Tourism Survey

As part of the Experience Cobourg (Tourism marketing) initiative, summer students were hired and were called “Experience Ambassadors”. Those stationed in the Victoria Hall Lobby (photo below) and in the kiosk at the beach took surveys of visitors and, at the last Council meeting, Councillor Suzanne Séguin provided the survey results for the period June 11 to August 5. It’s surprising that the biggest number of visitors to the kiosks occurred for the weekend of the Sandcastle competition – the Waterfront Festival had about half their number. Maybe fewer visitors to the Waterfront Festival visited the Tourism booths? Some of the data indicated how long people stayed and how much they spent. Also included was data on how they got here, why they came and what they thought of us.

Tourism Booth Visits

Victoria Hall Ambassador
Victoria Hall Ambassador

The full data is available via a link below but here is a weekly summary:

  Downtown Beach
June 11 – 17 64 185
June 18 – 24 142 112
Jun 25 – Jul 1 365 678
July 2 – 8 334 418
July 9 – 15 319 212
July 16 – 22 324 209
July 23 – 29 256 271
Jul 30 – Aug 5 492 1453

Note: On June 22, the Downtown Tourism information desk was moved from the Market Building to the Lobby of Victoria Hall.

The surveys were more interesting: “326 Tourism and 195 Recreation surveys have been collected to date.”

Survey results

As reported by the Town

  • The majority of visitors have been from the GTA with notable mention of Ireland, Barbados, Philippines, England, Germany and Australia.
  • We have seen a large number of families visiting this summer with the 50+ age bracket a close second.
  • 88.3% of visitors arrive via personal vehicle, 5.3% by boat, and 2.8% by train.
  • 64% of visitors stayed for the day, 10.3% overnight and 19.5% for multiple nights – it can be noted that those staying overnight in Cobourg are typically staying for more than 1 night.
  • 91.1% visited the beach.
  • 51.1% participated in a cultural activity while visiting.
  • 54.8% shopped while in Cobourg- 17.6% spend in between $1-$60, 19.3% spent in between $61- $100 and 11.9% spent in between $101-$200
  • 67.6% visited a local food establishment in Cobourg – notable mentions of Corfu Grill, Buttermilk, Sakura Sushi, Millstone and the Oasis numerous times.
  • 97.4% would recommend a visit to Cobourg.
  • 50% visited for the beach, 28% for an event and 32.2% to visit friends/family- it can be noted that the biggest attraction is to our beach.

There were “close to 100 comments with 99% of them being positive.”

Here are a couple that I thought were interesting – download all reported comments below.

  • Saw this very funny billboard in downtown Kingston. [This billboard was mentioned here] A kid on the beach. Went to the web and saw City hall and the beach and decided to do a day trip. Plan to come back and spend more time this fall. Gorgeous beach and helpful staff
  • Normally go to sandbanks, but found Cobourg and much prefer it as it is closer and has a very nice beach.

The Tourism booths and surveys will continue through August.

Links

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Frenchy
5 years ago

wrong topic, sorry

manfred s
5 years ago

if I remember correctly, the Town of Cobourg has stated that tourism is one of it’s top priorities in it’s effort to vitalize it’s economy. From the information above, it also appears that the Town sees only two ‘tourist attractions’ worth monitoring. That’s a pretty slim portfolio of worthy attractions. If tourism is to be such a key factor, it seems only logical that some serious effort be expended in broadening our tourist-worthy attractions and not just build on one or two. After all, repeat tourists are just as important as first- and one-timers, and that cohort apparently has little else to visit at this time, again, given the present focus of research. I would suggest that when one wants to create a certain perception, one chooses very carefully, what questions to ask, whom to ask and where you go to do the asking. As an example, you would no go to a shopping centre to ask what those shoppers “like” about ‘downtown’ and you wouldn’t go to a fairgrounds to ask what they like about our West beach. Again, going by what has been presented so far, I get a strong impression that the survey and it’s execution were aimed at a target demographic and designed to produce a planned result in order to support a specific objective. Not what I would consider a true representation of the status quo, something that it purports to do and in my view also renders the motive somewhat suspect. As far as value goes, the limitations of this survey, to me anyway, suggests some of what is the reality but by no means comes even close to providing a picture complete or rich enough to provide guidance for policy decisions, but only enough to influence opinions in certain directions, whatever those intended directions may be.

gerinator
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

Manfred
“I get a strong impression that the survey and it’s execution were aimed at a target demographic and designed to produce a planned result in order to support a specific objective.”

