City of Stratford Sport Tourism Strategy

City of Stratford Sport Tourism Strategy Approved by City Council

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The City of Stratford partnered with investStratford and Destination Stratford to develop a Sport Tourism Strategy for the City.

The project, funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario via RTO4, assessed the City’s current tourism assets, gathered information through public consultations and provides a strategy for growth and next steps.

The Sport Tourism Strategy project aims were to:

• determine the economic impact, and the size and scope of existing sport tourism opportunities – including an inventory of capital assets (infrastructure) and human assets (volunteer groups, local sport associations)
• explore the potential to expand those existing opportunities and to identify new areas for growth, complete with financial and socio-community impacts, effects and outcomes
• consider and recommend technology tools that link sport bookings to tourism assets, amplifying the visitor experience with local retail, food/beverage and accommodation providers
• provide a needs analysis for growth and potential funding opportunities

All members of the public, sports groups, and service clubs were encouraged to participate in the consultations. Opportunities included online engagement via the City of Stratford’s Engage Stratford platform, as well as in-person public consultations.

STRATFORD SPORT TOURISM – PUBLIC SURVEY RESPONSE REPORT

Surveys collected from 31 August 2022 to 04 October 2022.

COMMUNITY INPUT OPPORTUNITIES

Destinate Group was selected as the consultant to lead this work, and started public consultation on the Sport Tourism Strategy in September. The Strategy was presented to City Council January 23, 2023. Council approved the following staff recommendations:

THAT the existing Sport Tourism Steering Committee (Community Services Department, Destination Stratford, investStratford) remain active and that the Tourism Advisory Committees of Destination Stratford be leveraged to inform and support the creation of the Stratford Sport Tourism Office;

AND THAT the Steering Committee explore funding opportunities and partnerships to create an organizational structure and funding model for inclusion in the City of Stratford 2024 budget.

Stratford Sport Tourism Advisory Committee members and Terms of Reference can be found here.

For more information, please contact:
Joani Gerber
CEO, investStratford
519-305-5055 extension 1001; jgerber@investStratford.com

This project is funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

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