On May 30, 1957, the Jasper Chamber of Commerce was formed. Later morphing into Jasper Tourism and Commerce, it was in charge of promoting the community nationally and internationally, while also supporting local business.

But now that it has handed over destination marketing operations powers to Tourism Jasper, a great deal of uncertainty surrounds the organization.

Rebuilding itself as a business advocacy group will be a substantial shift for an organization that has primarily focused on marketing. There will be questions of sustainability and relevance circulating around the chamber, and the organization must show leadership if it is to survive. How will this affect membership? What sort of services can they offer? Does Jasper need a lobby group for the business community? The chamber must re-assert itself with its members.

If Jasper is to consider itself a true tourism destination, a properly funded destination marketing organization is a logical step. Jasper Tourism and Commerce did not have the funds to compete globally, so now Jasper will see a voluntary (from a business standpoint) two per cent surcharge on attractions and restaurants.

Surcharges have become standard in tourism locations. We don’t relish the idea of spending an additional two per cent each time we dine out, however if it helps market said restaurants and allows them to stay, so be it. From an economic standpoint, it makes sense to pool resources, but there are no guarantees businesses will be jumping on this opportunity. Burdening the customer – even at two per cent – doesn’t fit every businesses’ ideology. Tourism Jasper must work hard to show a near immediate return on investment if it is to gain trust of the community.

There must be checks and balances if such an organization is to take root in Jasper. DMOs are great at expanding market share and attracting increasingly higher numbers of visitors. Jasper visitation numbers are still below late 1980s numbers, judging by Parks Canada gate numbers. Tourism Jasper CEO Maggie Davison said Jasper must become more consumable in order to compete on the global stage.

But how consumable should Jasper be? Banff-Lake Louise Tourism is renowned not only for keeping Banff at the forefront of national marketing campaigns, but also pushing for more commercial activity in the National Park. This often comes at the expense of environmental protection, so those interested in maintaining stewardship principles in the park should take notice. Davison said she wants to see visitation climb to two million – an extra 200,000 visitors, mostly in the shoulder seasons and midweek. The question remains – is this sustainable?

There are challenges to expanding business in a National Park, and Tourism Jasper must be realistic about those limitations. Small land base and strict land use guidelines can quash many activities. Even sustainable events such as bike races and triathlons are not easily organized in a National Park.

Jasper has already seen one change with the evolution of the Chamber of Commerce. A well-funded DMO, properly-run and partnered with a business advocacy group, could serve to change Jasper in other ways not yet imagined.