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Responsibility for Regina’s tourism board will go back to the city after a unanimous vote at Wednesday’s city council meeting.
Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) is expected to transfer control of Tourism Regina to the city after a 9-0 decision. The transfer is expected to take effect Jan. 1.
“I think much more work is needed than was expected,” Mayor Sandra Masters said when talking about Tourism Regina changing hands again.
Tourism Regina first went under the REAL umbrella in 2022. Masters said the organization needs to do more to promote the city outside of the “main” places like Casino Regina, the Conexus Arts Centre, the Saskatchewan Science Centre or the MacKenzie Art Gallery.
“It’s much more about all of the events that we have going on in our city (which) help to fuel a visitor as well as residents’ happiness with the amount of options they have for what they get to do,” Masters said.
Last week, it was revealed that REAL’s board requested the transfer of Tourism Regina back to the city. Administration also recommended that the city take over Tourism Regina’s operation.
Oversight of the organization has been in question since a controversy erupted over its rebranding in March. Shortly after the Experience Regina brand was unveiled, people took issue with slogans like “Show us your Regina” and “The city that rhymes with fun.”
REAL reversed the rebranding decision in April, and a consultant was hired to examine what he later termed “The Incident.” His report suggested that REAL had a lot on its plate even before it took on the responsibility for Tourism Regina and said the situation with the failed rebrand was an organizational failure.
Prior to Wednesday’s vote, Regina resident Andrew Reist delivered a presentation highlighting why he thought the proposed transfer should be delayed.
“It is simply not the right time to be doing this,” Reist said. “The report that was made by George Cuff about ‘The Incident’ — as dry as it was — had some contradictions that have yet to be answered for.
“Not to mention the limit placed on Cuff on what he could investigate did not allow for all questions of REAL to be answered.”
Reist did say he supported the transfer, but expressed concern that doing so now will sweep lingering questions about what happened during the Experience Regina launch under the rug.
“(REAL) is essentially from my view giving you back Tourism Regina in not the same condition that you gave it to them, which I don’t think is good,” he said.
REAL representatives Ahmed Malik, Kenric Exner and Cathy Warner spoke as delegates at council ahead of the vote. The trio did not have a formal presentation, but Malik began with a few comments before they took questions from council.
“What we can all agree on is that the brand launch was a failure,” he said.
“The brand launch included slogans that were offensive and not representative of our wonderful city. The launch itself fell short of the standards that our board and our organization does and should hold itself to.”
The trio addressed REAL’s organizational structure, some of its financial difficulties as well as the rationale for handing Tourism Regina back to the city.
Malik also noted that much of REAL’s work related to Tourism Regina was slowed down while it was dealing with the backlash from the failed Experience Regina rebrand.
Masters said the city hopes to bring two members of REAL’s staff over to the city for the transfer.
Masters’ trip to Dubai
Also on Wednesday’s agenda was council’s approval of the mayor’s planned visit to Dubai for the upcoming 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference.
The trip was approved in a vote of 6-1 with Masters abstaining from the vote and Coun. Cheryl Stadnichuk being the sole councillor opposed.
Masters was invited to participate in the event as part of a partnership between the province’s Ministry of Trade and Export Development and Economic Development Regina (EDR), according to a council report.
Masters said EDR will fund the trip with funds provided by the ministry.
The report said Regina’s participation in the conference is intended to position the Greater Regina Area as a “natural and preferred home for climate-friendly production of food, fuel and fertilizer and the corresponding investment opportunities.”
“If you’re intentional about wanting to attract, to meet (and) to allow people to get to know a little bit about where we’re from and what we’re about, there is no better way to do that than to show up in person and to answer questions and to have presentations and to allow people to get to know you (and) that we are friendly,” Masters said when asked about the cost of going in person versus attending remotely.
“We’re hardworking, we have a great community (and) we have really smart people that work here. We want more international students, we want more scientists (and) we want more technicians. We have jobs to fill.”
Masters said she’s unclear of the cost now but said the trip would be cheaper than a marketing campaign that would reach the number of countries and delegates scheduled to be in attendance.
The mayor also said that no city funds will be used for her to attend.
Mayor Sandra Masters speaks to reporters after the transfer of Tourism Regina from REAL was approved. (Daniel Reech/980 CJME)