On October 8th, the Rotary Club of Barrie welcomed Kathleen Trainor from Economic Development & Tourism Barrie. Tourism, she reminded us, is not just about fun. It is an economic driver, and right now the numbers are telling an important story.
Hotel stays are down 5% and that trend is showing up in communities across the board. Tourism is a bellwether of consumer confidence, and the city is paying attention. At the same time, sporting events are up 21%. Barrie is gaining a reputation as a sports town, and sport tourism is the fastest growing segment of the sector. The Barrie Colts alone carry an economic value of $35 million. With three new hotels adding 1,674 rooms and a new soccer stadium on the way, the infrastructure is there to capitalize on that momentum.
Kathleen shared that events brought in $22 million last year and 600,000 people visited the waterfront over the summer. The city benchmarks itself against Kingston and holds an 8.5% share of local employment through tourism. The top target markets are families, multicultural visitors, and mature rural travellers. And the number one question visitors ask? Where to park.
The Club thanks Kathleen for a data-rich and energizing presentation. If today’s visitor really is tomorrow’s investor, Barrie has a lot to look forward to.