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WA’I'ERUX) CHRONICLE - Wednesday, March 19.2014 - l7 ' The booming business 0f S p rt 0 C O 0 Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketm ; Co I . sh: ocus or 2014 Bvlmts [Auction The aim of the new organization is to Chronicle Staff increase sports tourism to the area and drive the growth of overnight stays. ports tourLsm hm emerged m a multiâ€"bili The Waterloo Regional Tourism Market~ Slion dollar industry in Canada, and the ing Corporation has set money aside in its Waterloo ngionalerismMar‘keting(br~ budget to hire a staff person to lead the potation wantsapieoeof that pie. charge on the new sports tourism file. and last September. the tourism group. led the renewed focus has already paid off. . by general manager Minto Schneider, made The tourism corporation estimates they a the decision to shift away fmm leisure busi- have helped generate more than 17,000 . ness and concentrate more on span tourism room nights since shifting focus last Sepâ€" 1 ~ which has grown into a nearly $4~billion tember, Some are scheduled as far away as a industry in (anada and $1 billion alone in 2016 but others are set to arrive this sum~ _ ,_ Ontario. according to the Tourism lndtistry met. Another 3,000 are tentatively schedv Ff Association of Ontario. tiled, Schneider said. a “it's very competitive out there. Everyr “i think it is conservative to say the - . one's starting to wake up and realize it's a impact is more than $1 million over the next .. 4; really good business to go after," said two years. And we are just at the beginning I ‘ ..,_ Schneider. who was hired last March. “We've oftracking numbers." in? got very strong minor sport groups in the Waterloo will host the Ontario Volleyball . ' « .7. 1 1:20 region the of the keys to attract that busi- Championships later this month at RIM ' ‘ 5‘1“,- ness is a strong volunteer base.~ Park for the seventh straight year. and has as.“ " ““““‘ "‘5; Neighbounng cities like london, Hamil already won the right to host the 2015 tour» I ‘57:: ton and Toronto have been in the sports nament and has plans to bid on the 20l6 ' ' ‘ tourism industry for more than a decade, event aswell. _ but it's relatively new ground for Waterloo ”They're bringing 600 volleyball teams - Region here." said Schneider. “It‘s a 100. They take ' ,h. (the ot lht' drivers of the shift towards over all of RIM Park. there's no ice it's all vol- “s, sports tourism l\ a renewed mandate to leyball courts. it's fascinating to see but also 57w " bring mermgbt tourists to the region, brings tremendous amount of business to _ if. ‘3 handing to it report by the Regional the region " .. ...-....; . 1:. _. .. lourisrii ()rgiitii/ntion 4 Int , which ent‘om Waterloo Region will also play host to the m W. W M d the WW WI Tour'am WK} ma‘m‘ says passes llurori, Perth. Waterloo and Welling upcoming (Ianadian Ultimate Frisbee hermhonrssliflhgflslocuslosporstmnsmloattract mam ton. toriventioii and meeting spaces sit Championships in August and women's flat Ms th'IItHC' empty for niut h of the year track roller derby association finals this onships to welcome them back to the region here, too. Out hotels tend to he busier with Hwy (l(‘( ided to shift the for us to sports summer as well, Schneider said. later in the year. corporate business because we have lots oi tourism her ause ol the Wide range of athlet [be result is an economic boost for most [he pal is It) make Waterloo Region the businesses in the trircity area.~ said Sthnei it amenity space in Waterloo Region. includr segments of the tourism industry in the go to spot for secondrtier championships. der. ”There isa wealth olorganilations rt-lat trig RIM Park. the Kitchener Memorial Audi- region. from restaurants and hotels to other since top~tier tournaments or finals «A like ed to the universitia. whether it's nanotet'h torium. the two universities and I wide loal tour“ sanctions they might visit. like the Memorial Cup of hockey are expen~ nology or something academic-based You range of outdoor fields and parks St. boobe’ Market. sive to bid on and extremely competitive. have in work hard to find those groups and 'Kitchener and Waterioo collaborated on ‘lt‘s only to measure and tell how much ‘ln the past we've been more reactionary then bid on them. It's pretty competitive ' a report on sport tourism as well and came infirm-8mm. wekrliwtliey‘reuflng than proactive. hemmeWaierltm Region has Schneider has also reached out to the up with a Male hunch WWW hotehbecnuhranOntnriodwnpiuI-hlp hosted all sorts of sporting events over the Waterloo Region Airport and in Amem .in saying they Ibould target more sport they come from all over the province,‘ years. but ourgo-l is to stand first in the sec Airlines to get the word out about Waterloo tourism. but they didn‘t have my my to do Schneider said. 'People come with their ondary market.‘ said Schneider Region and what visitors and businesses t .in that until we came forwardf odd Sci-udder. ferrule- and they have to out while they're The organization is also renewing efiorts do and see while they‘re here [an mm. Waterloo ”on W have] to attract the corporate market. such as For more information about the Waterloo the loan-don of the w Spur-rm It: may new V“: to the are. the meetings among professional associations Region Tourism Marketing (orporaiion or Office In collaboration with Kitchener. tor-ha m h em but; on tampon or lay corporate fimn to order a copy of their guide-hook, visit Waterloo. Wood M. book: no nun- oornpeth' h the-e diurnal 'We have a very strong rorporate market www.cxplovmenooregjon ( om , ‘.__ -_ EX"I' RA' EX I ' ‘ ' ,...,.....“’“-“’ ’i ”LEEâ€"mm . 0â€".- “ - ' . ~â€" . i 2' V H i, -| ‘l . 4r... '. READ ALL ABOU I I I. map , - n-tuâ€" '5}: 1 l ‘ Q. > ‘ ' WATERL“'60"i:‘im0NiCLE z»? . a; 3’“ , ' . y - 3.x..- locolnews locdspom bodhoppentngs : ,' fies-:â€"â€"..; 1-. I . . .. . â€"_ i H. :3 cha .1, , ., fl » g . 5?: ~;;-;_ :- :.â€". i...“ a