TUESDAY APRIL 2, 2013
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NEW FEATURE ABOUT TRAILS
We start this new monthly page with Little Mountain
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BELLY DANCERS SCENE AND HEARD
Brenda Gough’s latest photos and snippets of info from a busy time in our region
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TOURISM ASSOCIATION’S AGM
Looking to the outskirts A focus for the PQBTA in 2013 will be to better promote small centres JOHN HARDING editor@pqbnews.com
The work of the Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism Association (PQBTA) is “critical” to the financial health of our region and should be better supported by the municipality, says a Parksville city councillor. More than 77 per cent of the association’s 2012 revenue of $528,000 came from a two per cent hotel tax (which is up for renewal through the provincial government in 2014). About 10 per cent came from fees and surcharges, including those from member businesses and municipalities like Parksville. “I think this group is absolutely critical to the tourism economy of Parksville Qualicum,” Coun. Bill Neufeld, the city’s non-voting representative on the PQBTA’s board, said at the association’s annual general meeting Thursday. “I think we get more than our dollars’ worth and I think we should be supporting it far more greatly. Council should be putting more dollars into it.” The association actually budgeted for a deficit in 2012 (it worked out to $86,308), due to a major re-branding project that eventually changed its name. The group used to be called the Oceanside Tourism Association. Both the chair of the board Robynne Shaw (the general manager of Sunrise Ridge Resort) and PQBTA executive director Blain Sepos believe the re-branding has been a success. “It’s been received very well, within the community and beyond,” said Shaw. “I’ve heard anecdotally from people that they really feel it’s a strong brand,” said Sepos. “It’s fresh and eye-catching.” The PQBTA budget for 2013 forecasts a rise in revenue of just less than two per cent. “You wouldn’t think two per cent is a big thing, but that’s probably a pretty aggresive target,” said Sepos. “The meetings market, which is a big part of what grows our shoulder/off season stuff, still has huge challenges. It’s not as robust as it was in 2008 — governments and corporations are trying to save money wherever they can.” Shaw said a focus for 2013 will be getting tourists to look at visiting smaller centres once they have enjoyed the amenities in Parksville and Qualicum Beach. See NEW BOARD, page A8
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$ 99
JOHN HARDING PHOTO
KITE DAY: Member of the B.C. Kitefliers Association met in Community Park on the weekend in Parksville under perfect sun and wind conditions. Over her shoulder and 15 metres in the air above Qualicum Beach’s Pep Kay is a kite called Romance, a five-metre-square, plus tail, kite which was made by master kitemaker Art Ross of Vancouver, who died last year. Kay said it was an honour to have one of Ross’s kites here this weekend. For more photos from this event and others during the holiday weekend, please see inside today and our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PQBNews
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