Some chamber members at the annual Mayors’ lunch in Owen Sound feel the region needs to clearly identify itself.
New Chamber Member Peter Reesor thinks it’s difficult to know how to build and brand the region without a strong vision of what communities want.
Reesor — who works in marketing — asked the four Mayors if they want to be a Collingwood, Carmel or San Diego.
He says you need to answer that question and move-on from there.
Local Tourism Guide and Online Travel Expert Justin Skultety says marketing has to sometimes be obvious.
He’s not sure the region is doing that.
Skultety is critical of the work of Regional Tourism Operation 7 is doing.
That group consists of Bruce County, Grey County and Simcoe County with a mandate to enrich the diverse tourism experiences in the region.
Skultety says they promote Blue Mountain very well, while other areas like Owen Sound fall to the waste side.
The Mayors Lunch on Thursday was attended by Owen Sound Mayor Deb Haswell, Alan Barfoot from Georgian Bluffs, Francis Richardson from Meaford, and Bob Pringle of Chatsworth.
Mayor Richardson told the audience the area is best known as Ontario’s playground, when it should also be known as the Province’s living room.
When asked about the working relationship between the four mayors, Deb Haswell pointed to successful recreation and library agreements.
Haswell says it’s clearly proof the council’s recognize how important it is to band together.
