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Hay River seeks tourism branding

Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, June 25, 2009

HAY RIVER - Hay River has begun the process of creating a new tourism identity for itself.

A June 18 public meeting – attended by about 30 people – discussed how to brand the community.

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Marion Levigne: Hay River needs a new brand for tourism. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

The meeting was sparked by a harsh description of the town by Lonely Planet, an international source of information for travellers.

On Lonely Planet's Internet website and in a guidebook, Hay River is described as a "hard-bitten" town.

The entry describes the town as "kilometres of dilapidated motels, hulking tank farms, creaking railcars and scores of boats and trucks decomposing in weed-choked lots."

The main speaker at the June 18 meeting was Marion Levigne, president of the Outcrop Group and publisher of Up Here magazine.

It was Up Here's editor, Aaron Spitzer, while working as a freelancer, who wrote the description of Hay River for Lonely Planet.

Levigne began her talk by acknowledging some people in Hay River are not happy with her company, but she assured residents the Lonely Planet description does not reflect her views.

"I unfortunately can't control what our staff does on their own time when they're on vacation," she said.

Other than that, there was almost no mention of Lonely Planet at the meeting, which was sponsored by the Hay River Chamber of Commerce.

Levigne explained branding means establishing what makes a community distinctive and offering a compelling reason for people to visit.

"Branding really does matter," she said.

As an example of successful branding, she pointed to Chemainus, B.C., which has become famous for its murals.

Branding would include creating a logo and a tagline.

The closest thing Hay River has to a brand is the oft-used slogan 'Hub of the North'.

However, Levigne said that slogan appeals more to businesses than it does to tourists.

She suggested Hay River might consider using Great Slave Lake and whitefish as the basis for branding.

Others at the meeting listed many aspects of Hay River which should be better promoted to tourists and ideas for new attractions.

Kim Crook, Hay River resident, suggested such things as fossil hunting, an event to celebrate the town's pioneers and a music festival.

Others mentioned better signage, improved maps, high school reunions, more green space, and volleyball tournaments on the beach as some of the ways to enhance the experience of tourists.

Vera Woznica, Hay River resident, said Hay River business is largely focused on oil and gas instead of tourism, even though tourism is something that can remain forever.

"I think we have to take our blinders off and wake up," Woznica said.

Councillor Pat Burnstad said the town needs some sprucing up.

"The first impression of people coming into town isn't really that good," she said.

One suggestion at the meeting was planting trees to create a visual barrier between the highway and the town's industrial park.

Brian Lefebvre, the past president of the Hay River Chamber of Commerce, said the meeting was the beginning of the branding process and it will take time.

Lefebvre said the chamber is willing to do the work and it hopes residents are also ready to participate in the effort.