Amen to the above and hence the closed-to-the-public meetings within the Parks and Rec Advisor Committee.

Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Lest anyone think I am a CTA-basher, note that I stood solid with the CTA concerning the West Harbour. Also raises salaries to our elected reps. And several other of their policies and activities. They have a lot to say about the Marina – I have hardly ever commented on that subject because several others have demonstrated a much better knowledge than I have, so I read and listen.

But the CTA’s demonization of tourists is something that discredits the CTA, because they are maligning the 80% of Cobourg residents who know that tourists benefit Cobourg in a multitude of ways. The CTA statement that Most of the citizens of Cobourg have indicated that they do not want more visitors coming to the beach is not only untrue, it grossly mischaracterizes and maligns Cobourg residents. The statement has no basis in fact and serves only to prejudice Cobourg residents against tourists. It is an exceedingly prejudiced statement. The CTA will not win the hearts and minds of Cobourg residents if they continue to play this malign card against tourists and Cobourg residents. The CTA has other projects and concerns, and their chronic anti-tourism detracts from those worthy projects.

Albert
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Dice
5 years ago

Nice work by the socialist spin-doctors, but here’s a little “reality” for you…

If the tourists bring in $X it “appears” to be a good thing… You can write that up all day long, your rosy world.

But when the Overall Cost to the taxpayers is ( $X+50) to bring in that $X..
The Taxpayers and the town are still losing money.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Dice
5 years ago

Your argument is without merit. You haven’t presented a single fact, just an empty formula. Sorry Dice but you came up with snake-eyes. Dismissed.

Runner 72
5 years ago

I am a Cobourg resident at moment travelling in Europe. Tonight sitting outdoors having dinner, two different Stockholm residents stopped to talk to us. We enjoyed conversation with them re life in their town. They also had questions to ask re Canadian life. It was a positive experience for all.

I pity Mr. Strauss with his narrow minded views. Reach out and enrich yourself by speaking to our visitors. We love the multicultural atmosphere weekends as we stroll the beach.

As for shopping….hmmmm….why should tourists shop downtown when a majority of Cobourg residents and taxpayers don’t..

Just saying.

manfred s
Reply to  Runner 72
5 years ago

Runner, what’s the basis for your comment “why should tourists shop downtown when a majority of Cobourg residents and taxpayers don’t..”?
If indeed it is legitimate and supportable by hard data, that may actually be inthe starting point for some hard questions that have to be asked and answered before we continue to flail about looking for solutions to unspecified problems.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

I read that same comment Manfred, and I smirked at the smart ass presentation of it, but, like you, it does reveal a hard truth that calls for tough questions.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Runner 72
5 years ago

Runner72 said, “Reach out and enrich yourself by speaking to our visitors. We love the multicultural atmosphere weekends as we stroll the beach.”

I’ve often done this, especially those weekends when people of other cultures gather together to enjoy our hospitality. A few times they invited me to enjoy their food. Further to your enrichment, there are many many videos on YouTube made by tourists about their visit to Cobourg. They really loved their time here and especially the children. Many of these visitors are new Canadians and their first generation Canadian children drove them to Cobourg for fun and frolic. These people are integrating into our much larger Canadian destiny. Can’t put a dollar figure on that.

Pierre
Reply to  Runner 72
5 years ago

Runner 72…totally agree with you…..why can’t people enjoy the moment, and where they live…..Cobourg is a wonderful place and one certainly gets tired of the moaners and groaners.
Have a great European trip…..enjoy the life.

Bill Thompson
Reply to  Runner 72
5 years ago

The media sure presents a different picture of Stockholm and Sweden than you have mentioned,but then who can trust the Press .?

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Bill Thompson
5 years ago

The CTA sure presents a different picture of tourists than does all of the facts and figures presented by the Town. But then again, when the CTA proselytizes that Most of the citizens of Cobourg have indicated that they do not want more visitors coming to the beach, and 80% of Cobourg residents replied to the contrary, who can trust the CTA on the subject of tourists? Do you, Mr Thompson, support that malignant statement by the CTA?

