Lacombe-Ponoka MLA Ron Orr spoke about bolstering tourism opportunities across the region during a lunch event hosted by the Lacombe and District Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.
“I think that the Lacombe region has a great opportunity. Tourism is a growing industry world-wide - in Alberta, it’s an $8 billion industry that supports 19,000 businesses and employs more than 127,000 people,” he explained.
“So I want to inspire you, to seize a tremendous opportunity for the Lacombe region that I think we can do better in.”
Orr said he personally had been inspired recently by a book called Thank You For Being Late by Thomas Friedman.
“He talks about what he calls the massive accelerations of our time - that really define our time.”
Orr said the book got him to thinking about how bigger isn’t better. “He said, and I quote, ‘Today, we need to reverse the centralization of power in favour of decentralization.’” To Orr, that also means tapping into what local residents have to say and what they have to contribute to issues and initiatives - such as spurring tourism growth.
“Most of what is good is in spite of, not because of, big government in our personal and direct experience,” he said. “My point is that we are the ones who will make the real difference that people will experience in our communities. What we do matters.
“The businesses and the services provided by local people are the real growth enhancements in improvements to life.”
Orr also pointed out the importance of building a team linking various organizations in a community, but also linking communities on a regional basis. That in itself is also key to improving a community’s tourism appeal.
“It will prosper us all in the long run if we can work together. And it will create an economic impact for this province.”
He pointed out how well Lacombe is positioned in the province geographically as well to benefit from visitors - being in the middle of Calgary and Edmonton to begin with.
This is also where awareness comes in. Orr said he’s been encouraged by comments he has heard about Lacombe and its intrinsic appeal. One couple told him they like it so much, they take a weekend every year to get way from the city and just hang out in Lacombe.
“When you think about it, there are so many things in this region that we have. The walking trails, the arts and culture events, the LAPA field, the Lacombe Memorial Centre, the Generals here with the Allan Cup coming up next year. We have a pretty active live music scene and performance-based kinds of things.”
That appeal spreads outwards too, including two popular lakes nearby that thousands of people visit each year.
“We have a million-plus market right next door to us. It’s not very far. How do you develop that? How do you tell others - how do you build on this? Most Edmontonians quite frankly are not aware about what this community has to offer. We need to blow our horn a little bit,” he said, adding that 94% of visitors to the Central Alberta region are Alberta tourists.
And when Calgary is added to the mix, the numbers of potential visitors soars past the two million mark, he added.
Orr asked what would happen if more restaurants and arts and culture groups joined together and marketed the community better. “Every time people come here, we need to up-sell that next (visiting) opportunity.”
Ultimately, much of it boils down to building successful partnerships, he said.
“Work together, and the net for everybody will be that much bigger.”
Meanwhile, Orr also brought those in attendance up to date on some party business, and recapped a bit about the unification process between the Conservative party and the Wild Rose party last year.
“I think the decisive size of the vote shifted the political landscape for Alberta for the coming 2019 provincial election. It’s definitely been a historic time in the province’s political history to have gone through that this past year.
“As we continue to grow, we will need members of integrity from all walks of life to join in the momentum, and to each take a role in turning this province around and bring it back to prosperity for all to enjoy.
“We don’t want to sacrifice our future on the alter of ideology.”
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