The non-profit destination marketing organization for the upper and lower Sunshine Coast is looking to change how membership works in 2021.
Sunshine Coast Tourism (SCT) president Jack Barr announced during the organization’s virtual annual general meeting in November that the organization intends to move to a stakeholder model in 2021.
“The stakeholder model is inclusive and creates more resources and flexibility with cooperative marketing and media opportunities,” said Barr in a release after the meeting.
Under the current model, members must pay fees to receive support from the association. A stakeholder model would eliminate fees and allow any business impacted by tourism to register to become a member.
Sunshine Coast Tourism had already waived fees in 2020 in response to COVID-19 and the board voted to extend that measure into 2021, until the board votes to adopt the resolution to change the organization’s membership model.
The proposed changes were circulated to members, who have been given 30 days to review the resolution, starting Nov. 25. An extraordinary general meeting has been scheduled for Feb. 24, 2021 to vote on the change, according to the release.
Currently, 200 members belong to the organization.
At the November AGM, the volunteer board of directors was elected for the 2021 year.
Geoff Gornall of Tapworks Brewing Company joined the board and the organization also welcomed back 10 board members. The board includes:
•President, J.L. (Jack) Barr – Powell River Town Centre Hotel / Beach Gardens Resort & Marina (Large Accommodations, North).
•Vice-President, Christine Hollmann – Terracentric Coastal Adventures (Member At Large, North).
•Treasurer, Heather Newman – Pointhouse Suites on Sargeant Bay (Large Accommodations, South).
•Secretary, Theressa Logan – Sunshine Coast Air (Recreation).
•Shangxuan Ma – Gibsons Garden Hotel (Large Accommodations, South).
•John Hermsen – Footprint Kayak & Hike Explorations (Member at Large, North).
•Gary Bearchell – Cabins on the Coast (Small Accommodations & Campgrounds).
•Linda Williams – Coast Cultural Alliance (Arts, Culture, & Heritage).
•Geoff Gornall – Tapworks Brewing Company (Member At Large, South).
•Jamie Mani – Alpha Adventures (Member At Large, South).
•Chris Tait – Klahoose Wilderness Resort (Large Accommodations, North).
“Many thanks to those who have served on the SCT board to date as well as to those stepping up again this year,” said Paul Kamon, SCT executive director, in a release.
“We are fortunate to have a volunteer board that is committed to the health of the tourism sector especially during these challenging times. It’s been a tough year, but we’re optimistic that together we can take on the year of recovery ahead.”
