A Tourism Plan for the Corner Brook/Bay of Islands/Humber Region
The City of Corner Brook with its regional stakeholders has developed a tourism 
strategy under the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s STAR program (Strategic Tourism for Areas and Regions). Under the initiative a STAR certified consultant to worked with a committee of regional stakeholders to develop a strategy through regional research and community consultations. In essence, the program’s aim was to create an actionable plan along with the tools necessary for the region to reach its full potential as a tourism destination.
The STAR Process
The implementation of STAR consists of a seven step process carried out over of a period of 12-18 months. Started in the fall of 2018, the initiative began with initial regional research and site visits followed by visioning, benchmarking, and idea generation sessions. Regional consultations were carried out within the community followed by a draft plan and capacity building workshop session. The final plan was released in November 2019 with the follow up and interim reporting expected at the six-month and one-year anniversary of the report to ensure that actionable items from the report are targeted.
Funding for the Initiative
Tourism development is largely seen as an effective means of sustainable economic development. As such, the STAR program is expected to provide the tools, knowledge, and strategy required to stimulate the local economy through tourism. In all, the average STAR program is executed at an estimated cost of $65,000-$90,000. Funding for this program was provided by ACOA, the Province of Newfoundland, and the City of Corner Brook.
Transparency and Community Input
STAR is a unique approach to strategic tourism development, as it relies heavily on input from all members of the community as well as major stakeholders in the tourism industry. Residents of the Corner Brook, Bay of Islands, and Humber regions are encouraged to participate in many of the STAR activities to help shape tourism in our community.
New STAR Document
The final STAR document was released on November 18th, 2019. Click on the image below to view the report. 
For More STAR Information
If you have any questions on the STAR initiative contact Glenda Simms at e-mail: gsimms@cornerbrook.com PH: (709)-637-1588
For the Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/starcornerbrookhumberbayofislands/
Website: http://humberbayofislands.ca/
Twitter: @BayHumber https://twitter.com/BayHumber
