Disastrous season not his fault – ineptitude stretches right up the Minister Docherty

Lee Gauthier resigned, photo: CBC

Story from Charlottetown Guardian

Flash – has anyone noticed the tourist season is over as of Sunday? You could drive a truck – and they do – down Victoria Row Monday and Tuesday.

Even the nice weather yesterday didn’t resurrect the crowds. The temperature has taken a dip downward and the cars left town. An abysmal year just got ugly.

Lee Gauthier resigned from his post as CEO of Tourism Charlottetown yesterday. Gauthier had a long run as head of the Children’s Wish Foundation but a lack of tourism experience dogged him from the start.

Despite Gauthier’s bland statements, the Festival of Lights was a disaster but that event has been on a downward curve. The Festival of Lights won’t succeed as long as the few people in the downtown core control its development. Kim Devine and her band of Grumpy Residents have ruined the FOL trying to make it polite and nice.

Following Kim Green, the energetic and resourceful former head of Tourism Charlottetown, would be a hard act to follow. The recession is killing tourism and what that doesn’t kill Minister Valerie Docherty will finish off.

The PEI government is making a botch up job of Tourism and has been for decades. Docherty is just another in the long line of inept political masters who are allowed to tinker with one of PEI’s major industries.

It’s hard to imagine a successful company run the way the PEI Department of Tourism bumbles along. They have no clear marketing message and deliver it badly year after year.

What is the PEI Tourism Brand? Coke has one. Pepsi has one. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have theirs. We have…I can’t remember this years catchy jingle can you?

Politics and lazy patronage appointments are the death of PEI Tourism.

Talking about patronage, Donna Hurry at the City of Charlottetown is supposed to be responsible for tourism. According to her own admission to this reporter, she has nothing to do once Tourism Charlottetown started. Give her the job. She may not be as high-priced and high-profile as Lee. The question is – could she be worse?

How silly of me. They don’t care what things cost at City Hall. It’s just money, spend spend spend. Let’s see where is the $30 million for the new arena?