Coast of Bays Tourism Association Holds Annual General Meeting L-R: Terry Fudge (Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Recreation), Don Hollett (ACOA), Don Stewart (Chair, Coast of Bays Corporation) Stan Hill (Chair, Coast of Bays Tourism Assoc.), Elizabeth Sheppard (Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador) and Baxter House (Coast of Bays Tourism Coordinator) L-R: Baxter House, Audrey Wells (Director), Stan Hill (Chair), Elaine Williams(Secretary), John Barnes(Vice-Chair), Missing from Photo - Boyce Stewart (Treasurer)   The Coast of Bays Tourism Association held its Annual General Meeting for 1999 at Harbour Breton on November 16. Stan Hill, Chairperson of the association, opened the meeting and welcomed everyone in attendance.  He then gave a detailed report of the activities of the association over the past year. These activities included incorporation of the association, hosting a familiarization tour of Visitor Information Centre staff from across the province, developing a tourism information package, applying for and receiving the theme touring route designation of "Coast of Bays Passage" for the zone, attending trade shows to promote the Coast of Bays region as a tourism destination, hostinag a customer service luncheon with representatives of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, delivering two very successful "Superhost Atlantic" training seminars with the help of HNL and association members,accessing funding to prepare a master plan for the development of pull-off sites throughout the region, becoming a member of the Central Region Tourism Marketing Partnership, receiving funding to acquire and install signage throughout the region and along Route 360 designating it as the "Coast of Bays Passage" and submitting concept papers to the FRAM-ED program for the establishment of a wilderness interpretation centre and a golf course in the region

Baxter House, Coast of Bays Tourism Coordinator, then gave a brief presentation about the trends/developments in the tourism statistics for the region over the past two years.   He noted that there is a definite increase in tourism traffic to the region and that may be attributable to a number of factors including promotional activities in tourism magazines, at trade shows and on the World Wide Web, the popularity of fishing, the increasing number of tourist attractions in the region including points of interest, festivals and other events in the region.

In attendance were Don Stewart (Coast of Bays Corporation), Don Hollett (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency), Terry Fudge (Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation), Elizabeth Sheppard (Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador).  Everyone commended the executive and membership on a job well done over the past year and extended best wishes for another productive year.  Election of officers for 1999-2000 was then held. The executive for 1999-2000 is as follows:

The Chairperson then used the occasion to unveil the new signage that will be installed over the next while around the region and along Route 360 designating it as the "Coast of Bays Passage".  These signs are made of reflective material and are very attractive with a guaranteed lifespan of fifteen years.  The Department of Works, Services and Transportation will be erecting appropriate signage on the Trans Canada Highway of the new name as well.

Over the next year the Coast of Bays Tourism Association has the following plans:

1. Develop promotional materials such as a vacation planner for the region

2. Identification and development of an anchor attraction for the region - something unique to convince the visitor to travel the Coast of Bays Passage

3. Explore the potential of developing a regional trail system connecting all communities in the region

4. Installation of an information kiosk at the Trans Canada Highway, and

5. Increase the level of service to members and membership in the association.

For more information about tourism in the Coast of Bays region, contact:
Baxter House, Tourism Coordinator
Coast of Bays Corporation
P.O. Box 310
St. Alban's, Newfoundland
A0H 2E0
Phone: 709-538-3401
Fax: 709-538-3627
E-mail: cobta@cancom.net

Last Revised on November 24, 1999