Flora
5 years ago

As long as Dean Hustwick had nothing to do with the numbers they might mean something.

gerinator
Reply to  Flora
5 years ago

Ya well we know and understand that this objective has not, and won’t, happened. Based on the brochure it is clear that both the current Mayor and this Director have staked their reputations/ legacy on a major adjustment for the West Beach.

gerinator
5 years ago

Great job Suzanne and the Ambassadors. Finally some data that has some validity and is un-massaged. Need to keep this excellent initiative going. Would be interesting to get various cross sectional analysis example: across mode of transportation what was the spend, length of stay, purpose of visit. Maybe we could name these students – Consultants – and pay the school/students to carry on with these types of surveys quarterly to get an annual view.

Lyle
5 years ago

Is this turning into a Wally Keebler blog, it’s great that there are comments but perhaps there should be some time spent gardening or whatever, there is life out there after a few comments, I know there will be further opinions so type away enjoy

manfred s
Reply to  Lyle
5 years ago

what we see here is a deep passion for his hometown, and a willingness to defend it from an invasive negativity which he perhaps feels to be unjust. While Wally and I have our differences, I am moved by the passion he demonstrates in his comments about many things Cobourg. I see it as a very good thing that he’s doing this and hope he prevails. After all, whether they come from one or many, comments are helpful and what makes a blog such as this, a tremendous asset for the community.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

Thank you Manfred. I very much miss your store. Your window displays and the displays you constructed inside exhibited a wonderful creativity that has not often been seen on King Street. And also, my appreciation of your retail savvy to stay in business on our street for so long and to raise a healthy family from it.

Bill Thompson
5 years ago

Percentages are percentages …but of what number?
.Actual Total Numbers are what counts.for a true picture.
Consider this :
Add the total number in this article of those visitors who took the survey both in town and beach for three months (peak time) June through August .
Their total is a tiny fraction of the number of visitors in ONE Weekend sometimes at the beach alone , especially during special events .
Should these total survey figures listed (converted to percentages) be used for public information as a guaranteed 100% accurate confirmation about the positive impact of tourism on the economics of the town?
It appears by some comments on this site that it is fully accepted as the true picture of the overall scenario.
Had the survey numbers of that small number been negative would that have been accepted as accurate ?
Percentages can be illustrated to project a desired impact on an issue but unless it is on the whole overall total of participants it is just a snapshot and opinion

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Bill Thompson
5 years ago

RED HERRING ALERT! No one anywhere asserted that the numbers were “guaranteed 100% accurate confirmation.” But let us take an example from this: “Most of the citizens of Cobourg have indicated that they do not want more visitors coming to the beach” The proselytizers made that public information without a guaranteed 100% accurate confirmation. Matter of fact, they made a statement based on 100% NOTHING. Furthermore, “guaranteed 100% accurate confirmation” (a phrase bloated with redundancies aka meaningless) is not a requirement for extrapolation. Much can be extrapolated from the numbers provided by our Town officials. It is the common process of estimating the value of a variable or function outside the tabulated or observed range. In other words the process of inferring an unknown from something that is known. It has worth and merit. You have produced nothing of merit to support your anti-tourist agenda.

The Town presented some collected data and it has been extrapolated that it presents a truer picture than the proselytizers’ picture (“Most of the citizens of Cobourg have indicated that they do not want more visitors coming to the beach”) and it should be noted that the proselytizers provided zero numbers to support their ludicrous contention. They have 100% opinion, 0% fact.

It’s many snapshots, and common sense extrapolation by Cobourg residents supports their common sense perception resulting in 80% of Cobourg residents regarding tourists as a benefit to the community. That is consistent with my lived experience of my fellow Cobourg residents and tourists.

Mr Thompson, you are in alliance with a meagre 9% of Cobourg residents, whereas I am in alliance with 80% of Cobourg residents. And 80% of Cobourg residents know that this assertion by the CTA (“Most of the citizens of Cobourg have indicated that they do not want more visitors coming to the beach”) is FAKE NEWS. It’s a pity that you can neither denounce that assertion nor provide a single shred of evidence to support that contention.

Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

With the CIP grants, the excellent ‘Waterfront Guide’ and the ‘Tourism Report’, Cobourg is on track to grow as a vibrant, progressive community in a country that is the object of envy around the world.
There are folks in this town who would like us to become a low-tax, bargain basement, penny-ante community for ideological reasons – right wing ideological reasons.
Take Northamptonshire in the UK as an example.
“The bankruptcy of their Conservative-led local government, which has a budget deficit so big that councilors are stripping away all but the minimum services required by law. Inside the county hall, the besieged council debated the latest round of cuts — it had already voted to close libraries and stop repairing roads — as disgusted residents jeered.”
To see what damage a right wing Tory government in London and in local communities have done, take a look at this article in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/world/europe/uk-austerity-councils-northamptonshire.html?hpw&rref=world&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Following the social upheavals of the 1960s, San Francisco became one of the centers of liberal activism, with Democrats, Greens, and progressives dominating city politics.

Look at it now https://youtu.be/LG9FXjS7Kaw

Rusty Brown
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

A quote from the youtube site you refer to:
“The streets are filthy. There’s trash everywhere. It’s disgusting,” D’Alessandro said, adding he’s traveled the world, and San Francisco stands out for the wrong reasons. “I’ve never seen any other city like this — the homelessness, dirty streets, drug use on the streets, smash-and-grabs…”

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

“Social housing in Simcoe County took a hit from provincial government cuts and Warden Gerry Marshall says if the cuts keep coming, raising property taxes might be the only solution.”
https://www.barrietoday.com/local-news/funding-cuts-start-to-hit-home-1015201
Just wait till the real ‘downloading’ from Queen’s Park starts.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Walter, what does any of that have to do with the topic of this blog thread?

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Tourism dollars will come in handy when the downloading and the cutbacks start Wally.
Look at the big picture of what the future will bring.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

OK what “big picture” do you want? Lets make the big picture global and reference history since 1900. Your call.

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Economics 101
Tourism dollars have a multiplier effect i.e. tourism spending generates income which turns into spending which turns into income etc
The reverse is true for Provincial cuts which will cut income which will decrease spending which will decrease income.
The Provincial cuts will come and will be defended by the CTA as getting “back to basics”- no more frills.
Mike Harris did it before.
So Cobourg needs to boost tourism as a cushion.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

“The Provincial cuts will come and will be defended by the CTA as getting “back to basics”- no more frills. Mike Harris did it before. So Cobourg needs to boost tourism as a cushion.”

Cobourg needs to boost tourism for a number of reasons. But you are suggesting that the Town join you in predicting the future — “will come”, “will be.” Posturing as an oracle Walter? Cobourg will deal with it IF and WHEN it occurs.

manfred s
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

“as a cushion”, ok, Walter, but the policy makers have decided to make it our new industry of the day in what I would characterized as a knee-jerk response to calls for doing something, anything. That is pure ‘pies-in-the-sky’ when we apparently don’t have much more in the way of tourist attractions than the beach or Victoria Hall, judging by the survey methodology recently used to gather ‘supporting’ info.

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

alright then Manfred!
It’s all a big fraud.
Industry du jour, rigged surveys, knee-jerk response, pie-in-the-sky, unicorn country.
Your alternative to promoting tourism is?
Thank goodness we will still have the world’s biggest indoor weed grow-op.

manfred s
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Walter, my friend, if that is an actual question rather than a rhetorical smack-down, I’ll give you one of my election brochures from another time, which laid out exactly what I would have worked to accomplish. Very little has changed since then so most of it is still valid and appropriate, in my view anyway. I think you’re fully aware that a serious answer to “your alternative” requires way more attention, development and space than are expected and available here.

Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Congestion. This is an issue that is often raised. 365 days in a year produces 8760 hours. There is congestion in Cobourg for a maximum of 5 days in a year, or 120 hours. That is being generous. There is no congestion between 8pm thru to 10am on those busy long weekend nights. That leaves total congestion at 50 hours per year; again being generous. What does that amount to? It amounts to Cobourg having to endure tourist traffic congestion only 0.57% of a year. So all the anti-tourist crybabies whine and whine like selfish entitled children about a congestion that hardly exists at all.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

CTA Director, Ken Strauss said this, “Tourists contribute nothing to the lives of the vast majority of Cobourg residents. Why should everyone be forced to contribute to attracting tourists and be inconvenienced by the resulting congestion …”

Ken Strauss
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

I assume that you disagree with my statement. Exactly how are the lives of most in Cobourg improved by tourists? The majority don’t run a motel or B&B, don’t work at MacDonalds, don’t pump gasoline, don’t empty the trash cans that tourists fill…

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Ken Strauss
5 years ago

Ken Strauss weakly queries; “Exactly how are the lives of most in Cobourg improved by tourists? The majority don’t run a motel or B&B, don’t work at MacDonalds, don’t pump gasoline, don’t empty the trash cans that tourists fill…”

Here is the wise perception of “most in Cobourg”, since you display such a tender concern for their welfare: “80% of residents agreed that Tourism is or will be important to the Town’s economy.” You only speak for the meagre 9% that disagree. Your echo chamber on this blog consists mostly of a blandful of pseudonyms. Wow! What a following!

