Guelph, Ont. hosting virtual engagement sessions on sport culture tourism

The City of Guelph, Ont., is looking for public input as they develop a sport and culture tourism strategy.

Two virtual engagement sessions are taking place on Monday via Zoom. One is from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and the other goes from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The city recently received federal funding from the Tourism Relief Fund. It will be used towards the development of the strategy that will help guide the city in attracting new visitors and driving economic growth in culture and sport tourism.

“So it is the folks who come from out of town to use our trails and parklands but they want to grab a bite to eat after and want to know where they can do that,” said Alex Jaworiwsky, manager of Tourism and Destination Development.

“Or it is the parents and grandparents who stay in our hotels and watch their kids play in tournaments, then they are looking for activities to do in between.”

Community members and organizations who consider themselves within the rich network of culture and sports tourism operators in Guelph are invited to attend the engagement sessions.

“It is going to start with a brief presentation on what we’ll be hoping to understand,” said Jaworiwsky. “But then floor will be turned over to the participants.

“There might be some breakout sessions, but we really want to prioritize that really strong dialogue with organizations and hear from them in a collaborative approach.”

“Culture is intrinsic to Guelph,” said Tammy Adkin, the city’s manager of Museums and Culture. “The project is an opportunity to assess the current strengths and challenges with the local arts and heritage sector, and identify the path we need to take as we recover from the impacts of the pandemic.”

Both the afternoon and evening sessions are free to attend but participants must first register by going to Eventbrite.

by CJOY