Water park an undeniable tourism draw

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Ron Pradinuk / Winnipeg Free Press There is homework to do before a destination wedding that is relatively simple, but important.

As you dip into the questions for this week, your travel guy is likely taking his first plunge into ocean waters along New Brunswick's Acadian coast.

The Canadian Maritimes should be a bucket-list item for every Manitoban. In the meantime I hope you enjoy today's responses to the questions I have received recently.

Question: When Winnipeg lost its opportunity to build a new water park near the downtown core, my perception was that we lost a chance to build upon our tourism revenue flow. Do facilities like this contribute to tourism growth?

Answer: Without exception, any quality activity or attraction centre will not only impact the tourist experience, but give marketers more scope in their messaging.

Without debating the merits of location and other factors that may have killed this project, there is no question in my mind it would have brought in all kinds of families from rural Manitoba and northwest Ontario.

The project was not likely big enough to attract visitors from faraway places but would have been a valuable inclusion in various advertising programs.

While unto itself a water park alone can hardly be considered a theme park, there is evidence these types of facilities are significant generators of new tourist dollars.

A company called Global Industry Analysts Inc. released a survey that projected revenues of almost $32 billion would come from the theme park market globally in the next five years.

Wherever they are being built around the world, hotels, restaurants and related activity attractions are quickly built nearby.

And while the scale of the Winnipeg plan was not as large as many of the other water-park-style facilities, it likely would have provided a deterrent for those who are currently being persuaded to go to the closest of its competitors for family excursions.

Winnipeg and Manitoba need more larger-scale tourism options. There is no question the Winnipeg Jets have already made for happier hoteliers and restaurateurs. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights will add to the package, as will an expanded convention centre.

Any entertainment facility such as the water park would add more spice to our tourist package.

Let us hope other alternatives rise to take the place of this failed opportunity.

Questions: We are thinking of having a hot-spot wedding this year. I understand there are laws and conditions that could make it impossible for the wedding to be recognized here or take place there, for that matter, if we don't follow certain guidelines. Is that true?

Answer: With the hundreds of destination weddings Manitoba couples choose to have instead of the traditional summer wedding here, clearly the barriers are not too high.

But there are requirements that need to be adhered to and it is important to work with people who have destination experience in your planning.

The rules vary by country from Mexico to the Caribbean.

These range from how long you must be in the country beforehand, to fees and services you must pay for in applying for your marriage licence.

Different rules may also apply depending upon whether you want a civil or religious service.

It is easy to source each country's unique demands simply by doing a search of the subject in the tourism department's website of the nation you are considering.

Destination weddings now represent a significant contribution to most quality resorts in the south, with on-site personnel dedicated only to ensuring your celebration takes place smoothly and with as few hassles as possible.

Notwithstanding that, to preclude any problems and avoid extra costs, many couples choose to have a simple private civil service before leaving or immediately upon return, and use the destination wedding for the pomp and ceremony.

Question: I am so angry. Air Canada executives have just received huge salary increases while my shares in the corporation have tumbled. How can they justify this travesty? And is there a day you can foresee when there will be a turnaround in the financial fortunes of this 'too-big-to-fail-airline' that is failing miserably?

Answer: For most of us, a remuneration package approaching $9 million is incomprehensible. Yet, Calin Rovinescu, Air Canada's leader, headed home with just that kind of money after Air Canada's recent shareholder meeting.

In the United States, corporation heads have frequently been awarded large sums of cash for their failures.

It can be argued Air Canada is a big international corporation, and to attract the talent needed to run an organization such as that, companies need to match what salaries exist in like industries worldwide.

Rovinescu could yet come out of these times a hero.

While it is hard to predict the futures market, oil prices appear to be headed on a downward trend. Airline companies around the world, after shrinking the salaries of their employees and other internal cost structures, have always maintained it was the out-of-control crude costs that made it impossible for them to make money and keep their airplanes flying at full or near full loads.

Rovinescu also stands by his determination to launce his version of a low-cost competitor to WestJet and upstart Porter Airlines in Eastern Canada.

While their unions oppose it, this move could push Canadian airfare wars into a new stratosphere, and for the short term at least, be a boon for Canadian consumers.

Forward your travel questions to askjourneys@journeystravel.com. Ron Pradinuk is president of Journeys Travel & Leisure SuperCentre and can be heard Sundays at noon on CJOB. Previous columns and tips can be found on www.journeystravelgear.com or read Ron's travel blog at www.thattravelguy.ca .

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 16, 2012 D6