This is the FAKE NEWS that you have been spreading all over Town: Most of the citizens of Cobourg have indicated that they do not want more visitors coming to the beach”

Tourists are not required to economically benefit the VAST MAJORITY, nor even the MAJORITY. If they benefit only a quarter of Cobourg residents that is a GOOD THING.

The Cobourg residents you snear at, who own a motel or B&B (and there are several of both), pay taxes to Cobourg. Their employees gain an income. Summer student staff earn their tuition.

The Cobourg residents you snear at who work at MacDonalds (and all the other fastfood joints in Town) are summer staff students earning their tuition.

The Cobourg residents you snear at who pump gasoline are earning money and paying taxes, perhaps co-raising a Cobourg family, or was previously homeless, and is now beginning to scrap their life back together again. Your condescending snear is unhelpful.

The Cobourg residents you condescendingly snear at who empty the trash cans that tourists fill are young Cobourg students likely on their first summer job and earning their tuition. Mr Ken Strauss is so anti-tourist that he seems not to notice that far more Cobourg residents fill those trash cans than tourists. And Mr Strauss could do the vast majority of Cobourg residents a favour if he stopped condescendingly snearing and spreading the lie that tourists contribute nothing. Talk about head in the bland.

Dice
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

” Summer student staff earn their tuition. ”

And yet when I suggested that Summer students could earn their tuition, by selling wristbands to help offset the costs of maintaining the park and beach, you were dead set against it?

Frenchy
Reply to  Dice
5 years ago

He was against my suggestion that students run a couple of weenie carts too.
Geez, the poor kids are just trying to get themselves through school.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Back in April of this year, sandpiper raged, “The only thing it will do is create Parking Congestion and more discontent among the year round residents and property owners.

sandpiper further claimed, “These are not shoppers coming to town.”

I wonder where this particular pseudonym got those false ideas? Ideas can act as a virus, spreading from mind to mind in a moment. sandpiper clearly displays the effects of false information. Sandpiper got these infections from somewhere. Ken Strauss is a major spreader of extreme hysterics concerning CONGESTION, a problem that exists for 0.57% of a year. Get a cure for this man.

He is a leading proselytizer of “Most of the citizens of Cobourg have indicated that they do not want more visitors coming to the beach.” The claim of ‘most citizens’ was pulled out of airy nothings. The claim that those ‘indicated’ so has no substance in reality, again airy nothings.

Thankfully the Town printed up a brochure, and Town officials conducted surveys this year that produced facts to send these infectious and toxic ideas into remission. It should have been a needless expense, but it was necessary to disinfect bad information to Make Cobourg Clean Again.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Dubious said, “I believe that I have previously listed some of the detrimental things that tourists do but I’ll try again. A few are: increases in street congestion, …”

Another pseudonym crybaby infected and bloated with a bad idea about a phenomenon that exists for only 0.57% each year. Make Cobourg Clean Again.

Durka
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

I assume that you disagree with my statement. Exactly how are the lives of most in Cobourg improved by tourists? The majority don’t run a motel or B&B, don’t work at MacDonalds, don’t pump gasoline, don’t empty the trash cans that tourists fill…

You started quite the list here, and it would not be hard to keep adding on jobs that benefit from tourists, proving the opposite of the point you’re trying to make.

The CTA seems to lack the ability to think critically so I will help…

Let’s imagine the high school kid who is emptying trashcans at the beach, maybe the next day he heads to Jake’s downtown to buy himself some new clothes with that money he earned. The housekeeper at the Breakers or waitress at the Oasis, in addition to their paycheck, gets a nice tip from a happy tourist and they go to the Cultured Kitchen to get a nice bowl. I mean this is simply how the economy works. Multiple owners and employees benefitting from tourism dollars.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Durka
5 years ago

A very good explanation of how a small town economy works. Mr Strauss is so stressed against tourists, that he is way out of whack with how the Cobourg economy works and most certainly out of whack about what the majority of Cobourg residents think about tourists.

Tourists cause Strauss Stress Syndrome. Make Cobourg Clean Again.

Rusty Brown
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Cobourg should accept that the hospitality industry is a big part of its economy and make that fact a basic element of the whole culture of the town, in addition to functioning as a training ground for all those local young people who plan to make a career for themselves in whichever aspect of the industry they choose.

Rusty Brown
Reply to  Rusty Brown
5 years ago

Just as, many years ago:
“1842 May 9 – Charles Dickens stopped in Cobourg en route by boat from Toronto to Kingston and called it a “cheerful thriving little town”.

Bill Thompson
Reply to  Rusty Brown
5 years ago

I wonder what Marie Dressler thought of it ! 😁

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Rusty Brown
5 years ago

Wow! What a good point. Thanks for that. George Brown College teaches all things for the hospitality industry. My focus was the summer students earning their tuition to attend George Brown’s hospitality courses, but you expanded that to the on-the-job experience of students in our local hospitality industry giving them a leg before they attend George Brown. Good point Rusty.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Rusty Brown
5 years ago

It would be good to add, that the presence of so many GTA tourists of various cultures also provides Cobourg students with a leg up experience when they go to one of the most multicultural cities in the world.

Wally Keeler
5 years ago

64% of visitors stayed for the day, 10.3% overnight and 19.5% for multiple nights – it can be noted that those staying overnight in Cobourg are typically staying for more than 1 night.

That’s a hefty wad of dough being spent in Cobourg, 29.8 % spending one or more nights. That’s more than a quarter of all Cobourg tourists spending all that cash in our Town.

51.1% participated in a cultural activity while visiting.

It’s nice to know that more than half of the visitors to Cobourg support the Town’s cultural activities, eg, Northumberland Players, Ribfest, bike races, CCC sports events, etc. Thank you, visitors.

54.8% shopped while in Cobourg-

Wow! More than half of the visitors shop in Cobourg, but I bet they don’t buy any home appliances or furniture or take out loans or mortgages. There is a YouTube video of a small group of Asians visiting from the GTA who go to the local Walmart to purchase $248 worth of food for their two day stay in a rented local cottage. Thank you, visitors.

67.6% visited a local food establishment in Cobourg

Wow! Just over two-thirds of visitors frequent Cobourg’s restaurants and bars downtown. I wonder if two-thirds of Cobourg residents do the same? I don’t think so. Thank you, visitors

And then there are those who fundamentally believe that “Most of the citizens of Cobourg have indicated that they do not want more visitors coming to the beach“? The ignorance and arrogance is overwhelming.

Thank you to those Town officials for your pursuit of Truth concerning our real visitors and making them available to all citizens.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

CTA Director, Ken Strauss ludicrously claims, “Tourists contribute nothing to the lives of the vast majority of Cobourg residents.”

It is obvious that Mr Ken Strauss knows next to nothing about the people of Cobourg or the workings of this Town insofar as tourists are concerned. Mr Ken Strauss has done nothing but spread fake news, thereby inconveniencing the Town and causing unnecessary expenses for the Town to refute his nonsense. It would be better if he and the CTA quit their chronic tourist-bashing and welcome tourists instead.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

On April 8 this year, Dubious said, “There isn’t a grocery store. The liquor store is grossly inferior to the one at the mall. There is no home improvement store. There is no Walmart. My lawyer isn’t downtown. I can’t buy a car. I can’t buy tires. I can’t even get my car repaired. There is no gas station. The restaurants don’t appeal to me. I’m too old to canoe. I can bank online. I can order books online. I can buy shoes online or at the mall. I don’t like knickknacks. My kitchen is well equipped. I don’t need dog grooming. I don’t fancy a tattoo. I don’t wear a bra. Please explain for what I should shop downtown.”

Thankfully 67% of tourists spend their hard-earned money in local downtown restaurants and bars. Thankfully 54.8% of tourists shopped in Town. Thankfully 51.1% of tourists supported our Town’s cultural activities.

It should be noted that tourists care more about our downtown than does Dubious. Thank you Town officials for presenting the truth about tourists thereby disinfecting the belligerent anti-tourist rhetoric. Make Cobourg Clean Again.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

On March 23, cornbread said, “Don’t turn our town into another “Wasaga Beach” experience using more taxpayer money just to add a bit of extra revenue & profit to our downtown restaurant owners pockets.

