October 28, 2004 Bouctouche, Prince Edward Island A renewed partnership will see an additional 12 communities attend the highly-successful program, "What Makes A Sustainable Tourism Destination." This follows the 16 from across Atlantic Canada which are already using the best practices of Bouctouche, New Brunswick as a model for their tourism development. Recognized as a benchmark for sustainable tourism development, the community of Bouctouche and its partners have created a multi-faceted tourism destination, the crown jewel of which is the international award-winning Irving Bouctouche Dune. The community's efforts have provided economic benefits, preserved the local culture and natural habitats, and created many community-building experiences. The Université de Moncton, in partnership with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), offers the program within the community of Bouctouche, exposing and involving community and business leaders from visiting jurisdictions to development best practices. "This innovative program has proven itself to be a catalyst for communities interested in making the most of their potential as a tourism destination," said the Honourable Joseph McGuire, Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). "By exposing leaders from across Atlantic Canada to the Bouctouche experience, ACOA is demonstrating a commitment to building our regional economy in a way that promotes environmentally-responsible practices." Participating communities, identified by ACOA and the tourism departments of each of the four provinces, form a multi-stakeholder team with a minimum of eight representatives, including civic leaders, tourism operators, and local economic development agencies. Once screened into the program, each community receives an advance site visit from a qualified consultant who analyzes the positive attributes a particular community has to capitalize on. The next stage is the workshop, which introduces the key principles for developing a successful sustainable tourism project. The objective is to generate ideas that will transform participants' communities into premier tourism destinations that benefit local residents and entertain and educate visitors. Digby, Nova Scotia attended this past weekend, the first of the groups to embark on the program's second round. "What Makes a Sustainable Tourism Destination" is based on an inter-active curriculum. The goal is to bring each community's participants to a shared vision, establish a preliminary evaluation of their region, and create an initial plan that will highlight the key steps toward achieving a sustainable community tourism development. To learn more about this program, please visit: www.umoncton.ca/ecobouctouche/en/ ACOA is committed to playing a leadership role in growing tourism in the region by bringing a pan-Atlantic approach to research, marketing and product development. Its initiatives are designed to enhance and extend tourism- related efforts throughout the region. - 30 - Ron Crozier Office of the Minister for ACOA (902) 888-4150 Jean-Paul Vanderlinden, Acting Chair K.C. Irving Chair in Sustainable Development Université de Moncton (506) 858-4501 Wes Harrison ACOA PEI & Tourism 902-368-0842 Wes.Harrison@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
