Evolution of B.C. Tourism Capability Modelling

The methodology for these tourism focus areas can be split into three types. Tourism focus
areas were determined for land based tourism (kayaking, wildlife viewing, lodge suitability mapping
and others were merged), tourism facilities (created through using a 8km buffer from existing
facilities), and for marine based tourism (viewscapes for marine tourism).51
Grids and buffering operations are common throughout the B.C. tourism capability modelling
process. As mentioned, the 1:250,000 mapsheets are used for the primary base data of the models and
this leads to buffering operations and the creation of grids. Slope was crucial in terms of tourist access
and as such, the models used a 100m grid and a 5 class (0-30%, 30-40, 40-50, 50-100, >100) digital
elevation model to determine this factor. Large rivers and lakes over 200 hectares had 1000 metre
buffers applied to them. Included in the methodology was the previously created tourism resource
inventories for the area which had features such as mines, waterfalls, gravel roads, and river rapids
extracted from them.52 Although individual tourism resource inventories were created for areas
throughout B.C. and a wide variety of products were modeled, the model process followed the same
basic steps. One of these inventories was the tourism resource inventory for Nootka Sound in southern
B.C. This resource inventory had three phases common with other inventories done throughout B.C.
Phase one included the actual inventory, accessing opportunities, and constraints. Phase two
encompasses the selection of tourism products to model, their location, and issues of allocation of
resources. Finally, phase three is the development stage where tenures for implementation occur,
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operations are started, and support and marketing of the tourism development is conducted. The
model consists of tourism operator facilities (use/user areas) and those features used for/or significant
to tourism. These basic factors are then mapped against the base map data for the area; this process is
used to determine potential and any data gaps that might exist. The model criteria themselves are
selected based on a three-pronged selection method. This method includes tourism products
(activities) selected based on their potential market, economic significance, and the quality of their
supporting resources (infrastructure). Model inputs are then selected from among the activities that
are desired such as river kayaking, backcountry skiing, and other resource-based activities. Once an
activity is selected then model inputs can be created by addressing which attributes are needed for that
particular tourist activity to be developed, what is needed to help modify the quality of the tourism
product, those attributes that would exclude product development, and those which provide access to
potential tourism products. Once these inputs are overlayed in the model, buffering functions are
undertaken and the tourism capability of the region can be judged.54

This ranking process results in a model that classifies tourism capability using a scale from
Moderate, to high, to very high. Those areas that received high or very high capability ratings, among
the various tourism products, can be identified as areas with high tourism potential. After areas of high
tourism potential have been realized then it was quite easy to look forward to the second stage, actual
implementation. This stage involves assessing those assets in the potential regions and anticipating
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possible constraints which might preclude further development.