We live in an incredible community, full of culture and natural beauty with access to a wide range of activities at our finger tips from kayaking, hiking and golfing to plays, concerts and events; we have a selection of good restaurants as well as a downtown, waterfront, parks and trails that are a delight to stroll.
There is much to celebrate and be proud of in Qualicum Beach. The efforts of community and business members over the years have added to the natural setting to make Qualicum Beach one of the most desirable towns to visit and stay.
Tourism is and has always been a key component of the success of the town. It is not just about the success of our businesses and organizations that makes it important; it is what the success of those businesses and organizations offers us, the community members. From restaurants and retail stores, concerts and classes, to events and activities, having a depth and variety of quality offerings for us to enjoy in our own community requires that they be able to succeed.
It is important for us to choose to support local businesses and organizations as a way to ensure that our community is able to continue to benefit from selection that is available to us. It is also important to recognize that we all benefit from visitors coming to spend time in our community. Whether it is friends and family or those without connections coming here to sample what we have, the support visitors bring can make the difference of whether or not we get to continue to enjoy the same offerings ourselves and to enable those offerings to grow.
Success in tourism is about celebrating and building on what we have, about working together to compliment rather than compete with our neighbours.
It requires us all to recognize that it is important to the health our community, and that we can all play a role in its success. Every one of us is an ambassador for our town and region, whether we are serving in a restaurant, giving directions on the street, planning an event, or talking with others while on our own travels. We all benefit by ensuring that our visitors and potential visitors know about all that we have to offer and that they have a wonderful, memorable time in our community.
Geoff Ball, executive director of Milner Gardens and Woodland, is a director with the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce.