A new organization promises to keep Victoria punching above its weight when it comes to attracting sports tourism events.
Officials representing tourism, sporting organizations and the District of Saanich heard Tuesday morning the Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission will take the place of SportHost under the leadership of executive director Hugh MacDonald.
The new organization will fall under the auspice of Victoria Tourism.
Paul Nursey, chief executive officer for Tourism Victoria, said sports tourism has become an important driver of the local economy. Estimates peg the total annual value of regional, provincial, national and international sporting events in the Greater Victoria region at $117 million.
Nursey said sports tourism directly benefits the hospitality and transportation sectors, and indirectly other sectors. But the competition for this segment of the economy has intensified in recent years, as the number of competing cities has risen from a handful to more than a 100, said Nursey.
B次元官网网址淪o we really need to up our game,B次元官网网址� said Nursey. B次元官网网址淲e never need to take any business for granted, like we never do.B次元官网网址�
Nursey described MacDonald as a B次元官网网址渟hop of oneB次元官网网址� who did a B次元官网网址渢remendous jobB次元官网网址� in attracting events to Victoria. B次元官网网址淏ut he doesnB次元官网网址檛 have in-house marketing, or legal, or accounting, or research, or sales or social media. Those functions exist within Tourism Victoria.B次元官网网址�
Nursey said the creation of the Greater Victoria Tourism Commission promises to create synergies. B次元官网网址淲e [Tourism Victoria and SportHost] were two separate organizations, working collaboratively the best that we could in parallel,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd now we are coming together as one entity, which will increase the firepower of our bids.B次元官网网址�
Nursey said the organization will retain its sports focus with its own membership, specified authorities, and distinctive brand.
B次元官网网址淚t will leverage the capacities and organizational strength of Tourism Victoria,B次元官网网址� said Nursey. B次元官网网址淲e have 42 professionals plus in-market representatives, who are actively looking to grow the business every day. And it will live within the legal construct of Tourism Victoria. Before we had two different legal entities.B次元官网网址�
Nursey said a yet-to-be chosen committee will control the strategy, annual plan and budget of the new organization, which will have a seat on the board of Tourism Victoria.
B次元官网网址淚t will provide advice to me as a CEO around sports tourism issues, because we donB次元官网网址檛 pretend to be experts, and we are excited to learn more about this opportunity,B次元官网网址� said Nursey. B次元官网网址淲e are certainly experts in bidding on conferences, and other major events, but the nuances of sports are something we are going to learn more about.B次元官网网址�
It is not clear yet though when the new organization will start to bid for new opportunities.
Nursey said finding a director for the new commission will be the first priority, as MacDonald will retire from his position at SportHost on March 31. The new organization will also look to fill its governance committee, then develop its strategy, said Nursey.
Once these steps are complete, the new organization will be able to focus on future opportunities, he said.
Robert Bettauer, chief executive officer for the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence, was among several officials including Coun. Judy Brownoff, who attended TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 announcement at Saanich Commonwealth Pool. Bettauer, a former tennis pro and current television commentator, welcomes the new organization. It promises to build on past efforts that have allowed Victoria punch about its weight when it comes to attracting high quality sporting events.
For MacDonald, TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 announcement had elements of a bitter-sweet moment. On one hand, it happened at Saanich Commonwealth Place, the main physical legacy of the 1994 Commonwealth Games, the event that eventually inspired the creation of SportHost. On the other hand, it signalled the pending end of MacDonaldB次元官网网址檚 long professional career in sports and sports tourism, a legacy both Nursey and Bettauer recognized. McDonald, for his part, appeared more than comfortable saying good-bye, calling the new organization a B次元官网网址渘atural evolutionB次元官网网址� of SportHost.
