“I had hoped more restaurants would be here, however we can do the best we can and we can get out there and network and try to convince people there is a benefit to doing this,” said Mike Day, owner of Evil Dave’s Grill and a board member for the Jasper Destination Marketing Corporation.
The JDMC, which formed in March 2009, is made up of hotels, restaurants and attractions, all of whom charge their customers a two per cent destination marketing fee (DMF). That fee is then given to Tourism Jasper to market Jasper as a destination.
Restaurants and attractions were invited to collect the DMF in 2010. Currently the only restaurants taking part are Jasper Brewing Co., Soft Rock Cafe, Lou Lou’s Pizzeria, Tekarra Restaurant, Evil Dave’s Grill, Fiddle River, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria and Papa George’s Restaurant.
Despite low participation from restaurants, Tourism Jasper has seen significant growth since its beginnings in 2009. It’s moved from a one employee start-up, running on a laptop in Maggie Davison’s kitchen to having 10 staff in the Jackman House and more working in the Visitor Information Centre. Revenues have also grown. They’re now close to $3 million, with about $1.6 million of that going toward direct marketing, said Doug Goss, chair of the JDMC.
But still, not everyone is convinced that a DMF and a marketing organization are the way to attract visitors.
Rob Olson, owner of Earl’s in the Rockies, was at the meeting to explain why he stopped collecting the DMF. “I go to the annual general meeting and I can’t see anything physical that’s been done over two years, except $100,000 going into a snowball fight. Those are the things, as a small business owner, that make it really tough,” he said.
Olson said Tourism Jasper doesn’t seem to have the same priorities as he does for his business, so he chose to opt out. That doesn’t mean he’s ruled out joining again, though.
“I said when I dropped out that I’m not against going back into it. I do like the fact that [Tourism Jasper] is extending the shoulder seasons. I’m not against joining again, but I need to see some progress.”
Unlike in Banff, collecting a DMF is voluntary in Jasper. In 2006, a vote was held to gauge the support for a mandatory fee on business licences. The result was a 50-50 tie.
“When the business license requirement went from Parks Canada to the municipality...we had that referendum,” said Mike Howe, owner of the Jasper Whitewater Rafting Company and a member of the JDMC board. “The municipality said the business community had to show strong support for the business license based marketing fee.
“So we went out and lobbied businesses and paid a consultant to come in and then we had the vote. It was at the Anglican Church hall and it was 286 businesses for and 286 businesses against. It was a dead tie, 50-50.
“Obviously 50-50 wasn’t strong support, so a group of hoteliers got together and created this [marketing corporation],” he said.
Goss said the idea of the organization is to “grow the pie” by collectively marketing Jasper through one voice.
“[We need to] get everybody buying in to this notion that marketing over the long term is a good idea—even if you don’t see the results next week, maybe you’ll see them next year, two years, three years, five years from now. It’s a long term plan to continue to build this destination and put it on the map and make it a real player with the other legitimate world class destinations, which this is.
“It’s not just about the money. It’s also the philosophy of everybody being on the same page marketing this place.”
