Tourist or Retiree? Makes a difference to a community.

Recently, I read an article about tourism vs retirement, in secondary home/discretionary regions.

The premise: first, people discover a place & enjoy it as tourists.

They stay in hotels, resorts, B&Bs, weekly rentals. They go out for breakfast, lunch, dinner in restaurants & coffee shops. They rent cars, scooters, kayaks, go fishing on charters, sign up for vineyard tours, go on foodie farm tours, check out gift & gallery locales...you get the drift...they are visitors & act accordingly.

If they really fall in love with the area, they will call a realtor (hopefully me!), look at property, & perhaps buy.

Now they are home owners, even if just seasonal.

What's the difference?

Actually, it's profound!

So, they no longer haunt the tourist related businesses. They are home, creating their own dinners. They bought their own kayak & have their own car. Not only that, when friends & relations visit, they stay with them. They have "big box" shopping choices just off island, say...do they shop local?

Multiply that scenario...hmmm...makes a significant difference, to the entire community, for sure!

A retirement community is a very different option than a tourist structured scenario.

Is that where Salt Spring Island and some other Vancouver Island communities find themselves? Somewhere between a tourist oriented destination and a year round lifestyle choice?

If the latter, then business models must shift to respond to this new dynamic. If the former, then is today's tourist-visitor still seeking the same experience that was offered ten years ago? What will keep them returning?

What is it that Salt Spring Island, other Gulf Islands, & Vancouver Island offer to a visitor?

Very important, the answer to that question, especially for the Gulf Islands, which are not municipalities, and so do not have access to some funding opportunities.

Ideas? On Salt Spring? Important to make your voice heard...your thought count...become a member of the new Chamber of Commerce sponsored Tourism Committee.

More info? Call me!

liread33@gmail.com