Tourism announcement surprises

After more than a decade as an arm's-length entity from government, the province is ending Tourism Saskatchewan in favour of a new Treasury Board Crown Corporation.

"The ministry is making changes to the Tourism Saskatchewan legislation to increase focus on and better co-ordinate government's efforts to promote the province. Today's budget will move the functions of Tourism Saskatchewan back into government with the creation of a Treasury Board Crown Corporation. The government's funding commitment to tourism remains unchanged," stated a March 21 Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport news release.

The announcement caught Tourism Saskatchewan by surprise.

"The shift has significant implications for the tourism industry, which currently generates over $1.67 billion in revenue annually and employs more than 58,000 people in the province. As a result of this change, Tourism Saskatchewan's membership will cease to exist," detailed a notice from the provincial organization.

Members of Saskatchewan's tourism sector will gather on Thursday, March 22, 2012 to discuss the issues.

Randy Goulden, manager of Tourism Yorkton and chair of the Tourism Saskatchewan (TS) board, said the government's decision was wholly unilateral.

"We're very much surprised," she told Yorkton This Week Monday. "The tourism industry had no prior knowledge, or prior consultation, that this was going to happen."

Goulden said the lack of consultation was disappointing given that TS is a "membership-based, industry-driven" organization.

It is the membership base which has helped make TS successful, because members "are invested in the industry," and have a direct voice in the organization.

"Where will the industry engagement be in a Crown Corporation?" she asked.

Gouden said until they have some discourse with government, the reasons for the change are not known, but she said TS has obviously been working. She cited the one in 10 residents in Saskatchewan working in the hospitality industry, and one in six in Yorkton.

The decision is likely to affect Tourism Yorkton, which has co-oped advertising and promotion with the provincial organization, giving far greater exposure to Yorkton tourist opportunities than the local group could on its own.

Such co-operative efforts with a Crown are not likely possible, said Goulden.

"I think that will cease," she said.

Goulden said the industry is not going to have much say in the process, noting they won't even have a look at the legislation until "after it receives first reading in the Legislature."