Another psuedonym infected with bad ideas about tourists. It is a pitiful display of contempt for our hard-working downtown restaurant owners. When pseudonyms abandon the downtown to rot, we can be grateful for the 67.6% of tourists that spend their money in assisting business alive in our downtown retail district. Make Cobourg Clean Again.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

March 23 Dubious snobbishly pronounced, “There is no good restaurant downtown.”

Like other pseudonyms who hold our downtown in contempt, I am thankful that 67.7% of tourists vote with their money to support our local downtown restaurants. They vitalize the retail sector of the downtown, whereas pseudonyms are proud of their contempt for and abandonment of our downtown. Thank you Town officials for your efforts to disinfect bad ideas with good information. Make Cobourg Clean Again.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

March 23 Frenchy joined in, “Why not let some enterprising soul, or perhaps students in our young entrepreneurs program set up a weenie cart on the east pier. Maybe one on the main pier too. I’m guessing beach goers aren’t looking for a sit down meal but a fast “street meat” snack

67.6% of tourists go for sit down meals in our downtown bars and restaurants, thereby assisting with their cash in the vitalization of our downtown. Obviously, Frenchy was “guessing”, but that is all that Frenchy does: guess. And French obviously guesses wrong. Thank you tourists for doing what stingy selfish pseudonyms will not do: support our downtown with their business. Make Cobourg Clean Again.

Frenchy
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

67.6% of tourist to Cobourg might go for a sit down meal but does that mean that 67.6% of beach goers might go for a sit down meal downtown? Only half our tourists come here for the beach.
Wally, I was just interested in maybe helping a couple of students earn next year’s tuition fees for uni. Why are you against that? Maybe they could have even “networked” or “frolicked” with one (or some) of their customers after they closed up the cart.

“Make Cobourg Clean Again”? You’re starting to sound like your pal Trump. Between copying/bending one of his catch phrases, and constantly hammering out the same tired phrases over and over again, you’re losing all that originality and creativeness you thought you had.
And… who said Cobourg was dirty?

Durka
5 years ago

Over half shopped in Cobourg, imagine that. The town is becoming quite the Mythbuster. Love it!

Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Thank you to the “Experience Cobourg” folks and to Councillor Seguin for this initiative.
“Gorgeous and clean beach that looks like beaches in California”.
Yessss!!!!!

Suzanne Seguin
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Hello Walter, The credit for this initiative really goes to the young Experience Cobourg ambassadors who asked visitors questions about our town when they came into Town Hall or the tourism booth at the beach. I have been asking for questions to be asked and answers to be analyzed since my work began on Council as Community Services coordinator. We don’t know who is visiting Cobourg and why unless we ask. These brief surveys are only a start and must continue year round. We really need to know the true value of tourists to Cobourg and still have a lot of work to do. For those of you that are interested, here is a link on the Town’s web site, for the questions that were asked of visitors to Cobourg. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdR_lABekuK2xRcWPK9JSBwAubxJ41xJ1SUeIzrFoFwXErBjA/viewform

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  Suzanne Seguin
5 years ago

Yes Suzanne, this is an excellent start.
Hats off to our ambassadors!
And yes, please do continue.

manfred s
Reply to  Suzanne Seguin
5 years ago

Suzanne, I’m curious about the ‘stations’ where these questions were asked. We’re they static locations and if so, where were they, how many were there and what hours were they active?

Suzanne Seguin
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

Hello Manfred, The five students used iPads where the questions were uploaded and walked around the beach approaching visitors to take part in the survey, and also offered the survey to tourists at both the booth at the beach and the Town Hall. I will check into the hours they conducted these surveys and get back to you.

Suzanne Seguin
Reply to  Suzanne Seguin
5 years ago

As a follow up I contacted Bryan Mercer, who is on contract to handle Tourism for the Town, and he responded to say that student hours were Monday to Sunday 9 – 5 with two days off per week that were rotated between the students. The Town received partial government funding from Canada Summer Jobs for only the summer months. Tourism telephone inquiries in the shoulder seasons are directed to the CCC, with the DBIA helping with in-person inquiries downtown. According to Bryan, “the focus now is to hire a new Manager of Marketing and Events whom will work with Dean Hustwick to develop a more comprehensive future strategy.”