By Sam Borsato - @BorsatoSam on Twitter

Lethbridge organizations beginning the process to become one tourism entity

May 10, 2017 | 12:58 PM

LETHBRIDGE – The city is one step closer to realizing a single entity Lethbridge Destination Management Organization (LDMO).
 
Lethbridge’s Destination Management Plan (DMP) was approved in November 2016 to guide tourism development, management and marketing for the next 10 years. At that time, City Council also decided to move ahead with a stand alone tourism governance organization.
 
Lorna Kurio, economic development and tourism liaison, says the entire process began with discussions back in 2014.
 
An implementation strategy and terms of reference to establish the new 13 member LDMO board was approved on Monday (May 8) by Council. The three year strategy outlines the transition of visitor services from the Chinook Country Tourist Association (CCTA), Economic Development Lethbridge (EDL) and Lethbridge Sport Council (LSC) into one organization with common goals.
 
Currently, the CCTA markets tourism for Lethbridge and surrounding regions, EDL focuses on all things related to business, marketing and event development, while the LSC takes care of sport tourism opportunities.
 
Kurio explains that the change will require plenty of collaboration.
 
“Specifically talking about events, a lot of those events are ongoing. These entities provide support to them, and that support isn’t going away overnight. So, that’s what the transition plan addresses.
 
“First, in 2017, they continue as is. They’re aware that there is this change coming,” she continued. “Then in 2018, there’s been conversations held in 2017 how everyone is going to work back together, and what moves and when it moves… It’s not a line in the sand, it doesn’t change one particular day. It is a transition.”
 
The LDMO will eventually be made up of two City Council members, a restaurant representative, two citizens at large, as well as one representative each from the Allied Arts Council, CCTA, EDL, LSC and Lethbridge Lodging Association. Two major attractions representatives will also be chosen from either the ENMAX Centre, Exhibition Park, Galt Museum and Archives/Fort Whoop-Up, Helen Schuler Nature Centre, Nikko Yuko Japanese Garden or Southern Alberta Art Gallery.
 
Kurio noted that public ads will be going out shortly looking for the restaurant representative and two citizens at large.
 
Startup, base funding for the LDMO of $56,000 will be provided by the City of Lethbridge in 2017. A total of $630,892 in current City funding for the CCTA, EDL and LSC will then be transferred to the LDMO in 2018. The group also plans to explore funding agreements with the Lethbridge Lodging Association, other hotels, Travel Alberta and Alberta Culture and Tourism, as well as membership fees and grants to gain extra revenue in the future.
 
As stated in the implementation strategy, the ultimate vision for the DMP and LDMO is to position Lethbridge as “southern Alberta’s premier destination for sport tourism and business event hosting” by 2026.