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Are events the way to generate business in Whistler?

In a winter that has disappointed many businesses, some people see events as a way to increase numbers and fill in "dead spots" during the season.

In a winter that has disappointed many businesses, some people see events as a way to increase numbers and fill in "dead spots" during the season.

But Doug Perry, director of the World Ski and Snowboard Festival, and some other event managers see lower prices and an events strategy as the key.

"Whistler does not need more event companies, rather Whistler needs a more effective overall event strategy," Perry said.

"Whistler needs a 365-day long-range master plan for developing impact events at specific times in the calendar as part of a resort-wide marketing plan.

"More event companies are not the solution. More events are not the solution. A small number of very effective events that deliver a measurable economic impact to Whistler would be more beneficial," said Perry.

The good news is there is a board which was created to make strategic alliances, promote events and fill the dead spots in the calendar year: the Whistler Events Bureau.

The WEB started in September 2001 and is a partnership between Whistler-Blackcomb, represented by Rob McSkimming, the municipality, represented by John Rae, and Tourism Whistler, represented by President Barrett Fisher.

According to Rae, WEB is focussed on driving up occupancy rates and developing international partnerships with firms such as IMG, which can bring television coverage to events in Whistler prior to the 2010 Olympics.

But some of the firms that currently produce events in Whistler would prefer the WEB was looking for "local" solutions.

Perry said the WEB had in no way helped with the organization of the WSSF and suggested the bureau was forging "a near exclusive relationship with US-based event giant IMG".

"The World Ski and Snowboard Festival is one of the few major events in Whistler that has no connection to the Whistler Events Bureau whatsoever," Perry said.

He argued that event companies did not always drive tourists to Whistler, but rather good event design and sound event marketing strategies is what attracts people to Whistler.

"Whistler needs to thoroughly analyze its events to see which ones are working and which ones are not," he said.

"The ones that make an economic contribution and are meaningful to the community should stay, the ones that don’t should be re-engineered or scrapped."

Rae said WEB exists to create events and form world-wide strategic alliances that will drive "incremental" occupancy rates.

"We want to make sure that the events here are based on a concept which will help with the image of how Whistler is perceived around the world," Rae said.

He admitted that the slump in visits this past January is an issue WEB was grappling with.

"It’s a bit of an issue, this famous black hole in January, I just thank God that the Americans have a holiday called the Martin Luther weekend."

Rae confirmed that WEB believed a company such as IMG would help bring large-scale events to Whistler.

"It’s complex the sponsorship terrain but we’re lucky to have IMG in serious negotiations with us.

"We believe that IMG offers some incredible opportunities because what we need is global sponsorship sales, names to title events and IMG are experts in that, as well as broadcast production and distribution."

Some of the smaller event organizers are also concerned with limitations on sponsorship due to Whistler-Blackcomb’s corporate sponsors.

Adam Comey from Mountain Sports International, the company that runs the popular Canadian Freeskiing Championships, said it was difficult to expand locally when Whistler-Blackcomb has the final say on sponsors.

"To fit an event into all the categories Whistler-Blackcomb requires is nearly impossible," Comey said.

"It’s a catch-22 because we’re trying to deliver real value to the resort but we can’t do that without partners, and without them we’re unable to deliver numbers.

"Whether some events can co-exist with Whistler-Blackcomb’s sponsors is going to be interesting and of course there’s a whole fleet of issues with this surrounding 2010."

Comey said "prices" in Whistler are also something that needs to be looked at.

Perry agreed with Comey that pricing was an issue.

"Whistler is undergoing a collective adjustment in the pricing of all products and amenities, but the bigger question we need to ask ourselves, is whether Whistler is effectively marketing itself to its target market?"

But Perry was adamant that Whistler-Blackcomb had the right to protect its corporate sponsors.

"If the event is worthy of an investment there is always a willing partner.

"If you look closely there are times when event sponsors who are competitors to Whistler-Blackcomb’s corporate partners are present at events on Whistler-Blackcomb. December’s Snowscene, for example, included Bell, Molson and Nissan, but only after first right of refusal was offered to Telus, Labatt and GM."

McSkimming said events can fail because Whistler-Blackcomb doesn’t have the resources to help make them all happen.

"One point that a lot of people might not realize is that you can only do so many events in the same place in a certain period of time," McSkimming said.

"Our resources and facilities are limited to an extent and that’s often more of a factor than problems with sponsorship."

Rae and McSkimming encouraged any companies or individuals that have ideas about events, which would benefit the Whistler community at large, to contact WEB and seek a resolution.

WEB can be contacted through the municipality, Whistler-Blackcomb or Tourism Whistler.