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s 130th Year No. 25 [ h C Melodee Martinuk Chronicle Staff Area politicians and representatives of the local tourism industry are being cautious in their reaction to a recentlyâ€"released study calling for establishment of a central marketing and promotion agency to increase tourism in Waterloo Region and the Stratford area. In a report unveiled last week, consultants Pannel Kerr Forster concluded that the best way to boost tourism is by spending $325,000 to set up the Waterloo Stratford Tourism Associaâ€" tion. They predicted this move would result in a five per cent increase in tourism, adding some $5 million to the economy in direct expendiâ€" Waterloo Mayor Marjorie Carroll said that while much has already been done in Waterloo to increase this city‘s share of the tourist dollar, ‘it‘s been obvious for some time that something had to be done to focus on this district in a concentrated way." Carroll expressed some reservations about establishing ‘"‘another body that has to be funded,"" but added that ‘‘if there‘s no other way we can do the marketing, we‘ll have to go ahead." Cambridge and Baden representatives at last week‘s session to explain report findings rejected the proposed name for the group, because it appears to emphasize the city of Waterloo and not the region. Larry Martin, manager of the Stone Crock restaurant in St. Jacob‘s wanted to know how much industry will have to contribute to participate in the program. He stressed that any association set up should have strong representation from the tourism opâ€" erators. Currently, 1.7 million people visit Waterloo Region and the Stratford area each year. Together, they spend some $102 million, genâ€" erating an estimated 3,300 person years of direct employment, 6,700 person years of employment in total. Presenting the report, consultant Brian Stanâ€" ford said that Waterloo/ Stratford‘s urban and rural communities are "very complementary," and with a coâ€"operative effort, the area would be a "stronger tourism destination than currently exists. ‘‘The major problem, and also the major opportunity, is the lack of area organization," Stanford said. He stressed that because Waterioo/Stratford ‘‘is not promoted as a destination area, tourists don‘t perceive it as a destination area," and most often they simply pass through it on the way somewhere else. o â€" â€" According to the report, the lack ‘of a formal tourism limk between the communities has created: a market image dominated by Kitchâ€" ener and Stratford; a lack of communication and awareness of other municipalities; a fragmented approach to potential coâ€"operative ventures and; no vehicle for the sharing of Cautious reaction to new tourism strategy e (Continued on page 3)