences than day visitors, and the
additional hours spent in the resort result in increased spending patterns and greater contributions per visitor
to the local economy. Considering the variation in this indicator throughout the year provides a window into
the community’s success at growing tourism throughout four seasons.
Annual room revenue was $6.2 million, $.7
million more than the previous year. This
results in a:
• 12% increase from the previous
year.
• 14% decrease compared to the base
year.
Comparisons
• 35% lower than the 21% total RM
increase from the base year.
• 39% lower than the 25% increase by
the province from the base year.
Visitor Numbers A resort community’s tourism economy is dependent on visits. Visitor numbers provide an understanding of
the health of the tourism economy, as well as the popularity the community as a tourism destination, quality of
the service levels, and the perceived value of tourism offerings. Depending on the employed methodology,
visitor numbers includes day visitors and overnight visitors differing from accommodation sector performance.
Considering the variation in this indicator throughout the year provides a window into the community’s success
at growing tourism throughout four seasons.
Visitor Centre visits resulted in an average of
18.8 visitors per hour or a total of 58,782
visitors. This results in a:
• 14% increase from the previous year.
• 26% increase compared to the base
year.
Comparisons
• 34% greater increase than the RM
average decrease of 20% from the
base year.
• 50% greater increase compared to
the Provincial decrease of 24% from
the base year.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [25]
Non-Market Change in Business and Recreation Tax Assessments One of the desired outcomes of the RMI is to diversify the municipal tax base towards a better mix of residential
and commercial taxes as well as increased investment in the community. This indicator area is meant to measure
this progress quite directly by reporting on the change in non-residential assessments.
Non-market assessment in business and
recreation classes totals $28 million. This
results in a:
• 1% or $.2 million increase from the
previous year.
• 4% decrease compared to the start
year.
Number of Business Licenses The number of businesses in a community reflects economic success and potential diversity of tourism offerings.
Breaking the results out by tourism business can provide a more direct measure of tourism growth.
The number of active business licenses totaled
152 in 2014. This results in a:
• 5% increase from the previous year.
• 1% decrease for the 3 year rolling average.
Other:
• Results peaked in 2008, and trailed at the
lowest point in 2013.
• The decrease from the start year is mainly
to do with construction activity.
Contractors will obtain a business license
when working within the municipality. The
Village is experiencing a slight increase in
construction activity.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [26]
3.7. Community Outcomes Supporting Tourism Development The data in this section is collected by both the resort communities and the Whistler Centre for Sustainability (WCS) and
is reported by the WCS for this year. Positive results in this outcome section generally facilitate a strong foundation to
support a positive visitor experience and economic outcomes. Results in this area show trends over time and should be
looked at as a long term result of a combination of factors.
3.7.1. Section Summary
The foundation to support a positive visitor experience and economic outcomes shows some variations from base year.
The median income as well as proportion of homes owned by part-time residents increased since the base year while
the feeling of a ‘sense of belonging’ in the region has stayed about the same. Housing affordability improved recently
and is better than the RM average, but housing is less affordable than the base year. Measures of community life such
as ‘crime rates’ declined in a positive direction since the base year, though realized a minor increase in 2014.
‘Greenhouse gas emissions’ increased in a slightly negative direction, though the results are from 2010.
Resort Municipality Commentary on Community Outcomes
When reviewing the Community Outcomes supporting tourism development, there were a few observations made.
With regards to the median income, Radium Hot Springs employment is primarily tourism service jobs. While these jobs
service the 3rd largest economy within BC, they are lower paying and typically seasonal positions. The visitor
concentration of part time resident property ownership is currently at 71% and has little effect on the sense of
community as both permanent and part time residents are still very positive. Even though the housing market in the
Valley has experienced a correction in pricing and since 2008 there are less condominium units available, the affordable
housing situation in the valley is still a concern. Due to tourism jobs being lower paying employment and the popularity
from the affluent Alberta market forcing property values higher, it makes it difficult for first time homeowners to
purchase property. The RCMP are reporting that Radium Hot Springs has a 7% decrease in calls and thus experiences
different results than shown in the unlawful incident statistics. The Columbia Valley RCMP Detachment continues to
focus their priorities on the following: Drug & Alcohol Abuse, and Visibility and Traffic Safety. Although we do not have
a statistic for ‘Sense of Belonging’, a few comments at the Visitor Information Center indicate the level of comfort when
in Radium…
‘Sense of Belonging Comments collected at the Visitor Information Centre’
“Had a lovely time as usual. Brought a friend who has never been. We loved exploring the area and checking things
out. We would go in search of animals every morning and evening. We took advantage of the restaurants and shops
in the area. Love the candy store. So much fun was had and everyone was so helpful and kind from Radium and the
surrounding area. I would love to live there....such a beautiful place!”
“The only place that I can totally relax and feel at peace”
“Always love our trips to Radium, have been coming for 25years.”
The last chart noted in this section (Section 3.7.2.) is regarding Greenhouse Gases. Since 2007, Radium Hot Springs will
have seen an increase of greenhouse gases due to the increase of assets. For example, a new fire hall has been built,
and the sewer treatment plant has had new, larger blowers installed thereby increasing its capacity to treat sewage.
The Village has minimized the impact of greenhouse gases by installing solar lights along the boulevard instead of using
electric lights.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [27]
3.7.2. Outcome Reporting
Median Income Median individual income can help reflect a community's overall economic wellbeing. As a proxy of purchasing power, it is also
one measure contributing to individual quality of life. Median income is a commonly measured indicator and is readily
comparable across communities.
The latest reported median income was
$32,690. This results in a:
• 10% increase from the previous
reporting year.
• 11% increase compared to the base
year.
Comparisons
• 4% lower than the RM average increase
of 15% from the base year.
