Malaspina students aim to help rural communities improve quality of life

Tourism and Recreation Management students at Malaspina University-College in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Nanaimo are trying to help rural and aboriginal communities improve their economy and quality of life.

The students and two instructors left Nanaimo April 3 on a three and a half week study tour to meet with community leaders and tourism operators in northern BC, Alberta and Northwest Territories.

“The purpose of the Northern Tourism and Recreation Innovation Project (N.T.R.I.P) is to learn more about the issues and challenges rural and aboriginal communities face, and possibly help them identify solutions,” explained Dr. Nicole Vaugeois, a Tourism instructor at Malaspina.

“Our main goal is to create awareness about the value and importance that these communities play in the economic and social health of Northwest Canada. We hope to empower residents in the communities we visit, and encourage them to cultivate vibrant, sustainable futures with tourism and recreation amenities that will enhance the lives of residents and visitors alike.”

Student research assistant Jeff Vos said many rural communities are struggling to survive as they switch from primary resource-based industries like mining, fishing and forestry to tourism.  Tourism can subsidize or revitalize communities, but there are challenges. For example, some community leaders and tourism operators may be unaware of potential tourism resources, or unfamiliar with marketing practices or with tourism planning in general, Vos said.

Aboriginal communities face similar challenges, and "that's why visiting these communities is a high priority on this tour,” explained Dan McDonald, a First Nations instructor at Malaspina and co-leader of the study tour. McDonald said Aboriginal Tourism BC has developed a new strategy to increase cultural tourism in aboriginal communities, however, "many aboriginal communities are dealing with a lack of community readiness or understanding about the tourism industry, and difficulty accessing tourism training, human resource development, and tourism markets.”

Some communities do not have access to high-speed Internet service, making it difficult for tourism operators to market or promote their businesses. “In urban centres, Internet service is something we take for granted,” McDonald said.

Vos added that Malaspina students are excited about the idea of helping rural and aboriginal communities identify solutions.

“As new and upcoming Tourism professionals, we have the knowledge and opportunity to help communities make successful transitions,”  he said.  “We’re not trying to tell the communities what to do. Through collaboration and sharing information, perhaps we can help communities improve their economic standing and quality of life through tourism. It’s exciting to be part of this work, knowing that it might make a difference.”

The study tour is a terrific learning opportunity for Malaspina students, Vos added. "It's a chance for us to put into practice what we’ve learned in the classroom. We're enhancing our research and interviewing skills, networking with community leaders and potential employers, and experiencing life in rural and aboriginal communities that many of us have never experienced before.”

Each student is responsible for planning a specific part of the tour, from arranging interviews with community leaders, to arranging accommodation and other activities for the group. Data will be collected, analyzed, and included in a final research report which will be sent back to the communities on the tour.

Last week, the Malaspina study group visited High Level, Fort Vermillion and Tall Cree in Alberta. In High Level, they were invited to a conference sponsored by the Northern Alberta Development Council to present research collected during a similar study tour last year through central BC and southern Alberta. Called the Rural Community Visioning project (RCVP), students examined community economic development issues relating to tourism.  

The students will also visit Hay River in the Northwest Territories, Taylor, Slave Lake and Fort St. James before returning to Nanaimo April 26.