Case Study: Barrier Bay

Q: What inspired you to create a new product or enhance your existing one?

A: Since the pandemic, we’ve noticed people in general have felt depleted. There is less patience and grace for unmet expectations. Inflation and supply chain problems make everything in life more stressful. While we have always provided a romantic atmosphere, there is increased demand for wellness breaks. People are taking time away just to rest, unplug from the pressure and decompress from demands on their energy.

Q: How did you know when it is time to grow or evolve your tourism experience/product?

A: Your business has increased demand, waitlists and requests for whatever is trending at the moment. All tourism operators know they need to listen to their customers, so growing or adding a product would seem a logical next step. But an area that’s often overlooked is personal asset development. Operators need to take stock of what’s happening with their own energy stores and really ask the hard question: can we take this on?

Over time, with experience in a new business, when stress over hiccups becomes lower, energy stores can start to rise. And when a tourism operator has experience and builds structure so that they aren’t responsible for everything, then they can delegate more and then turn their attention to expansion or the evolution of a product.

The worst thing an operator can do is take on too much too fast. Burnout is an ugly beast that takes down far too many tourism operators.

Q: Do you have key partners or community connections for this product/expansion. Can you explain?

A: Our business is unique in that we are located in a provincial park so there is not a local chamber of commerce. We have built our community connections by creating a business association with other resorts, stores and businesses inside the park. We are an association of business owners who want to share the Whiteshell with all our guests. We know how fortunate we are to live here and want other Manitobans to experience the wonder of the area.

Q: Did you consider economic impacts for your local community in the development process?

A: We are one of the only businesses in the park that hires staff, uses contractors and buys from local vendors. We are where the children and grandchildren of cottagers who grew up going to the store. We provide a safe place for teens to have their first summer job, and parents feel great about it because they know us and trust us. Our shop has been selling creations from local artisans for years so creative partnerships abound. We also have a community event once a year where we fundraise for the Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Local business owners often volunteer on boards, event committees and trail committees.

Q: What did you do to prepare to launch the new or diversified offer?

A: Manitobans trust their friends and family, so word-of-mouth testimonials have always been a successful resource for us. We focus on building a great product, executing it with excellence and being patient for the return.