• The RM average was $31,277
Visitor Concentration As communities become more and more popular as destinations, a sense of community and culture can be lost as desires of
those living outside the community supersede local needs. While the ideal balance varies from community to community,
measuring this indicator helps to identify one driver of tourism development and its impact on the local community and
culture.
In 2014, 76% of the property parcels were
owned by part-time residents. This results in a:
• Similar result to the previous year.
• 2% increase from the base year.
Comparisons
• Most RMI communities have
experienced little change from the base
year, though some, such as Ucluelet
have seen an increase of 11%.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [28]
Affordable Housing Most resort communities have identified resident housing as an important strategy in order to retain a vibrant
community and to maintain a strong local workforce. Housing costs generally represent residents’ largest
expenditure and is a significant factor in determining where local employees choose to live.
The average price of a home was 7.16 times
larger than the annual median income for the
most recent reporting period. This results in a:
• 14% decrease from the previous year.
• 23% increase compared to the base
year.
Comparisons
• 23% greater increase than the RM
average of 0% change from the base
year.
• Radium’s average was 12.37 times the
median income.
Unlawful Incidents Safety and security are important aspects of community life and contribute to a positive resort experience.
Information on crime rates provides a better understanding of the actual and perceived safety of residents and
visitors.
There were 79 reported unlawful incidents per
1,000 population in the most recent year. This
results in a:
• 12% increase from the previous year.
• 33% decrease compared to the base
year.
Comparisons
• 1% less of a decrease compared to the
RM average decrease of 34% from the
base year.
• Radium’s average for 2013 was
87/1,000 population.
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [29]
Resident Sense of Belonging A ‘sense of belonging’ to a community contributes to the community’s social fabric and the strength of the
relationships among community members. These relationships are often important in helping individuals and
groups in a community organize for work, play and community development. A sense of belonging can be
negatively impacted by tourism development and lead to tension between residents and visitors.
In the most recent reporting period 69% of
residents in the local health service area had a
strong or very strong sense of belonging to their
community. This results in a:
• 2% decrease from the previous year,
though statistically there was no change.
• 2% increase compared to the base year.
Comparisons
• The RM average for 2012 was 71%.
• The provincial average was 68%
Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Annual GHG per capita Science academies around the world agree that Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) are contributing to global climate
change. This changing climate will impact all local economies, community life, and visitor experiences as well as
directly impacting the local natural environment. Visitors and conference planners alike are beginning to make
travel decisions based on environmental progress in this area.
Greenhouse gas emissions in the most recent
reporting year amounted to 7 tonnes per capita.
This results in a:
• 3% increase from 2007.
Comparisons
• 3% greater increase than the RM average
of 0% change.
• The RM average for the recent reporting
year was 8.3 tonne
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [30]
4. Financial Report for 2014
4.1. 2014 Expenditures
4.2. Other Funding Sources
RMI Activity
Amount in
Reserve
pre-2014
(Reported)
Community
Redirection
of Reserve
Funds
2014
Amount
Received
(TUA)
2014
Amount
Spent
Under/
Overspend
(Reserve)
Notes
Infrastructure
Tourism Signage $60,395 $ $31,890 -$28,505
Phase one of the directional signs,
changeable information sign and the
relocation of the 'Mountains Shall
Brings Peace' sign has been completed.
Informational Kiosks are slated for
2015.
Sidewalk Connector
to Hot Pools $ $40,243 -$40,243
Investigations have indicated concerns
over the affordability.
Beautification
Initiatives $967 $9,300 $8,609 -$1,658
Ongoing efforts to enhance the Vil lage's
attractiveness continue.
Programs and Events
Adventure Radium
Youth Camp $920 $18,000 $16,927 -$1,993
Summer program continues to be a key
attraction for the shadow population
and visitors upon arrival.
Events & Festivals -$831 $40,000 $27,209 -$11,960
This was underspent this year as Event
Coordinator battled with health issues.
Evaluation, Monitoring and Program Administration
Monitoring &
Reporting $ $3,000 $3,000 $
Monitoring and reporting of this
program continues to be one of the most
comprehensive and extensive of the
Government programs.
TOTAL -$61,450 $ $110,543 $87,635 -$84,359
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [31]
4.3. Budget and Revenue Overview
Resort Municipal Initiative Report for Year 2014 - Village of Radium Hot Springs - [32]
5. Conclusion and Outlook
In 2013, the Village of Radium Hot Springs had learned a few lessons and made adjustments accordingly. One
of the main adjustments was to have a dedicated Event Co-ordinator, who concentrated on the ‘heads-n-
beds’ element of the Resort Municipality Initiative. In 2014, a contract was created and an Event Co-ordinator
was hired. Unfortunately, as the year progressed, a health issue suffered by the Event Co-ordinator
prevented the outcomes targeted. Despite the setback with the Event Co-ordinator positive progress was
made towards targeting the shoulder season for increased visitation numbers. The Village staff, with the
collaboration of Tourism Radium, intends to continue to work towards increasing occupancies in the shoulder
season by creating events for specific groups living outside of the region.
Alberta is a key market for Radium Hot Springs. The current economic state of lower oil prices will affect our
area. In 2014 there were layoffs and reduced work days for employees in this industry. It is expected that this
will continue to occur into 2015. The severity of the cut backs will directly be reflected in the visitation
numbers as Albertans reduce non-essential spending patterns. This may affect both our secondary
homeowner population as well as visitations.
Another market that has seen a different pattern is the USA market. As the Canadian dollar declines in
relation to the American dollar we are seeing increased traffic from our neighbours to the south. The
Olympics in Vancouver has certainly assisted in marketing the province as a destination. We anticipate that
this will continue especially as Canada hosts the Women’s FIFA Soccer and once again brings Canada and the
Province of BC to the forefront as a spectacular place to visit.